Liberals Pitted Against White House on Trade Deals

[Better Believe It]

Liberals Pitted Against White House on Trade
by Richard E. Cohen
April 21, 2011

The White House’s free trade negotiations with South Korea, Colombia and Panama are about to look like a piece of cake, compared to the work ahead to get House Democrats to agree on the details.

Already Republicans are on board, another show of President Barack Obama’s ability to work with the GOP while irking his party’s liberal base.

After the White House on Monday announced that it had reached agreement with Panama, House Ways and Means Committee chairman Dave Camp (R-Mich.) said that he was prepared to move quickly on all three deals. “U.S. job creators and workers are every day put at a disadvantage to foreign competitors from countries that have already concluded trade agreements without us. The more we delay, the more we lose. The time to act is now.”

But Camps’ Democratic counterparts aren’t so warm to his haste. As in past trade votes, members of the more-liberal wing of the Democratic Party appear ready to side with organized-labor and human rights advocates, groups Obama will no doubt look to for support in 2012. It’s an awkward position for Obama as the trade debate unfolds toward a bipartisan agreement expected this summer.

Read the full article at:

http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2011/04/21-3

[EFerrari]

1. What are we doing cutting an fta with a county littered with mass graves.

On top of being horrible for workers here and there.

[Lasher]

2. It’s an awkward position.

That's one way of looking at it.

[loudsue]

3. Puts American workers at a disadvantage???? How in the hell? Because we still get paid more than

they do? Or because we face MASSIVE FUCKING UNEMPLOYMENT ALREADY??? Obama sucks. He's such a fucking asshole.

[inna]

4. well, Bush tried doing exactly that and was defeated by the Dems.

let's watch what happens this time around.


...

what is that they say about Nixon and China?.... :shrug:

[Vincardog]

5. Barack Obama’s ability to work with the GOP Why not? He is supporting YHEIR POLICIES