Tom Delay & Saipan Sweatshops

Mariana Islands – “A Model of Reform”
5 April 2005

Those are the words of Tom Delay in 1997 during the scandal surrounding the horrific treatment of textile and other workers on Saipan and the Mariana Islands.

The Bush Administration announced Monday that it will bring trade cases against China after 40 years of quotas on textile exports were dropped at the beginning of the year. Countries around the world are expected to suffer and textile manufacturers say 14 plants in 5 states have closed since the beginning of the year.

Sounds pretty gloomy; until one considers plants have been closing in the US at this rate for years. According to figures at the National Council of Textile Organizations states, 336 plants have closed since 1997. A variety of factors have contributed to the close of textile plants in the US; including that “model of reform”, the free market experiment on the Mariana Islands. Before we rush to replace quotas on China, thinking that we are saving US jobs, we need to remember who has been making the clothes for the majority of US brands in the first place.

“Instead of trying to impose redtape and mandates on the people of the CNMI , we should look to the CNMI as a model of reform. Like the CNMI , Washington should provide tax relief for the American people. We should recognize that pro-business policies create jobs. And we should recognize that free trade creates prosperity. The CNMI is proof positive that these policies work.” Tom Delay

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http://www.lightupthedarkness.org/blog/default.asp?view=plink&id=668

creates nothing----fair trade creates advantages for both countries

Although this used to only be the case in 'let's find better ways to subjugate and harm all nonwhite people, especially the weak ones like women and children" Texas. Now the theory had spread throughout america.