Obama. A change in the wrong direction as done in the past

By Emilio D. Santos  

( Laredo Morning Times 11/01/2008)

Our state of Texas is arguably the leading exporter, and also led the nation in 2007 in new jobs added to the payrolls. Exports Free markets and an open trade policy made an important contribution in this effort. NAFTA has been a key part of Texas’ recipe for success and growth, particularly along the border and for our Port of Houston- the busiest international port in the United States and tenth-busiest in the world. We cannot afford to lose this tremendous success for our state.

Anti-business candidates blame NAFTA as the cause of fewer jobs; American Jobs have been exported before NAFTA, and will continue to be exported with or without NAFTA.  Our real national problem is: Failure to open other trade markets to our American products.

            Freezing NAFTA and other trade agreements, as some candidates are advocating, is the wrong prescription to encourage economic growth.  A presidential scaring of the rich and corporations with more taxation will not retain jobs but increase the relocation of companies overseas. Lower taxes, less government regulation and increased free trade is the simple answer to increase jobs in America.

            In 1929 the stock market collapsed and turned into a global depression after the United States raised U.S. customs duties for imports. The 1930 Tariff Act were aimed at helping domestic companies and generating jobs at home but in reality it cause the U.S. exports to collapsed and in turn unemployment rose at record levels. We cannot afford to make the same mistake twice as was done in the 1930’s.  Obama is young, inexperience candidate offering change, but it will be a change in the wrong direction as done in the past.

The U.S Chamber of Commerce and The Texas Association of Business and Chambers of Commerce, (TABCC) puts out a legislative scorecard. Lawmakers are scored from 0 to 100. All of the Valley state representatives scored below 46, Rick Noriega candidate for U.S Senate has an anti-business score of 32 percent.

Senator Barack Obama score was 54 and Sen. Joseph Biden Jr has worse anti-business score of 41 percent. Democratic Congressman Henry Cuellar and Republican Senators John McCain and John Cornyn all scored a pro-business 100%.

I strongly believe that candidates McCain, Cornyn and Cuellar are commitment to issues that are important to our small businesses.  These candidates will help us to keep our employees working as well as improving the economy.