Patents

United States-Oman Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act of 2006

hmoroz — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 11:53:35 -0400

Legislation

The middle class

Opposes

Video Summary

Injustice Facts

Date on which President Bush boasted that the Oman trade deal would “provide additional market access for U.S. goods”: 9/19/2006

Estimated Gross Domestic Product of Oman in 2006: $44.53 billion

Estimated Gross Metropolitan Product of the Memphis, TN area in 2005: $56.69 billion

Date on which the current Omani head of state, Sultan Qaboos bin Said al-Said first assumed office: 7/23/1970

Estimated percentage of increased inequality of earnings in the U.S. in 2006 attributable to trade policy: 7

Minimum annual loss this represents to the typical married couple household in the U.S.: $2,000

Approximate proportion of U.S. workers whose jobs are potential targets for off-shoring if present trade policies continue over the next two decades: 1 in 4

Overview/Summary

Middle Class Position Analysis

The Middle Class Opposes. Increased international trade can contribute to economic growth, but the way trade rules are formulated in agreements like this means that the benefits of trade are distributed unevenly, ultimately undermining the middle class and aspiring middle class in both the U.S. and the nations it trades with. A central problem is that the Oman trade agreement empowers businesses and investment capital to cross international borders more easily, providing a decisive advantage over working people who are not so internationally mobile and whose rights are not well protected in Oman. Despite recent reforms to the Omani labor code, independent unions are still banned. There are also concerns about human trafficking and involuntary servitude among the more than half a million guestworkers from nations including India, Bangladesh, and the Philippines who make up the bulk of the Omani workforce. This imbalance of power creates incentives to move U.S. jobs overseas and puts downward pressure on the wages of American workers as they are placed in more direct competition with poorly-paid, disempowered Omani workers.

Quotes from Experts

Beyond this Bill

Additional Resources

“Final Text of the United States-Oman Free Trade Agreement," from the Office of the United States Trade Representative

“U.S.-Oman Free Trade Agreement,” from the Citizens Trade Campaign

“U.S.-Oman FTA,” from Public Citizen’s Global Trade Watch

United States-Oman Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act of 2006

hmoroz — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 11:53:35 -0400

Legislation

The middle class

Opposes

Video Summary

Injustice Facts

Date on which President Bush boasted that the Oman trade deal would “provide additional market access for U.S. goods”: 9/19/2006

Estimated Gross Domestic Product of Oman in 2006: $44.53 billion

Estimated Gross Metropolitan Product of the Memphis, TN area in 2005: $56.69 billion

Date on which the current Omani head of state, Sultan Qaboos bin Said al-Said first assumed office: 7/23/1970

Estimated percentage of increased inequality of earnings in the U.S. in 2006 attributable to trade policy: 7

Minimum annual loss this represents to the typical married couple household in the U.S.: $2,000

Approximate proportion of U.S. workers whose jobs are potential targets for off-shoring if present trade policies continue over the next two decades: 1 in 4

Overview/Summary

Middle Class Position Analysis

Quotes from Experts

Beyond this Bill

Additional Resources

“Final Text of the United States-Oman Free Trade Agreement," from the Office of the United States Trade Representative

“U.S.-Oman Free Trade Agreement,” from the Citizens Trade Campaign

“U.S.-Oman FTA,” from Public Citizen’s Global Trade Watch

Patents

United States-Oman Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act of 2006

Legislation

The middle class

Video Summary

Injustice Facts

Overview/Summary

Middle Class Position Analysis

Related Blog: Header

Quotes from Experts

Related Blog: Text

Beyond this Bill

Related Blog: Link

Additional Resources

United States-Oman Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act of 2006

Legislation

The middle class

Video Summary

Injustice Facts

Overview/Summary

Middle Class Position Analysis

Related Blog: Header

Quotes from Experts

Related Blog: Text

Beyond this Bill

Related Blog: Link

Additional Resources