Fast Tracking: Democrats pave path for Bush to pass more NAFTA expansions

[madfloridian]

Remember the sneaky stuff about the new trade deals that went on a few months ago?

Well, it appears it is coming up again this week and not looking good.

“Deal” on Trade is Slippery Slope – Take Action Now!

There is action to take there and more on the front page of the site.

Fast Tracking



Like most Americans, you probably don’t trust this administration to have more authority over anything! Well, here’s some good news: President Bush’s grant of Fast Track authority – the un-democratic Nixon-era law that transfers Congress' constitutionally-mandated control over U.S. trade agreements to the White House – expired June 30, 2007.

And then there is the shockingly bad news – Democratic leaders recently struck a "deal" with President Bush that he and his corporate allies are trying to use to pave the way to new “Fast Track” authority – and more of his devastating trade policy.

Remember the words of Charlie Rangel?

Rangel..."bam, seal it and catch hell" ...about the trade deal

CongressDaily reports that Rangel bragged to reporters that the reason dealmakers kept negotiations secret - and perhaps the reason why the legislative language remains secret - is because they feared rank-and-file Democrats would oppose the concessions that were needed to appease the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Business Roundtable, GOP Sen. Charles Grassley (IA), GOP Rep. Jim McCrery (LA) and Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT), who last year traveled to India to trumpet job outsourcing.

"Every time we had them all together, someone jumped off," Rangel told reporters after the meeting, referring to that group. "So we said, we can't wait for the Caucus. When we got everybody holding hands, bam! Seal it and catch hell. We did both." The fact that Rangel now admits the Chamber of Commerce was so intimately involved in the negotiations may explain why the Chamber continues to say it has received "assurances" that the much-touted labor provisions in the deal will be rendered unenforceable."

And remember when Nancy Pelosi had the press conference about it without filling in labor voices?

Pelosi had the trade deal press conference without filling in labor voices in the caucus.

...But a half-dozen House Democrats with strong labor ties, watching the news conference from the back of the room, later expressed strong dissatisfaction with the process. The strongest voices for workers and the environment were not included" in the negotiations and were not informed of the deal, said Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D-Ohio.

..."I'm very disappointed that Speaker Pelosi held a press conference before meeting with the caucus," said Rep. Michael Michaud, D-Maine. "In a democratic process Democrats ought to know."

There is a video at the Fast Track link above. It is called Fast Track to Nowhere.

[RB TexLa]

1. Yes, of course, let's slow down trade with S America. That's real good for the Port of New Orleans

and Louisiana. I know Americans don't care but we could use more trade.

[eridani]

8. When did you start thinking that we need trade rules--

--that favor corporations over labor and the environment in order to conduct trading?

[wuushew]

13. I only believe trading for unique goods not easily produced domestically

I really want to hear your grand unified theory on globalization some time. I don't see how most people in this country would materially benefit from the negative wealth transfer as the United States is dragged towards the global equilibrium.

Also it appears India and China are proceeding down the exact same road of industrialization that we did even knowing that it exponentially increases the depletion of fossil fuels that we also use! You picked the worst time in history to engage on this scale of trade.

[Sapphire Blue]

45. Letter from the Peruvian labor movement to the US Congress...

... explicitly asking members of Congress to vote "no" on the Peru FTA."


The letter:

Lima, August 20, 2007

Honorable Democratic Representatives
Congress of the United States of America
Washington, DC

Esteemed Representatives:

The Peruvian labor movement would like to extend its congratulations for your achievements
during your first months in control of the Congress. From the increase in the minimum wage to
the expansion of the child healthcare program, it is clear that your party is very concerned for the
well being of workers, who represent the majority of society in the United States as well as in
Peru.

The proposed “Free Trade” Agreement (FTA), negotiated between the US and Peru, is presently
a cause of great concern for both our nations. We write today to ask that your concern for
workers guide your decision regarding the FTA, and that you vote “no” to the expansion of the
North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) to Peru.

On May 10, Democratic Party leaders in the US Congress and representatives of the Bush
Administration announced some changes to the FTA negotiated between our two countries.
Although these changes included the obligation to adopt and enforce labor standards codified in
the 1998 International Labor Organization (ILO) Declaration on Fundamental Principles and
Rights at Work, we believe that the situation is still far from hopeful for Peruvian workers.

These changes are important, and the inclusion of this obligation will surely contribute to the
improvement of labor standards formally included in the FTA. Nevertheless, in order for there to
be real progress – that does not only exist on paper – it is necessary that the administrations of
Presidents Bush and Garcia adopt significant changes that they do not appear willing to adopt.

The main problems arise from the fact that the new labor obligations refer only to the ILO
Declaration of 1998, instead of the eight conventions on fundamental labor rights that serve as
its foundation. There are already decades of jurisprudence on these conventions, which could
make it difficult for the dispute resolution mechanism established in the FTA to follow the ILO
norms, and could in fact lead to fundamental rights at work being defined in a vague and fluid
way.

Vague and fluid norms will not be applied in the context of expansive commercial obligations
included in the FTA. These obligations have not been changed despite the protests of our unions
and many sister organizations in the US. For example, our request to limit the liberalization of
products that are particularly sensitive for our rural population was ignored. This demonstrates a
failure to reflect on the dramatic effects in Mexico of the opening of the corn market under
NAFTA, including the displacement of more than a million peasant farmers. The lack of
economic alternatives forced many peasant farmers to immigrate to the United States either
legally or illegally. Unfortunately, the current FTA could produce a similar outcome in Peru, in
turn increasing rates of drug trafficking, violence and even terrorism.

ONE MESSAGE FOR THE UNITED STATES AND ANOTHER FOR PERU?

We very much appreciate the effort made by some members of the US Congress to improve the
disastrous FTA negotiated by the administrations of our two countries. But at the same time, we
have to be clear that – as was commented recently in the August 8 edition of Congress Daily –
“The problem is that those who support the FTA in Peru are the same one that oppose labor
reform in Peru.”

We, the Peruvian labor unions are first-hand witnesses of how the Garcia Administration has
been blocking the attempt to improve our labor laws through the approval of a General Labor
Law that many have been demanding for the past 6 years. We also note with shock that they
intend to respond to the changes demanded by the US Congress with only partial measures. Even
these will quickly be neutralized by the administration of President Garcia through the creation
of a new piece of “small” businesses legislation of that will ultimately impose an even weaker
rights standard for the majority of workers in Peru.

The Peruvian government should approve new labor legislation that conforms to the Conventions
of the ILO. This should include the elimination of the systems of unjustified firing, temporary
contracts and outsourcing that have been employed intensely in recent years to reduce the
presence and power the unions and collective businesses. They should abandon their effort to
reform the legislation on small businesses (given that 97% of all businesses in the country could
be considered “small”) which would subject the majority of Peruvian workers to a labor regime
with even fewer rights than exist now. Finally, they need to dramatically raise the miserable
0.39% of the general budget that is presently earmarked for Ministry of Labor, to a percentage
that will permit it to ensure compliance with labor law.

A different model of business is necessary and viable so that the workers of Peru and the United
States secure their well being. The people of the United States want that, and we in Peru do as
well.

Sincerely,


Julio César Bazán
Secretary General
Central Unitaria de Trabajadores del Perú


Juan José Gorriti
Secretary of International Relations
Confederación General de Trabajadores del Perú


http://www.citizen.org/documents/PeruvianLaborLetter-082007.pdf

[acmavm]

2. Yep, I remember how proud Nancy and Harry were standing

in front of the cameras telling us how they had reached a trade deal with the administration. And then they forgot (on purpose I believe) to tell us the details.

I truly believe that this shit all has to do with that secret negotiating they did with the criminal cabal. I think they sold us all down the river. The American workers don't mean squat to either party.

[Benhurst]

3. I hope you are wrong.

I fear you are right.

[madfloridian]

6. Looks like this will be overshadowed by the Iraq stuff.

And they will just slip it right on through.

[acmavm]

32. Why of course. Timing is everything, don't ya know?

[katsy]

4. Great. Wonderful. What an accomplishment.

And they will approve this Fast Track?

They, Rangel et al, want to hand this power to THIS thieving, murderous administration?

You know... some days I feel as though I have fallen through the looking glass.

k/r

[madfloridian]

5. And somehow I missed this about that deal....

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-sirota/secret-trade-deal-report_b_62998.html

"As Congress reconvenes this week, K Street and a handful of Democratic congressional leaders are gearing up to pass lobbyist-written trade pacts with Peru, Panama, South Korea and Columbia - the group of pacts known as The Secret Trade Deal of 2007, originally announced on May 10, 2007. Over the summer, the Bush White House led "campaign-style" events to pressure more Democrats to support the deals, despite Democrats' 2006 campaign promises to oppose these job-killing pacts. That lobbying campaign is now being backed up by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce - and the pressure seems to be working. Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charlie Rangel (D) announcing that his top priority will be ramming these deals through Congress over the objections of labor, environmental, human rights, anti-poverty and consumer protection groups - as well as many rank-and-file lawmakers in his own party. The opposition to The Secret Trade Deal of 2007 may, however, find renewed vigor following a new report showing how one of the least discussed pacts in the deal - the one with Panama - includes language designed to allow many of the largest corporations to hide income in tax havens and avoid paying U.S. taxes. Here is today's update:

"BREAKING - PANAMA DEAL'S FINE PRINT DESIGNED TO HELP BIG BUSINESS EVADE U.S. TAXES"

More at the link.

[madfloridian]

7. Rangel and Sander Levin under pressure...walk a fine line on this...The Hill.

http://thehill.com/business--lobby/rangel-levin-walk-fine-line-on-peru-trade-deal-2007-09-07.html

"Peru’s ambassador to the U.S. Said Friday that House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) and Rep. Sandy Levin (D-Mich.) want Peru to agree to changes to its labor rules before House consideration of a trade deal with that country.


Ambassador Felipe Ortiz de Zevallos said Rangel and Levin want to be able to stress to their Democratic colleagues that they have taken care of concerns about Peru’s labor and environmental standards before asking members to support the free trade agreement.

Zevallos, who spoke to reporters at a luncheon sponsored by the National Foreign Trade Council, said Peru was happy with the terms of the deal negotiated with the Bush administration, but added that his country is also happy to accommodate Rangel and Levin on labor and environmental issues.

...."Rangel and Levin are under intense pressure from members of the Democratic Caucus who are unhappy with the terms of a deal they worked out with House Republicans and the Bush administration on a new template for trade deals. Rangel and Levin are supporting the Peru agreement, but it is unclear whether they will have a majority of their own party backing them. Trade unions are either opposed to or neutral on the deal.

The two are also under pressure from business groups, the administration and House and Senate Republicans to move the deals."

[Donna Zen]

9. Same old same old

They don't need all of the Democrats to vote for this, just enough. This is the old triangulation routine.

However, when the time comes, I will read post after post about why I'm an ass if I refuse to vote for these bastards who are selling out my country and my kid's future. Fine.

I'm sorry MF, I know exactly what's going on, and "they" know that they don't have to give a damn what we think. Moreover, they don't give a damn about what happens to ordinary people.

Honestly, I'm sick of them. Sick.

[madfloridian]

12. I have felt totally discouraged this week.

It is like the Florida stuff drained me because of the propaganda. Only one side has been presented here. I have seen a side of people I know here that is disheartening.

I thought today that the trade deal will go through, they will not stand up to Bush on Iraq, not a word about changing the terrible bankruptcy bill.

[Donna Zen]

29. I can't help

Since the congress can't seem to see their way clear to saving habeas corpus, I've kinda written the whole thing off.

Sorry MF, I haven't been able to follow the Florida date-debate. Hell, I think that I have messages about a Dem State Comm. meeting that I'm finding it hard to open...and I really like the folks on our committee. At the moment I'm laying back. Fighting the republicans takes energy...fighting the Democratic party insiders takes ones hope away.

[superkia]

10. Kucinich is different from the norm but we need different!

Vote for Kucinich if you really want someone in the white house for the people.

[The Backlash Cometh]

11. If progressives can run exclusively on this issue, even Republicans will

be voting for them.

[RB TexLa]

14. People are not going to vote for economic isolationism

At least for the sake of both our country and the world I hope we never vote for that again.

[The Backlash Cometh]

15. Excuse me? The labor force will be in favor of keeping their jobs in the USA.

No voter is going to think of it in terms of "economic isolationism." There are plenty of angles to look at. For example, who are these people who are getting insourced? What special skills do they have that our colleges are not teaching our own people?

[RB TexLa]

16. True, demagoguing it does work

I'm sure there will candidates screaming "God bless America, and no place else!"

:-(

[Name removed]

18. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[RB TexLa]

19. I guess you'd say these people belong here

These are part of the stated objectives of the Ku Klux Klan today:


* Make the purchase of American industry and property by foreigners illegal.
* Do away with free trade that harms the American worker and employ a policy of protectionism.

http://www.mamkschools.org/hommocks/socialstudies/8th_grade/kkk/kkk%20today.htm

[patrioticintellect]

20. So I guess that means I support the only candidate who opposes...

...the KKK.

[The Backlash Cometh]

21. I'm with Dowd.

You sound like an enabler for corporations, because I sure don't hear you coming up with any suggestions on how we're going to make up the deficit in lost income. And I think the time has come to call all you pro-outsourcers out. If you're in favor of it, then you have to come up with a suitable idea on how to replace the loss in income - dollar for dollar.

[KoKo]

23. Another with Dowd...n/t

[HughBeaumont]

49. Lots of them on this thread . . . check it out.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x3508908

It's disappointing to say the least.

[madfloridian]

24. Who are you comparing to the KKK? Those who see free trade has hurt us?

That is a shameful thing.

If you are referring to me I consider it a personal attack.

[Selatius]

26. It's a tactic the right wing has used against Democrats for decades.

Oh, if you support such and such policy, then you are a communist because the Soviet Communist Party holds a similar stance on said issue. On and on...

[madfloridian]

27. Yeh, but KKK? Isn't that a new one?

:hi:

[Elwood P Dowd]

28. We are all KKK supporters if we don't support RG's corporate fake free trade deals.

RG is going about as low as you can go without being booted off DU.

[madfloridian]

30. I mean, really....the KKK? He is comparing us to the KKK?

What a crying shame.

Pretty low.

[Selatius]

31. He's just trying to discredit a platform by using "guilt by association"

It's a tactic only a fucking fool would use, but then again, there are fools everywhere who do such crap, even here on DU.

If a supporter of fair trade happens to be a Klansman, does that mean the notion of fair trade is somehow discredited? No. But that didn't stop RGBolen. Reason dictates that an idea is judged on its own merits, not by whom that idea is carried regardless if it's a progressive or a Klansman.

[RB TexLa]

33. No, there was one person saying who should and shouldn't be on this board

I was just saying by their standard, the Klan would be welcome.

[Selatius]

34. I disagree. Mainly, because he said "progressive" The KKK is not progressive at all.

Even if their platform happens to overlap over opposition to free trade. Unless the person removed "progressive" from the post in question, I just don't buy it regardless if it was narrow-minded, and it is, as I generally fall back on forum rules as far as people posting here.

[Elwood P Dowd]

35. Go back to The Heritage Foundation , CATO, or the Weekly Standard

where you belong. You know absolutely nothing about our trade deals other than republican talking points. You don't fucking care how many middle class and working poor Americans lose their jobs. You don't fucking care how many Mexicans, Chinese, or Central Americans are abused. You don't fucking care about the massive pollution created by all the American factories relocated to pollution friendly countries. You don't fucking care about the poverty we're creating in this country in order to enrich a few corporate CEOs, investors, and politicians. You don't fucking get it RG!!

[Dr.Phool]

42. Yeah, but when you look at the BIG picture.

Free trade will eventually create a lot more jobs.

By that I mean when we've hit absolute rock bottom, and become a serf state, we'll be willing to work for less than Chinese prison slave labor, everyone will have a job, and a place to sleep (on the floor). Just think how much money our kids can make as prostitutes!

People lucky enough to earn a doctorate can earn a nice living as a waiter at the country club.

Do I really need to add this?:sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm:

[pampango]

43. At least the "guilt by association" is never used by those who oppose

trade with the Third World. Of course that is only true if you ignore the accusations that one is a corporate enabler, DLC shill, or RW apologist if you express an opinion that goes against the grain like supporting trade (not "free", but "fair") with the Third World.

Those accusations are no more true than the KKK association made in this thread. Likewise, many here held positions on illegal immigration that seemed to come out of the mouths of Rush, the Minutemen and Tom Tancredo, but that does not mean that DU'ers got their marching orders from any of thes RW sources. They were undoubtedly expressing their own deeply held beliefs.

It is sad when expressing an opinion is met, not with a rebuttal, but with name-calling and "guilt by association."

[Selatius]

25. Free trade in its current form is unsustainable, RGBolen. Fair trade is better, IMHO.

I support fair trade instead because the aim is to help workers on both sides instead of enriching only a very few, which the economic numbers indicate are concentrated in the top 1 percent in America and the elite in these poorer nations we trade with.

[pampango]

44. Well said, Selatius. n/t

[Zodiak]

41. What propaganda that is...guilt by association

Hitler liked puppies.....so any DUer who likes puppies is a Nazi.

The KKK is against free trade....so any DUer who opposes free trade is aligning with the KKK?

Could your logical fallacy be any more insulting?

[Romulox]

48. Did you know Hitler was a vegetarian?

:sarcasm:

What a disgusting mode of debate you've adopted. You sound desperate, which gives me a shred of hope..

[brentspeak]

50. Wow, you are some kind of a major-league idiot

First, you deplore so-called "demagoguing" the free-trade issue; then, you compare forum members who oppose the "free"-trade agreements to the KKK.

Got your DLC check in the mail?

[patrioticintellect]

22. That is true

Liberals for the past few years have been slammed relentlessly by hardcore conservatives because they support NAFTA and the WTO or even allow it to exist.

[The Backlash Cometh]

39. And it's not going to help Democrats in general if Hillary continues

to push the NAFTA program her husband helped start.

[patrioticintellect]

17. My Democrat Has A Backbone, Does Yours?

Dennis Kucinich has a backbone unlike the other 95% of the Democratic Party that waivers all over the place before deciding what advisers or interests to listen to. (I mean, Obama needs Brzezinski to decide on foreign policy. He doesn't know. Is this going to be like G.W. again where he had no idea about the world?) Anyways, back to "fast tracking"...

I rise to oppose fast track. I represent Cleveland, Ohio, a steel producing community, which is fighting valiantly to save 3200 steelworker jobs and to protect the benefits of tens of thousands of retirees.

Fast track is a barrier. Fast track brought us NAFTA. It prohibits amending trade agreements. We could not amend NAFTA Chapter 11, which grants corporate investors in all NAFTA countries the right to challenge any local, state, or federal regulations, which, those corporations say, hurt their profits.

The sovereign authority of all governments is at stake. Taxpayer dollars are at stake. A NAFTA case brought by a foreign owned steel fabrication company is trying to overturn “Buy America” laws that require using American steel in highway projects. NAFTA allows foreign owned companies to challenge our Constitution, our Congress, and our rights to enact American laws.

This would have a catastrophic impact on steelworkers; causing loss of US jobs. American taxpayers are financing the fight for democracy all over the world while our trade laws undermine our democracy here at home.

I will vote against fast track, to protect democracy and to protect American jobs

From: http://kucinich.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=25388

Six years later, my fellow Americans, it's time to show your appreciation for all he has done. Give him your vote in the Democratic primary

[bbgrunt]

36. ..and they say that there really is a difference.......?!!

[salib]

37. Secret F-ing meetings?

Is no one else pissed as hell about the idea that these meeting are in secret?

This is BULL SHIT! Plain and simple.

If I had a real congressman (rather than a mindless repug drone) I would be screaming at him about this.

Nancy Pelosi deserves NOTHING if she cannot be up front with us.

[madfloridian]

38. Reminds me of Sirota's People Party people and Money party people

It was an interesting read.

The People Party leaders and the Money Party leaders...Who's who among Democrats.

Shows us who we need to keep an eye on.

[Sapphire Blue]

46. Speaking of Sirota... SECRET TRADE DEAL: Report Shows Bush/Dem Pact Designed to Let Big Business...

... Evade U.S. Taxes: http://www.workingassetsblog.com/2007/09/secret_trade_deal_new_report_s.html


(antigop posted a thread about this last week:

Secret Trade Deal: Bush/Dem Pact designed to let big business evade US taxes: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=3496358#3496436)

[The2ndWheel]

40. As long as we have the energy required

you're not going to stop this process. Might be able to push it off into the future for a few years, but it'll catch up. It didn't just start in 2000. It didn't just start in 1992. It's been going on for a few thousand years. As it becomes an increasingly integrated global system, there won't really be anything called "outsourcing", since there is no "outside". We're basically there already.

It's a give and take though. If you want quick travel, one of the prices to pay is "outsourcing". If you want easy global communication, one of the prices to pay is "outsourcing". We don't get to have all the good stuff, and none of the bad. There are benefits and consequences to every action. We don't get to pick and choose the good parts. Whatever way we go, we have to deal with the totality of the road we chose.

[madfloridian]

47. I so disagree.

It did not have to be the totality of one way or the other. There was an in-between way with standards when we still had the power to enforce them.

Everyone of the so called centrists in our party like the Blue Dogs and New Dems constantly preach to play to the center, the sensible center, the moral middle.

But in this case they gave the store away.

[loudsue]

51. THIS is what the Sept. 15th protests SHOULD be about....

this is the war we're fighting here at home, every day when we go to work at low paying jobs, while workers lose more and more rights.

:argh: Charlie Rangel, and ESPECIALLY Nancy Pelosi, need to be taken to the woodshed.

:kick: