Guest Blogger: Rep. Connie Mack (R-FL) on the Free Trade Agreement with Panama

Rep. Connie Mack / October 02, 2009

As the Ranking Republican on the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, I am committed to promoting the ideals of freedom, security, and prosperity. And yet we live in an era in which we are reminded every day that freedom is a fragile thing. Around the world, freedom is under attack every day. Many are rightly focused on the dangerous nuclear ambitions of Iran and the rising fundamentalism in Afghanistan. However, I have spoken out at great lengths about the threats to freedom and prosperity that are occurring in our own hemisphere.

Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez—together with the likes of Nicaragua’s Daniel Ortega, Cuba’s Castro Brothers, and Ecuador’s Rafael Correa—is spewing a populist, leftist, and strongly anti-capitalist brand of politics that threatens to undermine the economies of the entire region. For example, recent economic data shows that Venezuela’s economy will experience zero or negative growth in 2010. However, a nation such as Peru, which has embraced free-market principles, is projected to lead the region in economic growth in 2010.

This information shows a simple truth that many recognize and agree with: countries that invest in free trade prosper. And countries that do not and close their borders and nationalize private property fail both their people and their economy. (more…)