Stalling Free Trade Won't Work

IBD ^ | April 14, 2008

[Kaslin]

Congress: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's bid to stall the Colombia free-trade pact into oblivion is a card she has played before. This time it won't fool anyone. In fact, it may backfire.

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It sent shock waves across the globe Thursday that the Speaker of the House could kick the America's best Latin American ally in the face as Pelosi did, altering House rules to end a timeline for a treaty vote. Oh, she assured Colombia it was "nothing personal," hoped it wouldn't be "misconstrued" and added that Democrats are "ready to work with" the president to bring a vote to the floor.

But the Big Labor bosses on whose behalf she was acting are on record as being implacably opposed to the pact, no matter how far either Bush or Colombia yield to their demands. That means America's businesses all lose.

Exaggeration? Check out what they're saying:

"The AFL-CIO remains unalterably opposed to passage of the U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Agreement," wrote AFL-CIO chief John Sweeney, in a Nov. 8 letter to Congress.

Meanwhile, Inter Press Services quoted AFL-CIO Policy Director Thea Lee on April 8 as being against compensatory measures: "There's nothing that could be in the Trade Adjustment Assistance program that in our view would be considered an adequate trade-off for the Colombia agreement," she said. "We're not looking for a deal. Period."

[Kaslin]

Nancy Pelosi: The worst Speaker of the House of all times

[1rudeboy]

She has a history of doing this. The Colombia pact passed in 2006 after all the normal legislative processes, including Congressional input, and the deal was sealed. But in 2007, Democrats said they weren't satisfied — so back to the drawing board, which forced Colombia to change provisions on labor and environmental rules. Colombia patiently went along to make the Democrats happy.

[Peacekeeper357]

Hopefully this kind of action will cost the Dims many seats in Nov.08.

[A. Morgan]

That need to be repeated!

Nancy Pelosi: The worst Speaker of the House of all times

[Strutt9]

Nope they will gain seats in 08. MSM has done a wonderful job of pointing fingers to the REPUBS... most people are not aware that DEMS control congress. Besides aren't people more concern about the economy and their pocketbooks?