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Trading Places
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Business New Haven
1/12/1998
By: BNH
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In response to: Albert S. Coppola's “Off the Track” article in the December 15 Business New Haven.
We were there and representing the 104,000 women business owners in Connecticut at the National Association of Women Business Owners' (NAWBO) Public Policy Days held in Washington, D.C. October 27-30, 1997.
The Fast Track legislation was my focus. I worked the phones before, during and after. I encouraged many other NAWBO representatives from our chapters throughout the U.S. to support Fast Track. NAWBO is the United States chapter of Les Femmes Chefs D'Entreprises Mondiales (FCEM), which translated means Women Entrepreneurs of the World. FCEM was founded in 1945 in Paris. We have a total of 28,000 members in 35 countries.
Fast Track, in my opinion, was the most important trade legislation President Clinton and all American workers and business owners should have passed in the last half of this decade. NAWBO's Connecticut chapter tried to help the President at least get to the negotiating table. That's what Fast Track did - allowed him a place at the table. Now he'll have to wait in line.
Fast Track's failure means protectionism is peeking around our corner. The countries which have been developing so rapidly have been given a greater opportunity to succeed. I think this is good. I only wish we could play a bigger role in this global expansion explosion.
Many of our women business owners have been thriving because of the ripple effects of our large-cap companies contracting business. The deals in the past propelled by free enterprise in the international arena will not be as plentiful as if Fast Track had passed. We will look to finding other ways to help our women business owners promote trading partnerships among nations. We have a wonderful supportive network in place, and we will make sure we continue to promote peace and prosperity through free trade initiatives.
Freedom of choice and the ability to exercise it will overcome the protectionist posture of the Congress, which voted against Fast Track. I don't know what other Connecticut trade organizations were lobbying on the Hill just before the vote. If you are a business owner, you should check out where your membership fees are most effective - in your pocket, or theirs.
I just wanted to set the record straight. We were there - all volunteers - fighting for Connecticut businesses.
- Amy L. Ruzbasan
NAWBO-Connecticut
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