www.CostaRicaTicas.com

http://news.yahoo.com/s/csm/20071005/wl_csm/orica

Maybe I should hold off buying that beautiful property in Costa Rica....

"If we want to generate the 70,000 jobs we need every year for the next generation, we should vote 'Sí,' " Arias said recently, adding that if the trade pact is rejected, "Costa Rica will stop exporting goods and services and would instead export people."

Costa Rica could definitely export some people and be none the worse for wear. Nicaragua, who has signed the treaty, will make up the difference in spades.

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"The only normal people are those you don't know very well." Joe Ancis

"Opponents say the deal will flood the market with cheap imports".

Translated: The consumers in Costa Rica will pay lower prices for many things that they buy. That is a good thing, not a bad thing.

"I believe the opposition is against the agreement because [the pact] is with the U.S.", says Luis Haug, manager of the polling firm CID-Gallup in Costa Rica. "It's more about ideology than free trade".

He is probably right. The United States is hated by large numbers of people all over the world now. Anything that pisses off the United States and its people makes many people in the world happy.

It is not as simple as saying that anything that pisses off the United States makes people happy. They hate our freedom right? What a bunch of BS. Stop watching fox news.
They are tired of the mega corporate economic imperialism.

I'll take that mega corporate economic imperialism system any day over Chavez's or Castro's or Harry Belafonte's idea of a great system...It may not be perfect but it's the best on the planet.....and let's cut through the BULL here...Many people around the world resent the fact that "our system is better than theirs". If that weren't the case why do we deal with this unrelenting invasion of illegal immigrants clamoring to get into our country. I'm not aware of a single country on the planet that is going through a similar experience.

That is a non-issue brother. A red herring and a false choice~! Ticos have no interest in Socialism. So lets cut through the bull as you say.

Ticos prefer a small-scale capitalism model. Many are against CAFTA because of the social impacts. Many make a very compelling argument for maintaining the mom & pop community oriented merchandising OVER the big box impersonal retail environment that we have in the US. Costa Rica has much stronger communities than what we have in the US and they want to retain that quality of life over getting a lower price on their Twinkies. I feel it is a very compelling argument over the monolithic pro big business model that many in the US are brainwashed into believing in as the "only way".

Costa Rica has a form of capitalism that produces a higher level of social integration than what we have in the US and it can be argued that it produces a higher quality of life. If you define quality of life in purely materialistic measure, the US has that covered. If you define quality of life in terms of social integration Costa Rica has the US beat hands down.

I agree 110%. My comment was as it applies to most of the rest of the world that can't stand the U.S. I think Costa Rica is as close to Paradise as one gets and I hope it stays that way. I wouldn't want to see Walmart there (although I think that's already happening) nor would I want to see any Chavez type influences there (they refer to taht as Socialism but it's really repressive dictatorships). I hope things in Costa Rica remain as good as they've been for many years to come.....

I think that the rest of the world generally accepts the general values of our economic system and as a result, the world is in an unprecedented economic boom.

Regardless of your politics, it is a fact that the main reason the rest of the world holds us in such contempt is because of our current president. To the rest of the world he epitomizes the "ugly American". He is viewed as simultaneously arrogant and ignorant. Who can argue?

Kerry was a seriously flawed candidate, but we were fools for re-electing this clown. Anyone would have been better, change for the sake of change would have been better. Bozo the clown would have been a better choice. To the rest of the world, we were viewed as shockingly idiotic for bringing the guy back for another term.

I would submit that the main reason for that for the rise of the current leadership in Venezuela and Iran is because these guys are perceived as standing up to the bully tactics of our currant administration.

We enjoyed a relatively high level of prestige and admiration during the Clinton years. Regardless of what party our next president comes from, I am looking forward to having a leader with a more intelligent world view that I won't be such an embarrassment when I travel abroad.

Kind of Ironic that the 2 most popular presidents during the last 25 years were Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton. Just goes to show how important it is to have charisma and be a great communicator. I don't see any of that in any of the current pool of candidates, Dems. or Repubs.

I agree with you on both counts.

But just by default any change at this point is gong to welcome. It is just awful what this man has done to our country. I listen to Bill Clinton talk these days and it is like a breath of fresh air and I ask myself how could we go so wrong with what we have now? I will be the first to admit that Clinton had serious character flaws, but NO ONE can question his intellect and his grasp of the issues. Regan was great too, but Clinton took it to a whole other level. Not only does he have the charisma and the communication skills, but he also has an amazing intellect to go along with it.

Personally I don't give a rip which party our presidents come from, I just want them to be competent in doing the job. Is that too much to ask?

Presidents like Clinton and Regan only come around every 20 years or so. We were fortunate to get those two in such close proximity to one another. At this point I would settle for another Gerald Ford or George Bush Sr. Hell even another Jimmy Carter would be better than what we have now.

From my standpoint the entire field of candidates we have now look just wonderful. I can hardly wait to get this clown out of office. Who ever is elected as next president, I will celebrate their inauguration day like no other!!!!

Two families have controlled the White House for twenty years. The Bush family and the Clinton family.

Maybe the next eight years will be more Clinton years, and then maybe Jeb Bush.

We don't have presidents in the United States. We have kings (and maybe queens).

Well this point will have some relevance if Hillery is elected.

All I care about is competence. I could care less about the last name.

I don't like it when one party controls the white house and congress. I prefer gridlock....... If you really want less government, make sure that one party does not have too much control.

I think the internet has really f*cked up the entire potical process.

That is an interesting perspective.

I am not sure I agree.

I think the biggest problem is that the religious right has highjacked the Republican Party. There is no such thing as a moderate republican any more. I don't think you can blame that on the Internet.

On the Democratic side, they have never been able to get their act together. The Democrats have always been driven by individual personalities.

You all know what is coming don’t you? We are headed for a Clinton/Obama ticket for the Democrats. They will be pretty much unbeatable.

Thought political posts were banned on CRT.

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Pura Vida
Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four
essential food groups:
alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.
Alex Levine