Editorial: Korean Free Trade - WSFA.com: News Weather and Sports for Montgomery, AL.

Editorial: Korean Free Trade

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By John Shryock - bio | email

  • Editorials

  • Thursday, May 16 2013 7:20 PM EDT2013-05-16 23:20:04 GMT
    In my editorial on Tuesday I chided our legislators for being the last state to pass a no-brainer  bill legalizing home brewing.  Today I want to challenge them to be one of the first states to pass another no-brainer;
    In my editorial on Tuesday I chided our legislators for being the last state to pass a no-brainer  bill legalizing home brewing.  Today I want to challenge them to be one of the first states to pass another no-brainer;

  • Tuesday, May 14 2013 7:20 PM EDT2013-05-14 23:20:07 GMT
    Kudos, or perhaps, cheers to the Alabama Legislature for passing HB9, the home brewing bill. Legalized home brewing may not be up there with education reform or prison funding, but it was overdue. 
    Kudos, or perhaps, cheers to the Alabama Legislature for passing HB9, the home brewing bill. Legalized home brewing may not be up there with education reform or prison funding, but it was overdue. 

  • Thursday, May 9 2013 7:20 PM EDT2013-05-09 23:20:06 GMT
    What was the old Pan-Am gas station at the corner of Bibb and Coosa is now no longer.  Last weekend that landmark was demolished with nothing remaining where it once stood other than the outline of a foundation. What
    What was the old Pan-Am gas station at the corner of Bibb and Coosa is now no longer.  Last weekend that landmark was demolished with nothing remaining where it once stood other than the outline of a foundation. What
    •   

MONTGOMERY, AL (WSFA) - Unemployment remains double digits throughout our country yet Congress continues to sit on a deal that would create tens of thousands of new jobs in America. 

By not ratifying the free trade agreement with Korea, our congressional representatives are also jeopardizing nearly 350-thousand current jobs. 

Canada and other countries will likely soon ratify trade agreements with Korea and take those jobs as the South Koreans will buy more goods from those countries than us.  And that will hurt Alabama as Korea is one of the top 10 export markets for Alabama. 

Alabama's delegation is certainly behind ratification.  But they haven't even been given a chance to vote on it. 

Powerful unions and some U.S. automakers are against the bill, fueling the ratification delay. 

They shouldn't be.  Eliminating tariffs on our products would encourage Koreans to buy more, keeping more people employed. Better they buy from us, than others.