Bush Lobbies Republicans on CAFTA Bill

Associated Press ^ | 7/27/05 | JIM ABRAMS

[GPBurdell]

Bush Lobbies Republicans on CAFTA Bill

By JIM ABRAMS, Associated Press Writer 55 minutes ago

In a rare piece of lobbying on Capitol Hill, President Bush appealed personally to fellow Republicans Wednesday to close ranks behind a free trade agreement with Central America that faces a very close floor vote.

The House was beginning debate on the Central American Free Trade Agreement later in the day, with a vote coming as early as Wednesday night. With Democrats strongly against it, passage depends on keeping Republican defections to a minimum.

The president reminded Republicans that while some might oppose CAFTA for parochial interests "we are here not only to represent our districts but to represent the nation," House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas, said after the meeting that lasted more than an hour.

DeLay predicted a tough vote, but "we will pass CAFTA tonight."

DeLay said the president may have won over one unidentified Republican when he noted that Central American countries have contributed troops in the war against terrorism.

Bush, who has invested considerable time and effort to winning approval of CAFTA, was accompanied by Vice President Dick Cheney and U.S. Trade Representative Rob Portman (news, bio, voting record) at the closed meeting of House Republicans. It isn't unusual for presidents to press their agendas with members of their own party or the opposition party, but they usually do it at the White House.

Bush's chief spokesman, Scott McClellan, said Bush planned to address other issues likely to come up as Congress rushes toward summer recess, including major energy and highway legislation.

Finding GOP unity on CAFTA could be crucial if the trade deal that the administration signed a year ago with Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic is to survive.

The Democratic leadership, in a notice Tuesday, reminded lawmakers that "this will be an extremely close vote, and attendance is critical."

The Senate approved the pact last month, but the House, with Democratic opposition and a large group of opposing or undeclared Republicans, is a harder sell.

The agreement would eliminate tariffs and other trade barriers on U.S. exports to the six nations and increase protections for investment and intellectual property. Democrats say CAFTA, like past free trade deals, will lead to a loss of U.S. jobs while doing little to prevent the exploitation of Central American workers.

Republican opposition stems from the jobs issue as well as concerns that the agreement will hurt the U.S. textile and sugar industries.

Bush in recent months has held a summit with the leaders of all six CAFTA nations, met individually with dozens of lawmakers and given speeches to Hispanic and other groups promoting the deal, which he argues will also benefit U.S. national security by shoring up Central America's fragile democracies.

His administration has also had some success in swaying undecided Republicans with side deals offering protections for sugar and textile manufacturers.

Groups on both sides of the issue held news and telephone conferences Tuesday to press their case.

"Trade creates jobs and lifts people out of poverty," House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., said at a news conference with Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez and representatives from pro-CAFTA Hispanic groups. "And there's nothing like a stable society to fight terrorism and strengthen democracy, freedom and rule of law."

Rep. Hilda Solis (news, bio, voting record), D-Calif., said CAFTA was "a bad deal for Central Americans and also for Latinos in this community."

"I can tell you that the exploitation of workers will continue in Central America," Solis said.

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On the Net:

U.S. Trade Representative: http://www.ustr.gov

[KC_Conspirator]

The argument made here by Hastert (etal) is that this will improve the economics of other Central American countries. Since the intro of NAFTA, the economy has been so bad in Mexico that our illegal immigration has increased four fold to over 10 million, which is a hug drain. That is an utter failure.

[U.H. Conservative]

Does that include state and local as well and entities such as baggage screeners that were private and are now gubmint employees?

[ex-snook]

"Does that include state and local as well and entities such as baggage screeners that were private and are now gubmint employees?"

I believe he used data started in 1995 during the Clinton boom. What would be more relevant is the figures since Bush made China a permanent favored trading partner. Also excluding jobs based on defense contracting would give a more realistic number for jobs generated by private industry [NAFTA] on its own.

Today Republican leadership was playing the ubiquitous 9/11 card.

[highball]

The writing on the wall is blatantly obvious, Congress does not represent the best interest of the American people.
BOHICA

Unfortunately, in this instance it isn't Congress that's the problem. It's the President. He's the one pushing this assault on our country.

[blackeagle]

Of course he is, our "conservative" president has done nothing but proven himself to be democrat-lite. My attack on the president may be a tad bit harsh, but I'm tired of his antics. My last straw was pulled when he had called the minute men vigilantes. It seems as if he is trying to dash the future of conservatism in the vile name of globalism.

[highball]

The apple doesn't fall far from the tree, does it?

[blackeagle]

you've got that right.