PC(USA) Action on the FTAA
CALL TO ACTION: National Days of NO FTAA/CAFTA Ballots
The
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) General Assembly passed Overture 03-33 On Opposing
the Free Trade Areas of the Americas in Its Current Form. Read the text
here: http://www.pcusa.org/trade/statements.htm
or download http://www.pcusa.org/ga215/business/overtures/ovt0333.pdf
for an Acrobat PDF version)
Accordingly,
we are collecting ballots to hand to Trade Ministers meeting in Miami, Nov.
19-21, to voice our concern about the FTAA and encourage just trade rules
for the nations of this hemisphere. These ballots will be added to thousands
of others being collected by religious and secular groups around the country.
Please take action on Election Day, November 4th!
Trade ministers from 34 countries in the Americas are negotiating the Free Trade Areas of the Americas (FTAA) and the Central American Free Trade Agreement
(CAFTA) behind closed doors. While these agreements will have profound harmful
effects on the lives and livelihoods of millions of people in the Americas,
these trade ministers refuse to allow real citizen participation in the
process.
Across the hemisphere, social movements are uniting saying "If they
won't consult the people, we'll do it for them!" Balloting on the FTAA
is now being coordinated in every country in the hemisphere by the Hemispheric
Social Alliance, a coalition of anti-FTAA coalitions in countries throughout
the Americas. Brazil set a high bar last fall when they collected over 10
Million ballots, 99% of which voted NO ON THE FTAA!
The national goal of the Alliance for Responsible Trade coalition is to
collect One Million Ballots and to present them to the trade ministers gathered
in Miami for the FTAA Ministerial November 17-21!
Groups
across the country have been collecting ballots, but we need to step up
our work during the last weeks before the Miami ministerial. You and
your congregation can help us make this happen! Use
the People's Consultation Survey/Ballot to educate your community and register
opposition!
Election day is a great day to show our opposition to the negative aspects
of globalization. Here are some ideas for November 4 and other days this
fall: