IT’S THE NINTH INNING FOR NAFTA

SCIENTIFIC-ATLANTA, INC., A WORLD LEADER IN CABLE TELEVISION ELECTRONICS AND SATELLITE-BASED COMMUNICATIONS NETWORKS, PROVIDED THE SETTING FOR ROGER C. ALTMAN, DEPUTY SECRETARY OF THE U.S. TREASURY, SEPT. 16 TO PITCH THE ADMINISTRATION’S POLITICAL EFFORT IN ATLANTA ON BEHALF OF THE NORTH AMERICAN FREE TRADE AGREEMENT (NAFTA).

MR. ALTMAN SAID THAT PRESIDENT CLINTON’S SUPPORT OF NAFTA WAS IN KEEPING WITH OTHER ECONOMIC POLICIES ESPOUSED BY HIS ADMINISTRATION, SUCH AS HEALTH CARE REFORM, TO ADDRESS WHAT HE TERMED AN INVESTMENT DEFICIT’ IN THE U.S.  THE ADMINISTRATION’S ECONOMIC POLICY SEEKS TO STEM THE DECLINING STANDARD OF LIVING OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, MANY OF WHOM, HE SAID, WERE UNAWARE OF THE POSITIVE CONSEQUENCES OF NAFTA FOR JOB CREATION AND EXPORTS.

THE U.S. HAS NEVER LOST FROM EXPANDED TRADE, HE SAID, IT HAS NEVER LOST FROM ENTERING INTO AGREEMENTS TO REDUCE THE BARRIERS TO TRADE; AND IT WILL NOT LOSE FROM ENTERING INTO THE NORTH AMERICA FREE TRADE AGREEMENT.

RAYMOND D. LUCAS, PRESIDENT OF SCIENTIFIC-ATLANTA’S NETWORK SYSTEMS GROUP, SAID THAT A VARIETY OF THE COMPANY’S PRODUCTS WOULD BENEFIT FORM PASSAGE OF NAFTA, INCLUDING CABLE TELEVISION, TEST AND MEASUREMENT AND SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT – ALL OF WHICH CURRENTLY ARE SUBJECT TO 10-20% TARIFFS.  AND HE STRESSED THAT THESE WOULD BE ELIMINATED IF NAFTA IS APPROVED BY CONGRESS.

ACCORDING TO MR. ALTMAN, DURING THE PAST SIX YEARS 400,000 U.S. JOBS WERE CREATED BECAUSE OF INCREASED TRADE WITH MEXICO, AND THAT OF NAFTA WOULD CREATE 200,000 JOBS NATIONALLY.

ADMITTING THAT A TOUGH POLITICAL CAMPAIGN LAY AHEAD FOR PASSAGE OF NAFTA, MR. ALTMAN CITED PASSAGE OF THE PANAMA CANAL TREATY AS HAVING BEEN A SIMILAR BATTLE FOR A DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENT, AND HE ALSO COMPARED THE ADMINISTRATION’S CURRENT PLIGHT TO THE ATLANTA BRAVES SITUATION ENTERING THE NINTH INNING, DOWN BY FOUR RUNS AGAINST THE CINCINNATI REDS SEPT. 15. WE’RE NOT AS FAR OUT AS THE BRAVES WERE, SO I’M CONFIDENT WE CAN DO IT, HE SAID OF THE FINAL 7-5 BRAVES VICTORY WHICH HAD BEEN WRITTEN OFF BY MANY FANS BEFORE THE BOTTOM OF THE NINTH.