What is the Real Deal About our Economy

By:  Sue Long

Do you have a problem

· when you call a tech or service department agent and can’t understand what they are saying?

· that your income is not keeping up with rising prices?

· with finding goods that have been made and packaged in America?

· although goods cost much more than in the past they are inferior in quality

and don’t last nearly as long?

The trade pact NAFTA has contributed to all of these things. Indeed, it has led to lower wages, job losses, outsourcing, and even a loss of American sovereignty. Trade pacts such as NAFTA are regional arrangements that are foreign governing bodies that take control over not just trade but also regulations that have nothing to do with trade. For example, the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) has only 5 chapters of the 29 that actually deal with trade.

Is there a precedent? The once sovereign nations in Europe joined the EU (European Union), having been sold on the premise that it would be good for their economy. History has proved otherwise. Today the EU rules supreme at the expense of the individual nation’s sovereignty and their economy is in dire condition – near collapse.

For more information, go to www.thenewamerican.com and type "trade pacts" in the search window.

We can prevent further damage to America by preventing more free trade pacts from being passed. The Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Transatlantic and Investment Partnership are on the launching pad. Our legislators are being lobbied for them now in anticipation of bringing them up for a vote at the most advantageous time – quite possibly during the upcoming lame duck session.

We need to get a commitment now from our legislators that they will vote against these pacts. You can help by contacting your legislators.

++++++++++++++++++++++

Here is a sample letter:

The TPP and TTIP agreements should be opposed because they are detrimental to our economy and would lead to the eventual economic and political integration of the United States with eleven or more Pacific Rim nations and the European Union (EU). The example of how 28 formerly independent European nations lost their national independence through a series of free trade agreements to the new supranational government, the EU, shows
how this would happen for the United States.

Will you commit to vote NO on all such free trade pacts as TPP & TTIP?

Sign it with your name and address
++++++++++++++++++++

Thank you so much for helping !


The Committee for Constitutional Government
Post Office Box 972, Gloucester, VA 23061

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American Patriotism, Where Do You Stand?

If it be asked, What is the most sacred duty and the greatest source of our security in a Republic? The answer would be, An inviolable respect for the Constitution and Laws - the first growing out of the last. . . . A sacred respect for the constitutional law is the vital principle, the sustaining energy of a free government.

Alexander Hamilton:

The aim of every political constitution is, or ought to be, first to obtain for rulers men who possess most wisdom to discern, and most virture to pursue, the common good of the society; and in the next place, to take the most effectual precautions for keeping them virtuous whilst they continue to hold their public trust.

Alexander Hamilton and James Madison.

It is certainly true that a popular government cannot flourish without virtue in the people.

Richard Henry Lee.

It will be of little avail to the people, that the laws are made by men of their own choice, if the laws be so voluminous that they cannot be read, or so incoherent that they cannot be understood; if they be repealed or revised before they are promulgated, or undergo such incessant changes that no man, who knows what the law is to-day, can guess what it will be to-morrow.

Alexander Hamilton and James Madison.

(Sounds altogether familiar.)

Law is defined to be a rule of action; but how can that be a rule, which is little known, and less fixed?

Alexander Hamilton and James Madison.

In Europe, charters of liberty have been granted by power. America has set the example . . . of charters of power granted by liberty. This revolution in the practice of the world, may, with an honest praise, be pronounced the most triumphant epoch of its history, and the most consoling presage of its happiness.

James Madison.

Do you stand with the founding fathers or do you stand with today's socialist's the few dictating the control of the masses where liberty is only a buzz word with no real meaning?   Are you for the new Pledge of Allegiance?

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Governor McAuliffe Announces New Agricultural Exports to United Kingdom and European Union

Barley is a major animal feed crop. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

~Animal Feed, Specialty Foods Deals Enhance Virginia's Position in Growing European Marketplace; Trade, Marketing Mission Also Continues Work To Expand Forest Product Exports~

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – Governor Terry McAuliffe announced as part of his United Kingdom trade and marketing mission new export sales for Virginia agricultural and foodstuff products into the European market.  Over the last several months, Virginia Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services' (VDACS) international marketing staff and Virginia's agricultural trade representative in Europe, Andrew Brown and Associates (ABA), based in Surry just outside of London, worked with several Virginia specialty food producers and an animal feed additive exporter to achieve new international sales from the Commonwealth.  While sales figures are confidential, the trade deals represent new revenue streams for the exporting companies into the growing United Kingdom and European markets.

Speaking about the new exports as he finishes the United Kingdom portion of an eight-day trade and marketing mission that also included several stops in China, Governor McAuliffe said, "One of my top job economic development priorities is to work with Virginia businesses, foreign purchasers, and government leaders from around the world to find new trade opportunities that grow Virginia’s economy.  Finding new international sales provides more revenue and job creating opportunities for our producers and agribusinesses.  The new exports also move us closer to my goal of making Virginia the East Coast capital for agricultural and forestry product exports."

Over the four-day mission and in addition to meetings conducted by the Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) and Virginia Tourism Corporation, Governor McAuliffe, along with First Lady Dorothy McAuliffe, Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Todd Haymore, and VDACS and ABA staff, met with European agribusinesses and various specialty food and beverage importers to encourage more investment in Virginia and promote Virginia agricultural products.  Meetings focused on thanking businesses and importers for recently completed deals and discussing ways to expand those relationships.  Other meetings started dialogue on potential new export deals. 

“Virginia’s work in global agricultural and forestry product trade development and expansion has not been focused singularly on large-scale commodity exports, such as soybeans, corn, and other small grains," said Secretary Haymore.  "Export sales are also important to smaller agribusinesses and family-owned operations, which are the backbone of Virginia’s economy and create the majority of jobs in the Commonwealth.  Assisting those smaller-scale businesses has been a priority for the Governor and our international marketing and development teams in both Virginia and Europe.”

Micron Bio-Systems is a smaller-scale agribusiness that has benefited from Virginia’s marketing push in Europe.  The Buena Vista-based company produces feed additives for dairy cattle, poultry, swine, and other animal feed.  The company focuses on additives, which preserve feed and diminish mold problems, benefiting the health of livestock and poultry.  Working with Micron Bio-Systems, Virginia's European trade representatives helped secure a trade deal with Bio4Globe, a major farm supplies distributor covering France, Spain, and Portugal. 

Following a VDACS-organized reverse trade mission promoting speciality food products, FERIDIES, a Courtland-based producer of award-winning, extra large gourmet Virginia peanuts and peanut products, reached a deal with Cotswold Fayre to have a variety of products featured in the company's 2014 Christmas catalogue.  Cotswold Fayre is a fine foods wholesaler supplying independent and high-end retailers in the United Kingdom with quality food and drink products sources from across the globe.  Cotswold Fayre works in close partnership with its suppliers, most of whom are small producers not currently distributing through major United Kingdom supermarkets.

Virginia’s European trade representatives worked with Dr. Lucy's, a Norfolk-based gluten- and allergen-free cookie manufacturer, to secure a new trade relationship with natural food distributor Tree of Life.  The two companies reached an agreement regarding exclusive distribution in the United Kingdom.  The deal marks Tree of Life's first-ever food product import from North America.  Dr. Lucy's also received assistance from VEDP's Virginia Leaders in Export Trade (VALET) program, which helped the company research new markets to focus on and provided introductions to international consumer products experts, banks, and legal consultants.

Tree of Life was established almost 20 years ago originally as Natures Store.  The company is now the largest wholesaler in the United Kingdom's 'Nutrition & Healthy Lifestyle' sector.  Tree of Life distributes over 14,000 premium products including organic foods, general health food products, vitamins, minerals, sports nutrition supplements, body care, and household products.

In additional to the new feed and specialty food export deals, Governor McAuliffe continued efforts related to the ongoing growth of Virginia’s wood fuel pellet exports to the United Kingdom.  Over the past year, Virginia has worked with Virginia exporters and British policy makers and electric utilities promoting Virginia’s sustainably-managed wood resources as a renewable fuel for power plants that previously utilized coal as an energy source.  In the first five months of 2014, Virginia’s wood pellet exports to the United Kingdom reached $22 million, an increase of 275% from the same period last year.  Wood pellets have been one of Virginia's fastest growing agricultural commodity exports, on a percentage basis, over the last two years.

During meetings in London, Governor McAuliffe, Secretary Haymore, and VDACS and ABA staff met with representatives of electric utilities purchasing Virginia wood pellets as well as smaller importers in hopes of growing existing export deals and establishing new trade relationships.  They also met with British Members of Parliament and other senior government leaders who are responsible for establishing standards for renewable fuels utilized in power generation.

Agricultural and forestry exports from Virginia reached a record high of $2.85 billion in 2013.  Europe is a significant market for Virginia's agriculture and forestry products.  Last year, more than $320 million worth of product were exported to the United Kingdom and other European Union countries.  That figure is expected to rise in 2014.

According to a 2013 economic impact study conducted by Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service at the University of Virginia, agriculture is Virginia’s largest industry, generating more than $52 billion per annum. The industry also provides more than 310,000 jobs in the Commonwealth.