An empowered Democratic party has taken command of U.S. policy toward...

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Herald

An empowered Democratic party has taken command of U.S. policy toward...
Posted on Fri, Apr. 18, 2008
By PABLO BACHELET
[e-mail]

WASHINGTON -- An empowered Democratic party has taken command of U.S. policy toward Latin America, stalling a free trade agreement and taking aim at military aid programs for Colombia and Mexico.

This assertiveness began after Democrats took over control of Congress in early 2007 but its impact took a dramatic turn in recent weeks, with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi derailing an effort by President Bush to force a vote on a free trade agreement with Colombia.

Democratic lawmakers, several congressional staffers say, also are likely to cut back a $500 million request for Mexico as part of an anti-drug trafficking program known as Merida Initiative, and influential Democrats have called for a thorough reassessment of U.S. policy toward the region on everything from Cuba and Venezuela to drug trafficking.

''It's the result of Democrats having a voice again,'' said Dan Restrepo, with the Center for American Progress, a think tank headed by President Clinton's former chief of staff, John Podesta. ``For the first six years of the Bush administration, Democrats were completely cut out of the picture.''



Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/americas/story/501444.html

[msongs]

1. wanna stop drug crime? make it all legal and spend $ on prevention/rehab. doh! nt

[mwb970]

2. What we're doing now sure ain't working! /nt

[H8fascistcons]

3. OOOOOHHHHHH...

What would happen to those "poor" for profit private prison corporations? We can't cut back on crime, that would slow their projected earnings growth, they need more kids to lock up, not less....