While Ebola Had Your Attention: Obama Unilaterally Proclaims Trade Changes With Russia

Hello again ATS!

As I am settling back into my routines, I realized that I had not checked the Whitehouse website - one of the sites I tend to visit frequently - in quite awhile. While there I found this potential gem / bomb waiting to go off.

Presidential Proclamation -- To Modify the List of Beneficiary Developing Countries Under the Trade Act of 1974

TO MODIFY THE LIST OF BENEFICIARY DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
UNDER THE TRADE ACT OF 1974

- - - - - - -

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

1. Sections 501(1) and (4) of the Trade Act of 1974 (the "1974 Act") (19 U.S.C. 2461(1) and (4)), provide that, in determining whether duty-free treatment would be appropriate under the Generalized System of Preferences, the President shall have due regard for, among other factors, the effect such action would have on furthering the economic development of a beneficiary developing country through the expansion of its exports and the extent that the beneficiary developing country would be competitive with respect to eligible articles. Section 502(c) of the 1974 Act (19 U.S.C. 2462(c)), provides that, in determining whether to designate any country as a beneficiary developing country, the President shall take into account various factors, including the country's level of economic development, the country's per capita gross national product, the living standards of its inhabitants, and any other economic factors he deems appropriate. Section 502(d)(1) of the 1974 Act (19 U.S.C. 2462(d)(1)), authorizes the President to withdraw or suspend the designation of any country as a beneficiary developing country after considering the factors set forth in sections 501 and 502(c) of the 1974 Act. Section 502(f)(2) of the 1974 Act (19 U.S.C. 2462(f)(2)), requires the President to notify the Congress and the affected country, at least 60 days before termination, of the President's intention to terminate the affected country's designation as a beneficiary developing country.

2. Consistent with section 502(d) of the 1974 Act, and having considered the factors set forth in sections 501 and 502(c), I have determined that Russia is sufficiently advanced in economic development and improved in trade competitiveness that it is appropriate to terminate the designation of Russia as a beneficiary developing country effective October 3, 2014. I notified the Congress and Russia on May 7, 2014, of my intent to terminate Russia's designation. In order to reflect the termination of Russia's designation as a beneficiary developing country, I have determined that it is appropriate to modify general notes 4(a) and 4(d) and pertinent subheadings of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS).

3. Section 604 of the 1974 Act (19 U.S.C. 2483), authorizes the President to embody in the HTS the substance of the relevant provisions of that Act, and of other Acts affecting import treatment, and actions thereunder, including removal, modification, continuance, or imposition of any rate of duty or other import restriction.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, including but not limited to title V and section 604 of the 1974 Act, do proclaim that:

(1) The designation of Russia as a beneficiary developing country is terminated, effective on October 3, 2014.

(2) In order to reflect the termination of Russia's designation as a beneficiary developing country, general notes 4(a) and 4(d) and pertinent subheadings of the HTS are modified as set forth in the Annex to this proclamation.

(3) Any provisions of previous proclamations and Executive Orders that are inconsistent with the actions taken in this proclamation are superseded to the extent of such inconsistency.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this third day of October, in the year of our Lord two thousand fourteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-ninth.

BARACK OBAMA

Whitehouse.Gov Source

The actual laws involved are a few steps above my head but I have come to an understanding that the above means barriers to trade with Russia have been made more complex with this act. Though why we considered Russia to be a "developing country until now is somewhat mysterious to me... I would guess it was a political carrot that came with their Glasnost period - when we had hopes that Russia might become a Democracy on some level.

With Putin in power and the hardliners regaining control of the country, apparently that carrot has been taken away.

Is Churchills Iron Curtain dropping once again?

With China and America in bed together with no end in sight, is Russia to be the next "enemy" - a return to the pre 1980's fear mongering?

It all smells very planned and fishy to me.

We are at war with Eastasia. We have always been at war with Eastasia...

For those interested in getting into the depths of it all, a direct link to the PDF of the Trade Act of 1974

a reply to: Hefficide

The government will put a few restrictions in and tweak some of the bonds between the two countries - all the better to "trade" and pull-back when something is given in return. The old cat-and-mouse game, with the cats and mice all knowing what's going on but going thru the motions.

a reply to: Hefficide

Loved the "1984" reference.

Quite apt also because I fear that we will always have an enemy, and if we can't find one, we will create one.

a reply to: Hefficide

(2) Other bases for ineligibility
The President shall not designate any country a beneficiary developing country under this subchapter if any of the following applies:
(A) Such country is a Communist country, unless—
(i) the products of such country receive nondiscriminatory treatment,
(ii) such country is a WTO Member (as such term is defined in section 3501 (10) of this title) and a member of the International Monetary Fund, and
(iii) such country is not dominated or controlled by international communism.

I actually never keep up with this stuff, but doesn't Russia supply most of the natural gas for Europe? And what with climate change, etc, wouldn't pissing off Russia be a bit of a kick in the chops to our supposed allies? Last winter was bad enough, this winter will probably be even worse.

Very odd timing; you'd think Ebola would be taking up all of his time and energy...

And wasn't Russia supposedly behind the JP Morgan hack?

originally posted by: signalfire
I actually never keep up with this stuff, but doesn't Russia supply most of the natural gas for Europe? And what with climate change, etc, wouldn't pissing off Russia be a bit of a kick in the chops to our supposed allies? Last winter was bad enough, this winter will probably be even worse.



Very odd timing; you'd think Ebola would be taking up all of his time and energy...

We'll probably have to give em natural gas. Why cain't the queen help it's people? I'm sure she can sell a cottage home somewhere to finance the gas. She's good for it, right Europe? You won't have to worry about going cold this winter, you can count on her support. Don't worry good ole chaps. She's never let you down. RIGHT? You won't go cold. NO worries, RIGHT?

a reply to: Hefficide


"NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, ...."


Yeah , the Constitution he Pisses On Every Freakin' Day since this Pretender Took Office..........


So now he wants to Play " Hardball " with the Ruskies ? That won't Last Long , he has Absolutely NO SUPPORT from the MAJORITY of the American People Right Now for Any Prolonged Sanctions Against Russia .................

I don't think russia is to worried. Puttin better at chess. I wonder how that deal went with russia with that canal widening thing. I'm sure russia is looking for another doorway to ship all his new oil and goods. here we go again.

a reply to: Hefficide

I don't think Russia has ever really trusted the US to begin with, so they really don't care the scare tactics of any US administration when it comes to doing business with them, then you got China while US is trying to kiss butt to China, China in the other hand does what China feels is better for their personal interest, make US feel nice and cozy in bed with them and then turn around screw American when they cater to any country that kiss their butts too.

China sings all the way to the bank, The enemy of my enemy is my friend

originally posted by: signalfire
I actually never keep up with this stuff, but doesn't Russia supply most of the natural gas for Europe? And what with climate change, etc, wouldn't pissing off Russia be a bit of a kick in the chops to our supposed allies? Last winter was bad enough, this winter will probably be even worse.

Very odd timing; you'd think Ebola would be taking up all of his time and energy...

Statement not that long that the EU had built up reserves to tackle this winter.
The U.S will provide gas to Europe. As will Scotland.

I'm quite certain that Putin and most Russians find Obama, with his almighty pen and phone extremely amusing.

a reply to: Hefficide

Well, you never cease to amaze, my Sweets. (I find nothing more mind-numbing than reading through legal documents, so to you.

I was under the impression that the US was somehow subsidizing Russia since the 90s. So this just means that with all the embargoes placed against Putin and certain of his cronies since the Ukrainian fiasco began a few months ago (during the Olympics wasn't it?) on Oct 3rd those subsidies stopped? If this is correct, I wonder why they waited until this month to do it?

a reply to: Hefficide

The US government has a knack of exercising subterfuge and deception on its citizens to achieve a desired result.

They did the same thing enacting the Patriot Act whilst the common folk were reeling over 9/11.

With China and America in bed together with no end in sight, is Russia to be the next "enemy" - a return to the pre 1980's fear mongering?

With the deals that Russia have made to go east (India/China) I cannot see it as China and America being real allies. China vetoed UN move to refer Syria to international criminal court in May so from my point of view it is Western US+Europe VS China/Russia and allies while China is trading with US where US go more into debt every day.

Even if Rome is still not fallen the outside provinces like Germany are getting pissed of the action of US.

a reply to: LittleByLittle

It is my personal belief that the seven wars the US is currently engaged in have a two fold agenda - one of those agendas being to make sure the path from the oil fields to China are nice and under control.

The other, just for the record and off topic, so that we can bulldoze the rubble and build Wal Marts and McDonalds in places where they would never have been able to do business before. Bombing down the old to make way for capitolism.

a reply to: Hefficide

Agreed, control of the Oil and Gas is what these wars are primarily concerned with, all the while the propaganda is aimed at bringing peace security freedom and democracy to the area which is total BS.

International banking cartels are circling like vultures.

This was apparently decided back in May of this year...


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a reply to: Hefficide

(1) The designation of Russia as a beneficiary developing country is terminated, effective on October 3, 2014.

So Russia has been enjoying a status as beneficiary "developing" nation all this time? Russia is hardly a developing nation, it's basically a world superpower. What I find so surprising is that it took this long to revoke that status.

a reply to: ChaoticOrder

I wholeheartedly agree and figure that the status was a political payoff for Russian compliance with one thing or another - or maybe many things.

What concerns me is that now that the incentive for whatever we were buying is gone - what happens to the balance of power in that part of the world? I mean Russia has not exactly behaved even with the trade incentives. So, if we've been seeing Putin on "his best behavior" all of this time - exactly what will an unrestricted Putin be like?