Last July, the outlook was absolutely bleak for free trade. As a recession hit in 2008 and imports posted the steepest drop since 1942, the American public looked as if it were hibernating from world engagement. A CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll then showed 51% of Americans saw foreign trade as an economic "threat." Radical activists and big labor unions, both foes of free trade, couldn't stop crowing.
Things have changed. A CNN/Opinion Research poll conducted April 14-21 found that free-trade deals between the U.S. and other countries are now seen as "a good thing," by a margin of 44-35.
It follows a CBS News/New York Times poll conducted April 1-5 showing a 66% approval of trade with other countries as good for the U.S., rising eight percentage points in just one month. The CNN April polls used a large sample of 3,013 adults.
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The highest rise in pro-free-trade sentiment was among blacks, whose opinion of free trade rose an astounding 17 points over 2008, from 30% favorable to 47% favorable.
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The administration began its shift in March. At the time, IBD reported a subtle but significant shift in Obama administration sentiment at an Inter-American Development Bank conference in Medellin, Colombia. It became more obvious at the Summit of the Americas in Trinidad in April, where Obama ordered his staff to find a way to get the pending treaty with Colombia through.
It's clear Obama now recognizes that free trade is a major way to push an economy out of recession.
But to get there, experts warn Obama will have to confront special interest groups, like labor, to get the pact through.
Canadian officials are quarantining pigs that tested positive for the virus -- scientifically known as 2009 H1N1 -- at an Alberta farm in what could be the first identified case of pigs infected during the recent outbreak.That's one way to get revenge. Personally, I'm eating more pork chops and sausage. Mmmm, pork, the other white meat; it's what's for dinner.
They said the pigs may have been infected by a Canadian farmer who recently returned from a trip to Mexico, the epicenter of the outbreak that has sickened more than 680 people.
The farmer "may have exposed swine on the farm to an influenza virus," said Dr. Brian Evans of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
"We have determined that the virus H1N1, found in these pigs, is the virus which is being tracked in the human population," he added. Learn about the virus »
Evans and other officials said it is not uncommon for flu viruses to jump from humans to animals and that it does not pose a risk for consuming pork. The number of pigs infected was not disclosed.
The infected farmer had flu-like symptoms and is recovering, Evans said.
Right now, Mexicans and Canadians come to US private health care facilities for treatment not provided at home or because the wait for their national socialized care takes longer than they have before permanent disability or death. So, after US health care becomes single payer (the government) and then single provider (the government), where will Mexicans and Canadians get their health care?
“I know many of you here today are single payer advocates and so am I … and those of us who are pushing for a public health insurance don’t disagree with this goal. This is not a principled fight. This is a fight about strategy for getting there and I believe we will," said Rep. Jan Schakowsky. - Breitbart.tv
