Gary Shapiro, president of the Consumer Electronics Association in Arlington, VA., is sharpening his battle ax for the likes of Lou Dobbs. Dobbs is chief among those believers and campaigners against many elements of free trade, at least as practiced around the world today. Dobbs asserts that FT is hollowing out our advanced civilization and replacing it with a third-world-like existence--a bad deal for America. Shapiro holds a far different view and offered it on Dobbs afternoon CNN television program a few months ago. The recalcitrant Dobbs left Shapiro appearing as a well-spoken but one-sided representative of a foreign constituency rather than a noble upholder of the truth. Shapiro is widely acknowledged as being a savvy, but shoot-from-the-hip operator, and one of the most effective lobbying forces in all Washington. Shapiro said recently in a confident statesman-like address to the Detroit Economic Club that contrary to popular thinking the benefits of Free Trade are many and permits an embrace of innovative and standardized digital consumer electronics that can be onboard the poducts of Detroit. "Detroit must and can compete in the new economy."

To beef up his Free Trade arguments for the following report was commissioned for (and released today) by the CEA. __Dale Cripps

U.S. Consumer Electronics Industry Indirectly Impacts One-Tenth of U.S. GDP and Supports 15.4 Million American Jobs in Related Industries.

Arlington, Va., April 2, 2008 - Fueled by international trade, the consumer electronics (CE) industry is poised to generate $1.4 trillion in direct business activity in 2008, while directly employing more than 4.4 million Americans, according to a new study released today by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)®. Burgeoning international trade is helping grow the sector, driving 14 percent of the CE industry's total output and...

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The recalcitrant Dobbs left Shapiro appearing as a well-spoken but one-sided representative of a foreign constituency rather than a noble upholder of the truth.

This quote really scares me.

If you feel this is fact, that current global corporations are good, all the H1-B visas are justified, that all the
recent college students with higher degrees working in retail for $8 an hour to pay off $150k in student loans at the local mall is a good thing, that the off shoring of all our manufacturing is a good thing.. then you deserve to enjoy the results of the final outcome.

You scare very easily. Here is a little more just in from CEA and Washington that might give those on the side of controlled trade some goose bumps.

INTERNATIONAL TRADE HIGHLIGHTS DAY ONE OF CEA WASHINGTON FORUM
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/080403/20080403005662.html?.v=1

The Forum’s opening keynote address was delivered by the Honorable Carlos M. Gutierrez, U.S. Secretary of Commerce, marking the first time a U.S. Cabinet member has spoken at the event. Emphasizing the importance of free trade agreements, including the pending agreement with Columbia, Secretary Gutierrez cautioned, “This is not the time to debate free trade because the rest of the world is not waiting.”

Had I been one to cling to the good old days I certainly would not have such things as HDTV in my life. Is that so important? you might ask. I say it is and have outlined and articulated the reasons for believing that for many years running.

ALL Americans should be shaking in their shoes...

Free trade is the future and if this country is going to remain a global leader then we need to get on the same footing as others and eliminate the IRS along with personal and corporate income tax. Did you know we are the 2nd most expensive country to do business in? Is it any wonder that dollars and business are going overseas to far more favorable taxing authorities?

The solution is the FairTax bill before congress for a number of years and they are shaking in their shoes because it’s passage would pull their BS political class warfare carpet right out from under them.

Buy it, read it, and pass it on for the good of your self, your family, your childrens future and this country!
The FairTax Book: Saying Goodbye to the Income Tax and the IRS
FairTax: The Truth: Answering the Critics

And of course http://www.fairtax.org