http://youtu.be/_LtbLEKHsi0

The Washington debate drags on. Will Obama propose a big Progressive jobs plan or will Obama propose a vanilla bipartisan jobs plan? However, most political talking-heads are agreed that both plans are basically dead on arrival in Congress. So what’s the point? 2012 politics. The latest reports are Obama will go vanilla. He understands nothing will pass Congress but he doesn’t want to advance a bold unpopular plan. The inevitable result is no new jobs, politics as usual, and a shrinking middle class.

What if there is another way? A method that could encourage businesses to hire American workers that doesn’t require congressional approval. A method that doesn’t cost the tax payers (government expenditures) one red cent. A jobs plan that could reduce corporate profits trapped offshore. A jobs plan that could take effect in 6 months but it’s benefits (encouragement) would start immediately after the President’s signature. President Obama should withdraw from the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the World Trade Organization (WTO).

NAFTA

(a) Withdrawal of Approval- Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the approval of the NAFTA by the Congress provided for in section 101(a) of the North American Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act shall cease to be effective beginning on the date that is six months after the date of the enactment of this Act.

(b) Notification of Withdrawal- On the date of the enactment of this Act, the President shall provide to the Governments of Canada and Mexico written notice of withdrawal of the United States from the NAFTA in accordance with Article 2205 of the NAFTA.

WTO

Article XV: Withdrawal

1. Any Member may withdraw from this Agreement. Such withdrawal shall apply both to this Agreement and the Multilateral Trade Agreements and shall take effect upon the expiration of six months from the date on which written notice of withdrawal is received by the Director-General of the WTO.

Both trade agreements have provisions that allow the President of the United States to withdraw without congressional approval. BTW, the current American Trade Deficit is $320,000,000,000. Each billion dollars in trade deficit represent approximately 5000 – 6000 American jobs. Conservatively, the 2011 trade deficit has cost America 1.6 million jobs, but the long term benefits would be enormous. Withdrawing from NAFTA would “encourage” American companies to invest in America. There aren’t any products manufactured abroad that can’t be manufactured in America. All American workers need is a Progressive pro-Labor president willing to act, and we can begin to reverse the loss of the American middle class. But we elected Barack Obama in 2008, don’t hold your breath.