You all remember that "ranny lil guy from Texas, Ross Perot" ?…He said theres going to be a tremendous "Sucking Sound" comming from Mexico if NAFTA is signed into Law, in the next Administration, when Slick Willy was running for president?? …..well, he was right.

Those "Imports" from Mexico are, in reality, American owned buisness down there and Re-Imported back into our country at competitive prices, made by cheap labor and hardly any benefits for those workers……NAFTA Was, and Is a scam, and hurting America like a bloody wound.

The demodummies are going to continue the practice and worsen the Illegal Invasion of America, because it promotes their Agenda with cheap labor here, and strengthens their Voting Base, thereby keeping them in Power……Plain and Simple.,,,,,,,The demodummy party has been Hijacked by Socialism and Corruption, and is now the Party of the Rich.

All the comments above critisising the Liberals are Correct, and people have the nails about the Clintons, the Obamas, and Edwards, right square on the head……..Now lets DO something about It and Them….Lets Put a Strong, Competant and Dedicated Expert Conservative and his Cabinet back to work, by taking back our country and its Security and Economic Strength……By Voting for the only True Conservative left in the race.

Its Time for Mitt Romney.

It's too easy to find an ignorant truck driver at a truck stop. This guy has no idea why he's not making as much money. I really doubt he made 65k with a truck payment, you've got to be real lazy even during last year to make 65k.

150 Mexican trucks are NOT the issue. NAFTA has nothing to do with this guy's problem. It's fuel, insurance and too many drivers from europe and everywhere else thanks to H2B visas (the blue collar version of h1b) and the weak economy. You can't have a strong trucking industry with a weak economy, it's physically impossible.

Add a dot com to the user name to see real trucker views.

And remember that the visa workers onH1 and L1 taking jobs here are in addition to the jobs that are directly outsourced to those countries. There are people sitting in cubicles in India and China doing jobs Americans used to do, particularly call center and computer jobs.

According to the study conducted at UC Davis, H1B's make 25-35% less than their American counterparts. But the real reason the companies want them is that they are basically indentured servants. They are reliant on their sponsiring copany for their contuinued ability to remain legally in the US. They are paid less, they cannot negotiate, and they cannot move to another job at another company. Not to mention overtime they can be required to work.

I don't understand Mr. Dye's reasoning - he was making good money, then Bill Clinton signed in NAFTA, then he stopped making good money. Now he says he will vote for Clinton again, and is his reasoning is "because times were better under Clinton"?? I'm not following the logic. If someobody's policies hurt me personally or financially, I don't vote for that person anymore.

Another great thing the Clintons brought us…. and Hillary learned in 35 years of "experience". So how will she sell us out???

The Leftist Clintonista Clan gave us the curse of NAFTA in order to facilitate the rape of America by their French/Canadian sponsors/allies/and business partners in Canada (Desmarais/Chretien/Trudeau families) who own Power Corporation of Canada and the Canadian Broadcasting corporation who provided Al Gore all the programming for Newsworld International (now Current TV) and financed Gore's Global Warming Jihad after they had their Carbon trading corporations set up and tried to push throuh Kyoto…financing the leftistas with funding from BNP Paribas Bank SA/Total Oil SA to disseminate their anti-American propaganda via GE/NBC-Vivendi Universal SA/Bertelsmann AG and their ownership of the LA TImes/NY TImes/all Random House publications etcetera..and Lion's Gate FIlms from Toronto Canada (owned by the Gore/Clinton family business partners, The Chretien/Desmarais/Trudeau families from Canada)…Google Paul Desmarais..Power Corporation of Canada..see what comes up…and you'll put the pices together and then you'll KNOW why the American LEFT sold the American working poor out to their business partners and financiers from Canada. Just sayin'…

Patrick Kunc

If NAFTA can be amended to raise Mexico’s and Canada’s environmental and wage standards to that of the Unite States then I’d be fine with it.

This will never happen as then the cost there would be equal the cost here and would defeat their purpose of going there for the cheap labor and unregulated environment.

CNN, every polite comment I have made now for sevral weeks has been put on moderation and not published. Clearly you will not allow rebuttal online that favors Mrs. Clinton. We are talking about this with other sites and friends. Remember Mr. Matthews you cannot shut down freedom of speech in America and not get noticed for that.

JOHN,
Where on earth did you ever get the idea that the going rate of pay in China is $7.00 an hour? It is $7.00 A DAY ! What we would call a skilled tradesman in this country makes between .85 and .95 cents an hour over there. I work in manufacturing, have traveled to China and have seen our competition first hand. We don't have a chance.

When Bush Sr. was in office he had a special office in the US Govn't to promote the outsourcing of high tech industries to asia. It was undermining silcon valley. The valley was starting to shut down. One of Clinton's first actions coming in was to shut that office and change our governments direction into one of promoting American High Tech industries in America. That action fueled our high tech boom and provided myself and my husband with good work. As to NAFTA, for those of you too young to remember, it was written by the Bush's and Clinton only signed it with significant restrictions added to protect American jobs, the first thing "Dubya" did in office along with removing every other benificial Clinton policy was to remove the restrictions on NAFTA with the help of the Republican Senate and house and with executive orders. With the restrictions removed he then started back up on his daddy's programs with a new name "outsourcing". For those of you whose political memories are all granted you by the past 8 years let me remind of this. One reason Bill was put in the position of even having to consider NAFTA and was pressured by the party and public to sign it was he had promised while running for office to bring Republicans and Democrats together to better america the same way Obama who is trying to run on the Clinton's old message from decades ago is doing now. Hillary has learned the dangers of that message and thank goodness is no longer falling into that stupid pit. Compromise with people who only represent their companies overseas and oil leads to longterm problems those of you who think Republicans ever will work with Dems are nieve and will elect another Carter and lock our Party out of power another 40 years.

Me, you obviously havent seen how dirt poor the people( not the wealthy)who live in china. They live in poverty ten times greater than any city in the US. Look at their polution problem. You dont see Americans breaking their necks to live in china, but they come here to have a better chance. Americans are not lazy nor do we care to compete with countries who pay their workers .50 per hr. Dont hate us because we want to actually make enought money to support ourselves and our families.

China SUPER POWER ha.

for all the money in the world i would not live there.

So close all the borders and live in your own dream country!!! You still think you are a super power country. Wake up, China will be the big super power of this century, you are something of the past.

I cannot believe you people are not willing to compete with other countries. Lazy people

first of all its not the president who controls what corporations do with their workforce. It's congress and the oversight committees that regulate internal commerce and the respective state department and interior directors that are appointed by Presidents and Congress. Althought NAFTA was not a great piece of legislature it's the increased allowance of corporations moving their labor forces oversees and not investing in America's infrastructure that is weakening this country. We need a government that will enforce our laws, require American Corporations to reinvest in our own country and penallize corporations with heavy taxes when they abandon domestic markets in favor of international fields.

To start off I'm a Mexican who lived temporarily in the U.S during the Clinton administration. It's really funny to see how Americans are mad at the NAFTA agreement, I say this because practically every single Mexican is mad too, NAFTA has only helped big corporations, Mexicans are getting poorer, Americans are getting worse off. So who benefits? don't think it's the Canadians. Oh and nick was so right, 180,000 a year for a trucker????? What kind of crazy country is it where a trucker get's paid so much more money than a teacher? that's why highly trained and educated foreigners have to be brought to the U.S.

so called "free trade" is a good thing ONLY if it's "fair trade". this is the ONLY industrialized country that allows free access to it's markets. the Chinese, Japanese, Koreans and Europeans ALL have tariffs on foreign probucts that compete with their domestic industries. untill either THOSE tariffs are removed OR we impose some reciprocal expense, so called "free trade" will neither be FREE or EQUAL.

and that's with not even going into the probalem of our workers having to compete with sweatshop wages and conditions in China, India and Mexico.

Sick and Tired: "NAFTA et al. has not helped this country. All it has done is allow our lumber industry be replaced by Canadian lumber companies"

Yeah, I guess that's why all the "Canadian" lumber companies have either gone under or been bought by Weyerhaueser? You know, the big lumber company based in Washington (state)?

Canadian lumber was cheaper when our dollar was worth 60c US. Now that our dollars are par (or very close), it's not so cheap.

Patrick: "If NAFTA can be amended to raise Mexico's and Canada's environmental and wage standards to that of the United States than I'd be fine with it, otherwise it puts our workers at a competitive advantage."

If you can figure out a way to get the Cdn income taxes to a level similar to the US, that would go a long way - our wages may be higher, but so are our taxes (all that "free" healthcare isn't so free). I think environmental standards between Canada and the US are pretty similar.

NAFTA which was a continuation of Reagan and Bush 41 policy was signed by Bill Clinton. He has done a hell of a lot of long term damage to this country while claiming the economy was strong during his Presidency. It was thanks to the internet and Gore, not Clinton. Now Bill is busy trying to push his wife's agenda with attacks and half truths. Wait till she starts signing bills. I cringe at the thought.

Nice comment, Tom Wittman. There's no such thing as Asia-US FTA or India-US FTA, but the lack of such legislation hasn't helped the trade our trade debt with these nations. My company couldn't do what it does without skilled workers from Asia and India. I make more money because they're working here.

-Levi

I think that we should label Clintons' behaviors as "Clintonism" - his and her legacy in this country's politics. People say that it's Clinton's strategy to drag Obama into a fight. I say no. It's not that Clinton has a strategy; it is that they have no any other stratigies but blaming and attcking anyone on their way. The nasty, negative, and mean spirited approach they have showed is simply what they are. Do we need such a leadership in this country??

Vote for Romney. He's the only business man in the bunch.

This is such bs. The nation has added 20+ million jobs since NAFTA was enacted and wage rates are higher (on average) across the board. Protectionism is farce. Of course this trucker would have everyone else pay more to protect HIS job, but apparently other jobs that were created in the process don't matter.

NAFTA, another economic disaster created by the Clintons. He sold America out and his wife will do the same.

"Let it be known" - you are SO correct about the H1B VISAs!!!!!!

The H1B VISA jobs pull down our wages and lay us off (mostly to Indian and Pakistani technology and medical fields.

Hillary Clinton and Bill Gates are both pushing for NO limits on H1B VISAs. NO LIMITS!!!!

What are they thinking????????????

Not one of these canidates is going to do anything for the American people,soon as their voted in,they are bribed by big business and sell us out,Jobs run the american economy.we have been sold out by TRATIORS!

What kind of 'boo-hoo' story is this, what a dumb article.

Poor attempt at 'relating' to the 'normal' people.

If the economy is your concern and you would like to stop NAFTA, you should support the Republican Ron Paul.

Anonymous, Im sick of your comments.

Maybe if Obama made dumb mistakes then CNN would write about them.

Hillary and Bill used to get my vote. NOT ANYMORE!

They lie too much. Im not a fool. But apparently you are!

Bill Clinton downsized our Military by 2 brigades.

Thats why we are stretched to the limit now and soldiers are dying because of this.

Also, Most soldiers will have to serve many tours of Duties in Iraq because there is no one to replace them.

Bill, your new name is Dumbo!

Get Rid of NAFTA and CAFTA, Period !!! I Might add also get Rid of The PESKY CLINTONS ONCE AND FOR ALL.. THIER DAY IN THE SUN HAS COME AND GONE, AND THEY NEED A REALITY CHECK ALL THE WAY! I WANT MY CHILDREN AND GRANDS TO HAVE JOBS IN THIS COUNTRY … OBAMA ALL THE WAY! TIME FOR SOME FRESH YOUNG PEOPLE TO START RUNNING THE COUNTRY AND FORGET THE OLD FARTS AND THIER REHETORIC!! A CONCERNED MOTHER AND GRANDMA FROM WISCONSIN

let it be known, that NAFTA was a Reagan proposal the Dems were the congressional leadership through the '80s and kept it out. Bill Clinton went for NAFTA with a republican congress (remember the contract on America?) in an attempt to work a deal for a balanced budget.

Bush has certainly done a lot for the country. The largest debt in history, a bungled war for no reason (and lied about the reasons), and an economic stimulous package that is no more than an attempt to buy us off for $800. The last budget Bush tried to get through was sent back to him with a note saying that what he had sent was, essentially, jibberish and he needed to come up with a real budget.

Since 1980 the Republicans have been in the White House for twenty years and the Democrats for eight. Do you really believe that all of our collective problems are a result of Bill Clinton?

Stopwatchinghardball of Rochester, NY…

You must be joking if you think media reports of having to keep setting the record straight that Obama is not a Muslim is positive stories for Obama. Instead of getting news media coverage for an uplifting political message or specific policy issues that Obama addressess, CNN political tickers constantly report on hot topics such as race and religion.

The idea of free trade is a good thing. If you are educated on the subject you will know that lowering tariffs and trade restrictions around the world in theory helps everyone. The problem is that when you're trading with a country that doesn't have the same wage, environmental, or quality standards that you're country has it is going to be cheaper to import goods from those countries. If NAFTA can be amended to raise Mexico's and Canada's environmental and wage standards to that of the United States than I'd be fine with it, otherwise it puts our workers at a competitive advantage. Can someone who is currenty for NAFTA please explain to me how it is supposed to help the USA? Maybe there is something I am missing?

Since Hillary loves to take credit for her husband's work she's welcome to take credit for NAFTA . Mr. Dye needs to vote one of the other Democrats on the ticket. Many Democratic bloggers and people I've met say they'd rather vote Republican than vote for Hillary. She says she will fight the Republicans; that means we'd have four years of bickering and no progress if she is elected.

To Domingo and Monika:

On average, a H1B visa worker from India makes $1,200.00 less per year than the US worker made doing the same job. It's a fact. Look it up.

NAFTA et al. has not helped this country. All it has done is allow our lumber industry be replaced by Canadian lumber companies and hoards of light manufacturing and textile jobs have headed south of the border. Those companies who can't move are allowed to hire illegals from south of the border and our government casts a blind eye. Our neighborhoods have more and more graffiti, housing and apartments have mutiple families living in them, schools and school districts are being over-burdened with hoards of non-speaking students and non-speaking parents who pay no property tax (for the schools) since they are renters.

Now we are being burdened with the European Union collaborating against us. The EU and Asia economies are uptight about our economic meltdown because we buy so many of our products from producers overseas and if we slow down our purchases (because we are so deep in personal debt) we will send their economies in a tailspin. In order to stay afloat, our banks are borrowing money or selling off chuncks of their business to investors from Asia.

We don't even mow our own lawns or wash our own cars anymore. Heck I have to speak spanish to buy a hamburger from McDonalds.

1992, Ross Perot came across as bazaar but he was right! We've done nothing but damage this country with our trade and economic policies of the last 17 years.

Over the last 17 years, our elected officials have sold us out. The entire goal was to become one huge socialistic continent. All Clinton, Obama and Edwards want to do is redistribute the wealth via taxation and socialized medicine and retirement plans.

As for the Republicans, Ron Paul , as bazaar as he seems to be, he appears to be the only honest straight shooter….lets get back to basics and live by the constitution.
Of course we know what happen to the previous bazzar guy back in 1992.

When is anyone really going to start talking about the danger of losing our democracy , let me pose just one question for many would be voters . As it stands now two families have shared the whitehouse as if it were a throne for Twenty Years . Bush then Clinton Then a Bush again , now let suppose that Hillary wins the Nomination which is the smart money currently . This would offer Nearly Thirty years of Two Families controling the white house , SOme children Have been born , raised , gone to school and started that cycle for children of thier own only Knowing the PResidency as the Clintons And Bushes , Isnt thier something fundamentally wrong with this idea , being that our country was founded by men whose Idea was to be free of an Aristocracy ?
Americans have short term Memory and so does the media all of them want to talk about the glory days of the 90's , but isnt the former Clinton White house part of the reason the Republicans were able to take control of the White house , congress and Senate ? Wasn't it thier practice of politics that brought shame to the Dems , Isnt it the Clinton aversion to the truth what jas Lost us two Previous Elections and now we seem so ready to give the white house Back to them .No questions asked and No accountabilty . We seemed prepared to accept the Monarcy dont be suprised when " Peter Bush Gets Elected " And Then CHelsea clinton Whne are we to stop the MAddness of two family Monarcy ??
Registered Democract Voting for any one who Hasnt been elected before .

I'm still waiting for one negative story on Obama. Just one! That's all I'm asking. No one is that perfect unless the media wants you to be. Right CNN?

What was on display at the debate is why a lot of people simply do not like Hillary. She alone will continue and add to the divisiveness of this country. Hillary is a strong woman, wonderful; sure she is cabable, that however, does not make her not right for America, not today. She is too controversial to be the uniter this country deseprately needs. She displays `Washington as usual tactics' to get her way. Race nor gender will have a role in my decision. Yes, America, as a leader of the free world , is late to the party of having a woman lead the nation. Is Hillary the one? No, she planted ill seeds that have taken root and it will all become a briar patch should she make it to the White House.

Thank you all for your great commentaries. I continue to learn a wealth of facts that I don't seem to getting from the candidates or the media.

Keep on commenting!

To Domingo:
Get a grip, no employer is going to overpay someone which they have hostage by a VISA. People overseas BEG to come here and work for 1/2 the pay that americans do…….why wouldn't they ? You need to look at their so called solution here . If they were so concerned about shortages of skilled workers, they would have thrown big $$ at colleges, etc. to increase out own internal workforce. The problem is, who opened the door for them ? Their solution was short sighted to say the least.

Let's see… who was it that signed NAFTA into creation? Who was it? Who could it be? Oh, yes, it was President William Jefferson Clinton, the husband of co-president and smartest-woman-in-the-world, Hillary Rodham-Rodham.

But let's make sure we blame Republicans for this, because those evil black-hearted monsters are really and truly responsible for all that is wrong and bad in this world and other worlds as well, right?

To Anonymous and others:

This story is not even about Hillary Clinton. It's about NAFTA. If that illicits criticism of the Clinton administration, then that's the way it goes. They aren't perfect and it seems like many of the readers act offended if a story doesn't outright praise them.

QUOTE Chaunda

In her time in the Senate Hillary Clinton has more than proved she can/ will work with Republicans. Lets talk about that not about 15 years ago. I certainly wasn't the same person 16 years ago and I do not plan to be the same person 16 years from now.

So why is she after Obama for reffering to reps, not even praising their policies??

NAFTA brought Latinamerican exports but even more imports. Therefore the
complaints about the former are absurd

But China with labor conditions ten time worse as mexico's inundate US market
without importing even a fraction of their value

WHY I SEE NO a very few COMPLAINTS ???

Don't hate the player…hate the game!!!

HILLARY 08

Dear Friends:

A M E N !!!!!! RESTRICT THE CANADIAN AND MEXICAN TRUCK DRIVERS,
BUY USA MADE, HELP CREATE JOBS, REBUILD, RESTORE AND PUT IN SOLAR, WE WILL STILL NEED OIL, QUALITY NOT JUST QUANTITY,
BRING AMERICA HOME BOYS AND THE BOYS AND GIRLS BACK TO THE USA AND PROTECT OUR BORDERS. THERE IS NOT ONE PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGNER THAT WANTS WAR. BUT WE ARE BEING INVADED BY FOREIGN NATIONALS.

NAFTA WHY ARE THE FOREIGN NATIONALS NOT EXPECTED TO SHOW MORE ID THAN WE WHEN THEY CROSS OUR BORDERS IN PLANES, AUTOS, TRUCKS ETC. FLY BOYS, AND GAME AND GYM BOYS THE BALL IS IN YOUR COURT. BRING IT HOME AND SAVE THIS NATION. THEY HAVE THEIR OWN.

INVEST AND RESTORE AND MAKE OUR FARM AND RANCHES SAFE THEY HAVE BEEN INVADING THEM FOR DECADES AND OUR SCHOOLS AND OUR SOCIAL PROGRAMS. GOD HELP US.

What about all the American jobs that are lost to be sent oversee's, China, India and Mexico although it is not oversea's.

Company's will get rid of an engineer in the States and hire 12 or more people in China to take there place.

In China the going rate of pay is $7 dollars an hour and all the rice you can eat.
You also get free Doctor Care and a place to stay, if you sign a 3 year contract.

After 3 years they go across the street to another company and get a $.50 rper hour raise

On top of all of this I believe there education is paid for!!!!!!!!!!

I have not seen were this actually helps are speeds up work flow, most ofou the time the work they do has to be redone!

There has to de some sort of balance!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What do you try to gets your kids to want to study in college, if you see jobs being moved some where else out of the country with no end in sight???????????

It's a sign of intellectual laziness to blame everything on Democrats, Republicans, or the Clintons. The economic plight our country is facing is due to decades of selling out our industries to other countries so we can become a nation of consumers.
The strong America that won WW2 is not the same pathetic nation today where our industrial might has turned into dependency. Look at all of the ghost towns across the US that were once thriving factory towns. People used to be able to work hard and achieve the American dream; now, most of us fear losing our jobs and meager benefits.

We have political hopefuls on both sides pandering to the lowest minds to win their votes. Wave the flag and a bible and a gun to get votes. Who cares what you'll do to really help the country's economy and our tarnished reputation of good will. The world despises us.

Those blindly following partisan rhetoric on either side are fools. It sickens me to see so many stupid comments on the Ticker that have no thought behind them outside of the usual name-calling formerly found on the playground.

America gets what it deserves.

"barely enough to live on as he ran roofing oil between Memphis, Tennessee and Savannah, Georgia…"

So tell me how many Mexican and Canadian truckers is this NAFTA expert, Charles Dye, competing against? If there are Mexican or Canadian trucks driving between Memphis and Savannah, I would suspect they are illegal immigrants, not employees of foreign companies.

So get your rants & hates straight. NAFTA has much more impact on good & services that cross the US border. It has very little impact on interstate commerce.

I suspect if he was making $180k a year doing the same thing 8 years ago what has happened is that someone else figured out what an outrageous amount he was charging and came in and undercut his price. A gross income of $180k for driving a truck is pretty nice pay. There will be lots of competition for that job.

And CNN, thanks for providing such expert, insightful reporting backed up by strong research. You are truly a pillar of journalistic strength.

I live in Oregon and saw mills were the main industry in this state for many many years. They were already in trouble from the spotted owl thing , but NAFTA came along and pretty much wiped out the industry.

The last thing this country needs is another Clinton White House , they have shamed this country enough.

We need to get rid of NAFTA and its great enabler, BUSH, now! We need American jobs back in America. Let's offshore Bush - hell, America is being run by China, India, and other foreign interests anyway, why have an American president we have to support for the rest of his worthless life?

In her time in the Senate Hillary Clinton has more than proved she can/ will work with Republicans. Lets talk about that not about 15 years ago. I certainly wasn't the same person 16 years ago and I do not plan to be the same person 16 years from now.

Perhaps You should start looking for a job.Eventually you will when they knock at your door with a pay cut or loss of your job.Have you heard of the ripple effect?

To: Let it be known

Domingo is right. As apart of the H1B process the compnay has to pay the sponsored foreigner a market salary. It's the law. This means your friend was lying about the 25K/year indians to hide the fact that he lost his job solely own incompetence.

I have several friends who are her on H1B - all making $100+.

Hillary Clinton salivates about fighting with the Republicans. She brags about waiting for them to attack her. That's an opinion based in fact.

With that said, how can anyone recognize the ineffectiveness of our government due to insane partisan bickering and believe that Hillary Clinton will be able to get anything done as POTUS with her mentality of demonizing Republicans? How in the world will she be able to carry Democrats in Congressional races across the country in to office with her brand of polarizing politics?

Wake up! Democrats can not win the WH with just Democrats and Hillary's rhetoric proves that we will see a continuation of the same type of "politics as usual" from not only the last 8 years, but the wars and hyper-distrust from the 90's if she is elected. Where's the attraction in that for Independents and Republicans disillusioned with their own party?

Obama offers the best hope to lead a unification of our country around healing our many divisions, achieving the big goals needed to move our nation forward domestically and internationally, and he has the proven legislative record and campaign success to show that he can draw Independents and Republicans to join in that goal.

Cynicism is not the answer, nor is hardened loyalty that diminishes if not outright ignores reality. We need that "working coalition" or else we'll sink deeper in to the depressive malaise that has effectively paralyzed our once great American spirit.

Lawana Davis asked the question: "Why isn't our military on our borders?"

The answer: They're in Iraq.

The national guard is guarding the wrong nation. They should be guarding the U.S., not stuck in Iraq.

Get rid of NAFTA AND CAFTA and tell your representatives to really understand what free trade is! Ron Paul is the only one who understands the unintended consequences.

Are the truck drivers from other countries required to carry the same insurance truck drivers from the USA are required. Also, I think the trucks from other countries are not required to support the same emissions standards that trucks in the USA are required. If trucks from other countries are allowed into this country, then they should have to meet the same requirements;

Ron Paul has tried for years to tell the establishment not to increase the size of government and take over the private sector particularly when it concerns the economy!

If you want just plain old minor changes to meaningless policies then vote for the establishment but if you want to turn this country around 180 degrees and on top of its socialist and communist head then vote for Ron Paul!

Ron Paul has the answers for the central government. Get out of the way of the people!

I'm sorry Mr. Dye is hurt by the new competition opened up by NAFTA, but no candidate is going solve his problems by doing away with the agreement or modifying it to a degree significant enough to directly impact him.

Mr. Dye is bearing the brunt of the negative aspects of the free-trade agreement, but NAFTA's merits–lower prices, access to cheaper labor, greater economic cooperation between US and Mexico (and Canada)–will provide benefits far into the future for all Americans, even Mr. Dye. That's little consolation for a person whose income is dropping annually, but it's true.

Hey Anonymous!
CNN was known as "The Clinton News Network". They use to flaunt all over the Clintons. Maybe CNN finally saw the Clintons for who they truly are. Anyone is
better than the Hilda Beast & Bubba.

America does not push as strong a math and science initiative as it should as well as have good incentives for going into these fields. Case in point, many more people head in the legal profession because of it's potential lucrative pay. Also we have a good amount of Americans unemployed. With the proper training and mentoring some of these folks could be skilled technicians. When you think about all the funding that has (and still is) going to fund the war in Iraq, America could have created more jobs in the US by investing in America.

People you've got to remember that NAFTA and CAFTA go back when the first President Bush and Bob Dole in office the republican was in charge of congress. yes Preisdent Clinton sign the bil but it was back by a republican congress, we forget to soon

RELIVE THE GOOD 90′S YEARS SOON WITH HILLARY AS PRESIDENT AND STOP THE PANICKING. ****SURPLUS****

Hopefully Obama can successfully tie Hillary to Bill Clinton's NAFTA. Hillary was a strong supporter of NAFTA when Bill Clinton signed the agreement. But now she has flip-flopped again as she did on her Iraq War vote as well as her vote for the Bankruptcy bill. There is nothing wrong with free trade as long as American workers and foreign workers are put on an equal playing field.

Obama in '08!

I think we're forgetting who benefits from cheaper distribution costs. Perhaps Charles needs to be more competitive and stop expecting protection and business for a product or service that someone else can offer at a lower price for an equal quality. Why should I pay a premium on every product I buy so that a 28 year old truck driver can make $180,000 a year?

To Domingo,

That is not true, a good friend who headed a team of computer programmers was making 80k a year for a major U.S. company in 1999. Than 1 by 1 the company replaced each of his team members with H1B people from India. After a few months he was the ONLY American left. The H1B people were paid only 25k a year. He was the next one to get his lay off.

The corporations have abused the program and Clinton let it happen. Who is looking out for us?

Has anyone heard Bloomberg's plan…. start infrastructure projects and open up the border to cheap labor. Ha! Ha! I guess we need to move north and south of our borders and come back in to qualify for one of these jobs!

To quote Bill Clinton as he championed NAFTA:

"A global economy will bring more opportunities for the US worker."

Let's be honest, the economic crisis started during the Clinton Administration. As US companies got the green light to offshore outsource and ship jobs out of the US, money left as well.

It should be intuitive if US companies are now sending a portion of salaries outside the US, it should be expected that those foreign workers are going to spend their money in their own economies.

For example, you think any of the employees in an AT&T call center in India are going to buy Fords? Or are they going to buy TATA people's cars?

Sending all those salaries out of the US has hurt consumer spending as well as the amount of money that is available to circulate in this economy.

$180,000 a year for driving a truck???? are you kidding me? Why do people go to college? law school? When we are paying people that much for a skill that doesn't take more than driving school (I'm not saying there isn't skill involved, but a vast majority of people can lean the skill) you can not compete on a global level. I'd call it a market correction and move on regardless of politics.

The following is a quote from President Bill Clinton on 09-14-1993

"Today we turn to face the challenge of our own hemisphere, our own country, our own economic fortunes. In a few moments, I will sign three agreements that will complete our negotiations with Mexico and Canada to create a North American Free Trade Agreement. In the coming months I will submit this pack to Congress for approval. It will be a hard fight, and I expect to be there with all of you every step of the way. (Applause.)

We will make our case as hard and as well as we can. And, though the fight will be difficult, I deeply believe we will win. And I'd like to tell you why. First of all, because NAFTA means jobs. American jobs, and good-paying American jobs. If I didn't believe that, I wouldn't support this agreement."

Do we really need him (Oh yea, it is supposed to be Hillary) in the White House again?

Domingo…. you would be wrong. I am not sure where you get your information. There are numerous govt statistics regarding the wage depression of many of the categories regarding high skilled workers. No, they are not paid the same, I believe the average is $6000 a year less and they are depressing wages. Corporations are allowed to import workers whose education is subsidized by it's govt. Corp not only leech off of American taxpayers to subsidize their cheap imported labor, they suck off of the people in other countries.

The cost of education in this country is incredible. This country refuses to educate it's people. Other countries subsidize their people's education and the corporations benefit.

"Replacing Americans for a fraction of the pay? Highly skilled foreign workers are paid the same as highly skilled Americans. The H1B program was started because America doesn't have enough advanced math & science graduates to fill the needs of industry and research institutions. Don't hate the foreign workers who studied hard, learned english and left their homeland to work in the US. They add to our economy and to the fabric of America."

These are the lies that the ITAA has been spreading for over 15 years. A study has been done and it was found that on average, foreogners from India and China make up to 40% less than their American counterparts. They do NOT get paid the same. This is why the companies clamour for them.

The facts are that there is a glut of unemployed American computer, telecommunications, and IT professionals. I AM ONE OF THEM. I KNOW. And I have at least 15 friends who are, too. The ITAA is a PAC group that takes money from the biggest and most influential comanies in the industries: Sun Microsystems, IBM, Hewlitt Packard, Microsoft and many others, and has lobbied Congress with their money (read: paid them off) and has given Congress false data to support increasing foreign visa quotas and bringing in more of these workers.

The colleges thing and lack of math and engineering students is nothing more a self-fulfilling prophecy. When kids see there are no jobs to be had in computers, telecommunications, or IT - of course they are not going to enroll in those programs in college! And if they did get one of these jobs, they need to speak Indian or Chinese.

CHRIS, MIDDLETOWN, CT

You are right. George H. Bush drafted the entire NAFTA Agreement near the end of his term and it was on Clinton's desk waiting for him to sign when he took office.
They are both to blame.

Go to CNN.com and read today's column by Lou Dobbs. He sums it up very neatly.

If Mr Dye is hurt by NAFTA,he should quit hauling cheap freight, Stop crying

It's NOT the '90's. Are Bill Clinton and Hillary going through a second Childhood, mid-life crisis? Somethings not so right there, they are lieing to the Voters! WHERE is the OUTRAGE??

Let's see…Clinton signed in NAFTA, he's hurt financially by NAFTA, so he'll vote for Clinton. Where does that kind of logic come from? Maybe they should call this guy Mr. Dye Hard.

And we wonder why the country is in the state its in!!! Because Americans can't see the forest for the trees.

Ask him if he knows about how the Clintons encourgaed outsourcing of US jobs to India and China, how they expanded the H-1 and L-1 visa programs to bring millions of cheaper foreign workers here to take computer, IT, and telecommunications jobs, and ask him if he knows about TATA Consulting, the #1 outsourcer of US jobs to India, that Hillary brought into New York. They employ 10 people in New York and they outsource $4 Billion in US jobs annually.

I have the exact opposite response that Mr. Dye does. I am now an ex-IT professional, run out of the industry by the cheap foreigners, mainly from India, who have over-run it - Thanks to the Clintons. I now make less thanhalf what I did during the Clintons years. But I don't look back at the CLinton years and remember fondly how much money I made. I look now at the mess they created and wonder how we're going to fix it.

And that's the #1 reason a Clinton will never get my vote under any circumstances whatsoever. I'll vote for McCain or any Republican first.

To: Henry Miller, Cary, NC

Henry,
I think Ron Paul has some good ideas and then some are so far off the wall it is scary. The man wants to disolve the IRS and close all bases that we currently have over seas and bring the troops home. I am in the military and from a strategic point of view that would be one of the dumbest ideas ever not to mention congress would never allow 80% of what he has proposed

I think there comes a time in a political race you need to just say I better pick , someone else because I am throwing away my vote. Again, I think he has some good ideas but many of them would never happen.

I and 100 others lost our jobs to NAFTA when our plant was relocated to Mexico. My next job was lost when the plant was relocated to China and Canada. I agree we do better when a Democrat is in the leadership roles, however Bill Clinton brought about NAFTA. John Edwards is on our side. He will stop the loss of jobs out of the US. I am afraid if Clinton or Obama get into the White House, nothing will change except the colors of the states on election day. Edwards is the man for the job.

cnn favoritism towards obama is very obvious and damaging to obama

Anything that gets in the way of "big business" to buy, move, sell products cheaper has been the rule.

We have lost sight of an important principal for business–to create jobs and sustain communities. These ideals are rarely part of the current enterprise philosophy–people/communites are like raw materials–quickly and unceremoniously replaced or deleted as necessary.

To "Let It Be Known",

You say "H1B Visa. - Clinton championed this program that allowed U.S. corporations to import high skilled foreign workers to replace American people for a fraction of the pay. "

Replacing Americans for a fraction of the pay? Highly skilled foreign workers are paid the same as highly skilled Americans. The H1B program was started because America doesn't have enough advanced math & science graduates to fill the needs of industry and research institutions. Don't hate the foreign workers who studied hard, learned english and left their homeland to work in the US. They add to our economy and to the fabric of America.

This is not a Republican vs. Democrat situation. The truth of the matter is that our leaders sell us out — pure and simple. The two-party system is just another ruse to divide us, the American people, and to distract us from the sad fact that we have and have had traitors in the highest offices in this country for many years.

ANYONE who holds a political office in the United States and sells out the American people is a traitor. It doesn't matter to me how many times the hypocrite wraps himself /herself in the flag or proclaims his/her great patriotism.

The American people have been blinded by BS. It's about time to take back our country.

Pat Buchanan is right! So is the trucker story at the top. NAFTA and CAFTA are bringing nothing but misery to our country. Our culture and the wonderful country is overrun with illegals. Our neighborhoods are becomming graffiti and junk strewn messes, our schools are crowded and the border is being taken over by drug lords. Why isn't our military on our borders? Heaven help us.

GET RID OF NAFTA AND CAFTA

You hit it on the head with your statement…… I for one was in the military during the Clinton years and they hardly gave us any raises. I fear for our military if Clintons get in again. And as far as the economy they were fortunate because of the Dot.Com boom once he was on his way out the economy wasnt looking so good but they will never tell you that.

This is just one portion of this govt selling off/out this country. The govt sells our jobs (for corp profits), depresses our wages further with immigration and then taxes us to death. Now they are giving us back a little bit of our taxes and want us to go buy, buy, buy to maintain corp profits (so called stimulation packages).

Bernanke has the nerve to come out and encourage Americans to buy American.

I notice the economic discussion surrounds…. Dems want to give the poor some temporary money (pony up taxpayers). Repubs want to give the wealty more tax breaks (of course, they will use this to maintain growing profits before they would ever use it to maintain employment). None of these idiots want to make a change in trade policy, monetary policy or immigration etc. that could create jobs and maintain wages.

I am especially excited to hear the Democratic ideas. Plan to create 'American' jobs 1. Start large govt infrastructure projects. 2. Refuse to enforce illegal immigration. 3. Hire cheap illegal labor (and force citizens to subsidize corp profits) to keep costs down.

Wouldn't it be nice if they wanted to create jobs for American citizens (you know, those of us hanging out between Canada and Mexico) instead of screwing us again?

If Mr Dye is being hurt by NAFTA, it seems to me that it would be worth his time to consider supporting Ron Paul.

James - you are right…but to stay on point - NAFTA was signed into law by the Clintons (started with Bush 1 I believe) - Perot pointed out what it would do to the country - and guess what…he was right….

We need to have a sunset date on all agreements and laws (5 years) - and rather than have the Senate create new laws….we need to wipe out the ones that are NOT in the best interest of this country….NAFTA is one….the Clintons are the other one….please don't buy the Democrats rhetoric….Republicans are NOT evil….politicians incapable of answering a single question with a straight answer and former presidents who sold pardons for contributions to the Clinton Library…and sold ballistic missile technology to the Chinese are (btw….I'm talking about Clinton…and btw….its true…not rhetoric…like all the arguments Billary throw out)

The Clinton's take credit for the economy of the late 1990s. That was of course because of the Internet boom that started in 1995 and went bust in 2000. We all made a ton of money. Everybody paid income tax on that money. That influx to the treasury also led to an income bubble for the Government. At least on paper, we had a short-term balanced budget. BIG DEAL!! That was a fluke the Clinton's had nothing to do with.

The Clinton's have proven to be a disaster for working people because of their policies.

Clinton Gave us nafta and wto but don't forget:

H1B Visa. - Clinton championed this program that allowed U.S. corporations to import high skilled foreign workers to replace American people for a fraction of the pay. Clinton allowed in hundreds of thousands of these replacement workers to the great benefit of a few superrich contributors.

They have become multimillionaires serving only in public service. WHAT???

The only way to do that is by being CORRUPT!!

i. e. What has the country done for me lately??

Typical dem response..

Obama is the smart choice , all Clinton would do is divide the country more then Bush has , and give us another do nothing Congress.