Thread: what is a free trade zone ?? by Tim Hollis

Part 1 of CORRUPTION.


The rumors on the streets are that key members of Hippo*s (DR’s President) cabinet were involved in Pepegate and international drug trafficking, illegal alien traffic, smuggling of weapons and money laundering, has now been confirmed by the declarations made by U.S Ambassador Hans Hertell that members of the cabinet have been denied entry into the U.S. Specifically, they were intercepted at Miami Intl. Airport, had their visas stamped "Cancelled" and shamefully return to DR.


What is even worse, is that President Bush alarmed by the situation, has now approved a plan to send 8000 troops to our border, not for a military exercise to train our troops to interdict smuggling and drugs, but to stay permanently and continue with the plan to merge both countries. The plan involves cancelling the entire foreign debt of both countries. The U.S. has given up on Haiti, a drug state where even Aristide is the angel of the pack is in trouble. The opposition to Aristide is part of the Colombian Cartel.

In addition, the rumor has it that the attempt on the life of a member of Hippo*s cabinet in Navarrete was directed at him (Hippo) and it was a-------hit!(better known ADC). The whole thing was worked out to happen in this town in the middle of a protest against the "apagones" to place the blame on FALPO leaders.


I doubt very much that Hippo would resign. The PRD party is now totally involved in corruption, something that even Hippo has stated himself. They are used to scandals and would not let their thirst for money and power be slowed by "minor" and "isolated" incidents", which is how they perceive it.

The last corrupt PRD president who resigned, used suicide, or so they say, as his way of resignation from the corrupted world that involved him. Just think...when President Antonio Guzman shot himself in disgrace, his inner ring of personal aides included such luminaries as Hipolito Mejia, Hernani Salazar, Eligio Jaquez, and the rest of the gang that now airbags Hippo himself. Hippo was involved in a scandal of his own during the Guzman administration.

It would take much more to have George Bush send an executive order to fire Hipolito. There are too many big people involved in all the criminality being covered up. As was described by the magazine Ahora, the construction going on in DR cannot be justified with the number of loans being issued by banks, specially the Savings and Loans Associations, which are used to avoid taxes.

All you have to do is look around and see that most of these luxury towers recently built have not been selling. Many have large numbers of empty apartments. They are not profitable as an income producing entity. The only answer for all this development is laundering.


-Hippo has now admitted, while in Spain, which we never doubted, about 8000 troops coming to the border to establish order is ABSOLUTELY TRUE!! But he even says there is MUCH MORE!!! and that he will explain when he gets back. For those who still doubt the U.S. efforts to merge the two countries, here is something that Hippo will tell you when he gets back.

Right now there are suspicious movements going around not only in the border but in the town of Azua. Yes Azua, many kilometers from the border!!! The plan is to establish another Vieques in DR. In other words, we are ready now to build a U.S. military base right in the heart of our south. But even more, the Beata Island could also be used for military and air exercises. The Naval Base at Las Calderas which is not strange to U.S. usage in the past will be a key to the whole link.

The occupation by U.S. forces is a fact. And the purpose will be more to facilitate Haitians into imigrating and crossing the border than stopping it. The U.S. will use the excuse of the drug traffic, money laundering, smuggling and terrorism in addition to their failure to control the situation in Haiti. Hippo will welcome lots of foreign aid which will be used to keep the PRD in power.


Tim H

I’m going to keep writing, but I want to put a few of my thoughts down here.

Harryman, linked the story by the American Machinist, which I think everybody here should read, it's 1 page.

The link is 2 post's up.

I was that guy!!!!

When I had my own place, I used to take pride in the fact that I could get the job a customer had quoted over-seas about 90% of the time, sometimes I had to walk away 10%. When I stole one from over-sea’s, it usually meant, that I would have do the mold myself, on nights and weekends, to deliver in 1st shots, in 4 weeks. By not paying the overtime, to the guys, I could still do it for a buck, (people think owners are the highest paid! Ha!!!!) There was always this burning driving desire to complete the job ahead of schedule, under budget. And spinning handles in the shop, always made me feel better about it.

My guys in the tool room, would be working on their OT projects, and would all be going home before 8pm. My best friend at night, was the 2nd shift Forman, he always kept filling me up on Duncan Donoughts coffee, and called me to come sit and have lunch with him. Allot of times, we would walk-out to the parking together and say goodnight, My 3rd shift Forman could never get over the fact, that he would say goodnight to me at 12:30, and see me walking back in at 7:30am.

When I look back on how I used to feel, instead of pride, or a sense of accomplishment, I now realize, how ignorant I really was. I really had no idea of what I was fighting, when winning that job, and keeping it from going over-seas.


When I think back, all the money I paid, to turn a company from 2 people to 80 people, in 8 years, it is mind boggling. And then to see, how my government, who does not have to worry about running at a profit or loss, who’s only source of income is through tax revenues, utilizing it the way it does outside the U.S. It made me very mad at first.

Then I began to research and try to understand why.
You guy’s are defiantly not going to like this one.

Without FTZ, certain U.S. companies, could not compete in the manufacturing area.

Just the cost of salaries, on 800 people, is enough of a difference to make some companies take notice. Lawsuits & Liabilities, are virtually non-existent, the cost of industrial property per SqFt, is enough to make you think twice.

So to compete with the Asian Rim, some companies, MUST go off shore, and set-up a Twin-Plant. Some types of manufacturing will always need to be State-side. Then there is Specialty shops, and JIT, that would not benefit from this type of operation, YET.

I love fresh milk, here all my milk is ultra-pasteurized, from Puerto Rico, in half gallon containers, once opened, and then it needs to be refrigerated. I never thought I would by milk by the case, usually a month’s worth. I store it in the pantry, and always keep 2 in the fridge.
things change.

Medical Students FROM the U.S., a huge industry by it’s self. I asked them, why they come here for their education, and the answer shocked me.
For $ 8000. U.S. dollars a year, that gets them full tuition, books, room & board.
Once they do their residency, they can take the boards back in the States. Fully funded and operated by a sub-division of Harvard Medical Schools.

Ok, enough of my ranting, I’m going to finish this up shortly.

I apologize for getting off the track.

Thanks
Tim H.

[This message has been edited by The-Expat (edited 12-11-2003).]

If you guys made it this far, my last post on this is almost done, I have to close out the other forum 1st, and then this one.

Post you thoughts.

Thanks
Tim Hollis December 11, 2003 6:38pm

Tim;

When are you going to continue or are you finished?

You sound like an Economics class held on line. Hope there is no test at the end.

Let us know if there is anything we can do to change the course of things, if any.
Jim

Hola, JimGlass.

I didn't think anyone had read it.
I'm almost finished with the last post, but I got swamped at work with some end of year projects. In the meantime besides being long and overkill, where you aware of some of the things in this post?
I've read a bunch of you postings and you seem to be well aware of whats happening on the outside of the U.S. regarding manufacturing.
I would really like your opinion to what you've read so far.

Thanks
Tim H.

Hi Tim;

No, I was not aware of the things you speak of. I have heard of Free trade zones and some of the banking issue you mentioned but never had them explained. This is why the internet is wonderful thing. I spend all day walking on metal chips and nothing to learn on TV. The stuff I have learned on the internet in the last 3 or 4 years dwarfs
all prior knowledge or nearly so.

I hit this message board about 4 times a day to see what I can learn or what I can teach.

I'm particularly fond of hearing what people think that have worldly experience or are currently out of the country. Within the US most of us know what we hear on the news and I don't thing the news media tells us everything we need to know about. For example, Pres. Clinton and his blow job. That is all we heard for months at a time as if nothing else were going on the world. While the news media blasted Clinton, Osama Binladen was tooling up for his raid on the US on 9/11/01.

I pick up some good advice here. Les Web told me once to make judgements base on what you see going on and feel in your gut not what you hear unless it can be substantiated. Good advice and hope I remember it. For example, right now the news media says the economy is doing great but I still see factory closings, job cuts but never see help wanted signs.

Tim, I only have so much time to read. I work 8 or 9 hrs at my regular job, come home work 2 to 4 hrs in my own shop
(my security blanket) then make time for grandkids and the rest of the family.

Glad to hear people read what I write as well.
Jim

Hi Tim,

I'm reading your story, and I have found it very insightfull.

DEAN

And yet another reader!

With an aside to Jim Glass: The traffic has been getting worse in the San Francisco Bay Area, and worsening traffic has been the first indicator of an improving economy over the past several downturns. The second traditional indicator, stories of "a friend of a friend" leaving a current job for greener pastures, are just starting to go around.

John

Ex Pat,

I just read your posts, thanks, great info but it will take a while for a simple guy, as myself, to digest.

Recently I took note of our trade deficit, don't remember the $ amt., but it was huge and growing. The short version is that as a nation we have more $ going out than coming in. If that occurred in my household it would lead to BK. How does that work for a nation? Do we just turn on the printing presses and "create" more dollars?

Thanks,
John