A View From Middle England - Conservative with a slight libertarian touch - For Christian charity and traditional belief - Free Enterprise NOT Covert Corporatism

Tuesday, March 04, 2008

Obama cosies up to the Canadians!

Senator Obama is on and off the NAFTA trail like a covered wagon trying to avoid a spat between John Wayne and a posse of marauders. He has told different tales to different folk, apparently. His senior economic adviser, Austan Goolsbee, told Canadian officials in Chicago that the debate over free trade in the Democratic presidential primary campaign was "political positioning" and that Mr. Obama was not really protectionist. Like telling them that they get one version, the electorate gets another? Democratic politics! Sometimes it needs a good dose of cleansing, because the spin and deception can be quite foul!

The only politician saying what he believes on the NAFTA agreement is Ron Paul. These agreements are a hybrid of protectionism and control. Free trade is only possible if the politicians allow it and don't interfere! A pig farmer can walk his pigs (always assuming they don't carry any porky problems!) across borders without being asked too many questions. Freedom to sell in chosen markets. Where would Columbus be with the NAFTA agreement? (I've not heard of Nafta, Ohio!).

But this isn't "free trade", it's regulated trade. Real free trade is selling your products and services without an official telling you what to do. Obviously, local laws should be respected, such as labeling, content and product suitability. Nobody wants dangerous or contaminated goods.

Obama told reporters, "nobody reached out to the Canadians to try to assure them of anything." Pity, because they think they need reassuring! He was asked why he had appeared to deny a report last week that such a meeting had taken place, he said, "That was the information I had at the time."

My answer to that is - come off it, Obama! You just haven't thought this through, have you? Flip-flopping isn't a crime, but spin and deception - well, that is!!

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