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Two CPA members have been corresponding with David Bohigian of the
Department of Commerce. Their email string is below, and subject
to the Freedom of Information Act, so is public. Indeed your tax money
pays the government salaries.
I've never posted an email string
before, but this one is stunning because of the disconnect between the
CPA members' facts, and the government rhetoric-posing-as-fact.
We are losing the beef industry, the apple industry, domestic
manufacturing and all the jobs that go with it. The
administration is in full denial. I repeat, full denial.
So here you are, below the fold (hit "read more").
Subject: FW: The economy and trade
Al:
RE: “Pamperd CEOs ruin others…" http://www.denverpost.com/allewis
There is a great economic divide between the interests of Wall
Street and the interests of Main Street. Your column in today’s
Denver Post portrays one dimension. Recent news that it is no
one’s business where tainted Hallmark beef went, but domestic cattlemen
are supposed to tag and ID each animal delivered to large processors is
another. What follows here is another.
People who have actually read NAFTA (I’m in the process today so that I
can validate my own claim) will tell you that these agreements are
riddled with loopholes and special interests, “free” only in the sense
that they benefit trans-national corporations and explicitly not the
domestic producers on either side of the borders. NAFTA, with
additional just expired agricultural restrictions is, I believe,
responsible for half of our illegal immigration problem. The
beneficiaries are, in agriculture, companies like Cargill, Monsanto and
Tyson.
Surviving domestic manufacturers have achieved global performance
standards. It is incredible that the Treasury Department is
explicitly unwilling to certify to Congress that China is not
manipulating the Yuan, when the data could not be clearer. It is
undeniable that, when tariffs are dropped as the result of trade
agreements, partner countries have put value added tax structures in
place that disadvantage domestic producers in exactly the same way that
they had been before the agreement. It would be my pleasure to
share more about the travesty of present policies.
Dave Anderson
The Colorado Springs Manufacturing Task Force
The Coalition for a Prosperous America
www.prosperousamerica.org
www.tradereform.org
719.322.5945
Subject: Where the administration stands on the economy and trade...please don't bore us with the facts!
The following exchange is revealing. Obviously, the current
administration holds interests above and contrary to the people's
interests.
Whether your a farmer, rancher, manufacturer or fast food worker, you
have to know that this administration and many in congress don't care
about the facts about what is causing the current financial and social
disaster.
U.S. citizens and the citizens of many other countries are suffering
severely from our elected officials betrayal. The current trade
agreements (a.k.a. special interest agreements), approved by
those in congress are gutting this country and have to be scraped now.
Mike Callicrate
David,
You guys are amazing -- predictable but amazing. How is more of
what we have been doing for 10 years going to bring about a different
outcome? The administration extending Americans even more credit
will not solve our long term problems. The nation has maxed out
our credit and even “hocked our houses” and you think a few hundreds
dollars to buy more foreign products on credit is going to fix this
problem. Amazing – truly amazing!!!
We agree that we need to increase exports relative to imports. I
would have preferred another method than devaluing our money. We
still suggest addressing the mercantilist and protectionist practices
of China and Japan and other Asian nations so our formerly American
Corporations need to off shore our means of
production. How will the stimulus package stimulate
the American economy by increasing more consumption on credit? I
can see how this package will stimulate the Chinese economy but cannot
see it stimulating the American economy. It looks to me like the
administration’s stimulus package is an attempt to run out the clock
until they can get out of town.
Apparently, I will need to wait for the next administration for an
evaluation of the damage done to American producers by the
Bush/Clinton/Bush policies of the past 19 years. I only hope we
can restrain further damage until corrections to the problems in trade
enforcement and tax inequities can be fixed. Hopefully, the next
administration will have enough backbone to stand up for American
interests not the Global money interests.
Frank
As a life-long Republican please pass on my thanks to the President for
running the economy and my party into the ditch just like his Dad
did. After this Bush debacle, we probably don’t need to worry
about anymore Bushes in the White House (always looking for a
positive).
Subject: RE: The economy and trade
David:
The American economy has not created a single net tradable goods
producing job in the past five years; comparisons to where we were in
the local community, the State and the nation going back to 2001 are
far worse. The crucial questions about policy changes to address
the unsustainable imbalance in trade ARE being addressed in the
financial markets. The Chinese told us very clearly last year
that they had, as Warren Buffett said in his parable, purchased their
limit of our securities; the same is true of others. Our national
credit card has reached its limit. Now, in a fell swoop that Mr.
Buffett had predicted, the Sovereign Wealth Funds are ready, willing
and able to purchase our banks and our factors of production. All
of this is likely to leave our progeny indentured.
To quote Theodore Roosevelt (July 4, 1886) from the foreward to
Steeling America’s Future by Dan DiMicco, “The Declaration of
Independence derived its peculiar importance not on account of what
America was, but because of what she was to become; she shared with
other nations the present, and she yielded to them the past, but it was
felt in return that to her, and to her especially, belonged the future
… So it is peculiarly incumbent on us to act throughout our lives as to
leave our children a heritage, for which we will receive their blessing
and not their curse.”
We can parse data many ways, but we must not be in denial about the
aggregates and the gross imbalance that continues in the absence of
management that other country governments employ. In working with
domestically-based businesses, I believe that the most productive and
competitive have survived, but despite doing all of the right things on
the micro-economic level, they cannot succeed on the global stage
without balanced macro-level policy support. Addressing the clear
problems with currency manipulation and border adjustable taxes are two
steps that must be taken. As Duncan Hunter wrote just yesterday
(http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/02/opinion/02hunter.html), “We CAN Make
It” - a restoration mission is very motivating now to many.
Count on me and a growing movement who are concerned to assure a viable
economic and national security future. Your consideration is also
appreciated,
Dave Anderson
The Colorado Springs Manufacturing Task Force
The Coalition for a Prosperous America
From:
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Sent: Sunday, March 09, 2008 8:22 AM
To: Dave Anderson
Cc:
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; 'Frank Shannon';
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'ColoradoLaser-Duane'; 'Mike Callicrate'; 'Jeff Crank'; 'FinishesLtd.
Shannon. Linda'; 'Bob Powell';
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Subject: RE: The economy and trade
While I appreciate your input, I think we simply disagree on the
facts. It's better documented that net trade has accounted for
more than 30 % of US GDP growth in 2006 & 2007, and we've added
more than 8 million jobs since 2003. The free trade agreements
under consideration open foreign markets, many of which now enjoy a one
way preference into the U.S. market. More analysis is available
from www.tradeagreements.gov
Best,
David Bohigian
Assistant Secretary of Commerce
for Market Access and Compliance
202-482-5022
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From: "Dave Anderson" <
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Date: 03/09/2008 10:14AM
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Subject: RE: The economy and trade
Good morning David:
In the time since we met, Colorado Springs and El Paso County has lost
6,000 jobs in tradable goods production, one thousand at Intel and five
hundred at Sanmina-SCI. These jobs didn’t disappear; they went to
another country. With the documented multiplier of 4X, the
community has truly lost 6,000 high paying middle class jobs
here. These figures do not include what will show up as loss of
jobs in commercial and residential construction.
We agree without question that increasing trade is a crucial answer to
our economic problems, for without higher income, it is inconceivable
that we will be able to pay for the deficits accumulating from this
administration’s fiscal and international policies, as well as
even a portion of the inherited social policies. As the U.S.
exports roughly $120 billion per month and imports $180 billion per
month, how will approval of the Columbia, Panama and Korea Free Trade
Agreements reduce the $60 billion monthly deficit? From what I
saw in public statements from representatives of the government of Peru
following approval of the Peru Free Trade Agreement, the quantitative
opportunity for export is miniscule AND their expectations are to
attract trans-national corporate manufacturing facilities – to multiply
their own exports. Can you provide a quantitative analysis of
projected export and import changes from these four current agreement
structures? The American people deserve this analysis as a part
of considering additional agreements.
It is now well documented that the U.S. trade deficit is reducing
growth and reducing domestic employment. As political
debates turn to the terms on which the U.S. trades, more
attention will be focused on how - unlike what happened in the Reagan
Administration with negotiation of the Plaza Accord – trading partners
are being permitted to compete without the same rules that we have here
for domestically-based businesses. That protectionist and
mercantilist behavior, call it infant-industries or focused economic
development to cast in a positive light, is clearly unfair to
domestically-based U.S. producers. What policies do you propose
to address the $60 billion per month deficit of the present, other than
recession? What policies do you propose to address the $250
billion deficit with China alone?
Please revisit the documents that I left you with when we spoke.
I referred to a July 18, 2005 article by William Greider titled
‘America’s Truth Deficit’
(http://www.commondreams.org/views05/0718-26.htm) and an October 2003
article by Warren Buffett titled ‘Squanderville vs. Thriftville’
(http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1053684/posts). As
Buffett wrote to Berkshire Hathaway shareholders, we are creating a
“sharecropper society.” David, in all sincerity, as Greider wrote
and some of the Presidential candidates and many of the Congressional
candidates have begun to understand, we simply cannot “recycle the
usual bromides about the benefits of free trade and assurances that
everything will work out for the best.”
The American people deserve substance, including mechanisms to address
other country currency manipulation and border-adjustable taxes as two
elements that are the subject of bi-partisan legislation. Please
respond substantively, with projections for what trade agreements under
consideration will obtain and with what policies are under proposed to
address the preponderant imbalance.
Your consideration and attention are appreciated,
David Anderson
The Colorado Springs Manufacturing Task Force
The Coalition for a Prosperous America
From:
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Sent: Sunday, March 09, 2008 7:00 AM
To: Frank Shannon
Cc:
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; 'Dave Anderson';
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Subject: Re: The economy and trade
Frank,
Despite the lower unemployment rate, last week's job report was
disappointing. The nation is facing economic challenges and
growing at a slower rate than in previous years, and we are seeing this
reflected in the employment market. We have acted quickly to
address the issues with the President’s stimulus plan, which will
provide a boost to our economy with incentives for both consumers and
businesses. We can’t stop there.
Trade, which supports higher paying jobs, is a key bright spot in
boosting our current growth. We need to expand exports by opening
new markets. That’s why Congress must pass the pending free trade
agreements with Colombia, Panama and Korea.
David Bohigian
Assistant Secretary of Commerce
for Market Access and Compliance
202-482-5022
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From: "Frank Shannon" <
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Date: 03/06/2008 01:01PM
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Subject: The economy and trade
Mr. Assistant Secretary (David),
I haven’t heard from you for awhile and was wondering how the
Bush/Clinton/Bush economic/trade plans are going from your
perspective. Out here in Fly Over country, things haven’t changed
much. Manufacturing is still dying on the vine. Another of
my best customers just announced an auction at his bankrupt business
which brought to mind your talk at the CS Chamber about how great free
trade is for America. On another note, China has convinced Intel
to close its state of the art plant in CS and move it to China.
Once that is consummated, manufacturing will be 6% of the local
economy. We were 17% at our zenith just prior to 2001 when the
crap hit the fan.
Here’s a link to a newspaper article in St Louis that expresses what I see from here in Colorado Springs.
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/business/stories.nsf/yourmoney/story/2B2C5354F49CF5F686257403000B1D16?OpenDocument
F.D. Shannon
Finishes Ltd
3057 Delta Drive
Colorado Springs, CO. 80910
719-390-4300 Ext 4#
719-205-4450 Cell
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www.finishesltd.com
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