Mayor Eddie Lays it All Out

He’ll alway be “my” Mayor:

No one in Congress suggests that the number of drugs covered under Medicare should be reduced to cut costs. Many have lambasted the president for refusing to give the federal government the power to bargain with the drug manufacturers. However, now it appears that that strategy would not have worked anyhow. The president’s critics on this issue should acknowledge they were wrong. For the record, I do that now.

Our negative trade balance with China now totals some $232 billion per year. It is simply impossible for the United States to compete in a number of trade areas with China because of that country’s low wages, lack of medical benefits, pensions and environmental standards.

Take, for example, wages in the automotive industry. General Motors has licensed Chinese firms to manufacture Cadillacs. The wages paid in China to automotive workers are $1.50 per hour with no health benefits. The wages paid in the U.S. are $26 per hour plus costly health benefits. When China starts selling its Cadillacs at home or abroad, how can the U.S. possibly compete? It can’t.

In addition, China has imposed trade barriers that have prevented the inflow of American goods. For the first time, the U.S. has taken action, according to The New York Times. “[T]he top American trade envoy, Susan C. Schwab, announced that the United States would take China to court at the World Trade Organization over suspected trade barriers and piracy of books, music, videos and other goods.” The charges include “challenging China over its subsidies of manufactured goods.”

I believe that the various trade agreements—reached not only with China, but also under NAFTA with Canada and Mexico—put the U.S. at a disadvantage by not including requirements to provide fair wages, health benefits, pensions and environmental controls. The response generally offered by the free traders is that we benefit in other industries. That is not adequate. We are at the point that we are losing or have already lost basic industries that used to offer employment to millions of people, particularly the unskilled.

read it all.

I remember his first SI Saint Paddy’s day… “How’m I doin’?”

“YOU SUCK!”

Mayor Ed walked tight up to the bggest mouthy: “Tell me why I suck, moron.”

and then he eviscerated the bastard. And drew hisself a big round of applause. And then he said:

“If you agree with everything I say, you are an idiot.”

THAT is what a mayor of NYC is supposed to be!