US government "shafting working Americans"

A REPORT FROM ginger group ZaZona claims that a practically unnoticed agreement that will endorse free trade agreements with Singapore and Chile is the thin end of what could turn into an "Armageddon" for US workers.

According to the newsletter ZaZona distributes, the CAFTA agreements currently under discussion in Congress, with Chile and Singapore, mean that a "W" visa will allow nearly 7,000 people from these countries to work in the US indefinitely.

But, Zazonaeditor Rob Sanchez claims, in addition to the 5,400 visas Singapore will get under the deal, it will be able to send "unlimited" numbers of workers to the US.

The free trade agreement means that US employers no longer have to prove that jobs cannot be performed by an American citizen.

According to ZaZona, George W. Bush says on his web site that Singapore is working on free trade agreements with Japan, Canada, Australia, Mexico and India.

The editor of the newsletter claims that means Singapore will act like a virtual black hole, and its "immense gravity will pull people into a wormhole that ends at the United States".

He adds: "Bush is celebrating 'Christmas in July' by giving a huge present to his inner circle of power brokers and CEOs while shafting working Americans".

Sanchez told the INQUIRER that the whole problem is not being fairly discussed in the United States press.

He says that Dianne Feinstein, the doyenne of the sound bite, has hit out against the proposed free trade agreements on her web site, but, unusually, she's getting little press on the matter.

He added: "It appears that US politicians have decided not to discuss these two FTAs in public. They don't want the public to find out until it is approved. One day the American public will wake up and realize they have been hoodwinked - but they won't be able to change it". µ

L'INQ
ZaZona