Posted on 07/31/2005 9:16:08 AM PDT by Libloather
CAFTA deal-making infuriates opponents
Sunday, July 31, 2005
By Warren Vieth, Los Angeles Times
Senate Democratic Leader Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., left, listens to House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., right, during their press conference on the steps of the Capital Building Friday, July 29, 2005 in Washington. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
WASHINGTON -- Rep. Robert B. Aderholt's cell phone rang Wednesday as the Alabama Republican was standing in the House gallery with some constituents.
It was President Bush.
**SNIP**
As expected, the House had divided largely along partisan lines. But 27 Republicans bucked their party and president by casting "no" votes, while 15 Democrats defected from their leadership and supported the pact. Some members surprised their colleagues and angered interest groups by abandoning previous pledges or deviating from expectations with their votes.
Some said the defections should not go unpunished.
The Republican Main Street Partnership -- which represents centrist GOP lawmakers -- said it was distressed by votes against CAFTA by some lawmakers who also are members of the Club for Growth; the conservative fundraising organization has threatened to run primary candidates against moderate Republican incumbents. The Main Street group asked whether the Club for Growth would "hold these members [who voted against CAFTA] accountable" by running primary candidates against them.
But House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., said he had no plans to punish party members who had cast "no" votes.
On the other side, some activists urged labor unions to withhold contributions to the 15 Democrats who voted for CAFTA as Pelosi scheduled a meeting of Democrats to discuss the matter.
(Excerpt) Read more at post-gazette.com ...
Where the Americans are forced to hand over their country to the worst people on Earth, who deserve no benefit at all from the four centuries of American sacrifice.
He's a little grouchy because he started a protest against CAFTA by boycotting coffee and chocolate.
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