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Senate Approves Trade Bill, Sends to Bush
Reuters ^ | August 01, 2002 | Reuters

Posted on 08/01/2002 2:33:14 PM PDT by StopDemocratsDotCom

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate on Thursday handed President Bush his biggest legislative victory of the year by restoring the White House's authority to negotiate new trade pacts for the first time since 1994.

The Senate approved the trade promotion authority bill, just days after it squeaked through the House of Representatives by the narrow vote of 215-212.

The legislation now goes to Bush, who is expected to quickly sign it into law. He has pushed for the authority, also known as "fast track," since taking office 18 months ago.

The bill is critical to the Bush's ambitious trade agenda, which envisions a number of new bilateral, regional and global trade agreements by the end of his term in January 2005.

The bill allows Bush to negotiate trade agreements that Congress would have 90 days to approve or reject, but not amend. Supporters say that without the measure, countries will not negotiate seriously with the United States because of the fear Congress will change any provisions not to its liking.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: bush; fasttrack; freetrade; trade
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To: Willie Green
Don't jump to conclusions Willie...
41 posted on 08/01/2002 5:56:43 PM PDT by maui_hawaii
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To: StopDemocratsDotCom
The legislation now goes to Bush, who is expected to quickly sign it into law. He has pushed for the authority, also known as "fast track," since taking office 18 months ago.

Now Bush can proceed to "fast track" more of what's left of our manufacturing base overseas.

42 posted on 08/01/2002 6:01:14 PM PDT by WRhine
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To: maui_hawaii
The handwriting is on the wall.
43 posted on 08/01/2002 6:04:44 PM PDT by Willie Green
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To: jokemoke
It HAS been a bumpy ride!
44 posted on 08/01/2002 6:07:54 PM PDT by justshe
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To: VaBthang4
Yes, apparently it does. According to S. 136: The Fast Track Trade Negotiating Authority Act, "fast track" authority is extended to December 31, 2004, after which, it apparently expires.
45 posted on 08/01/2002 6:51:09 PM PDT by clikker
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To: justshe
****Now that President Bush has postponed the attack on Iraq to avoid it being labled an "October Surprise",****

Has President Bush announced this? Or are you just supposing.

I am thinking that the administration could, in the last few weeks before the election, order highly visible troup and weapons movements. Then in the last week, release some info to the New York Times that the strike would be the day after the election. That might be politically as good as a real attack.

46 posted on 08/01/2002 6:58:54 PM PDT by lwoodham
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To: clikker
Well, that makes me sleep a little easier.

Could you imagine a Hillary type [No I dont think she'll ever be back in the White House] having this kind of juice?

47 posted on 08/01/2002 6:59:55 PM PDT by VaBthang4
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To: StopDemocratsDotCom
Link
48 posted on 08/01/2002 7:09:08 PM PDT by maui_hawaii
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To: Willie Green
"Fast-track was a power held by every modern president.

Not true. This perversion of the separation of powers began in 1973 with Richard M. Nixon."

Well EXCUSE ME. I guess I should have stated every president in the last quarter century. Or maybe every administration since the dawn of microcomputers, or Honda Civics, or belly-button rings. Get a grip dude.

49 posted on 08/01/2002 7:46:20 PM PDT by WilliamWallace1999
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To: WilliamWallace1999
Get a grip dude.

Ooooooo! I'm chillin' man... I'm chillin'....
Shakin' the stick here, boss... I'm shakin' the stick!

50 posted on 08/01/2002 7:53:36 PM PDT by Willie Green
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To: Willie Green
"We are infinitely better off without treaties of commerce with any nation."

--Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 1815.

Ah, Thomas Jefferson, the great economic thinker. The same guy behind the Embargo of 1807, which forbade American commerce with England and France. Brilliant idea! He managed to plunge the country into an economic panic and devastate the New England and Mid-Atlantic economies. Yes, a debt-ridden, 19th Century plantation owner is just the guy who has the economic advice we need to run a 21st Century commercial and military superpower.

By the way, I've been having trouble with the operating system on my PC. Do you think you can locate some of Jefferson's advice on troubleshooting Windows XP problems? I'm sure his advice on that subject would be just as valuable today as his words on trade.

51 posted on 08/01/2002 8:05:15 PM PDT by hc87
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To: hc87
Do you think you can locate some of Jefferson's advice on troubleshooting Windows XP problems?

If Jefferson was around today, I'm sure he'd be bright enough to avoid that dog of an OS.

52 posted on 08/01/2002 8:13:19 PM PDT by Willie Green
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To: Willie Green
Hah! LOL.
53 posted on 08/01/2002 8:19:48 PM PDT by hc87
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To: hc87
The same guy behind the Embargo of 1807, which forbade American commerce with England and France. Brilliant idea!

Yeah, well French and British warships had the nasty habit of sailing into American waters while conducting one of their many wars against each other. Seems the Brits didn't even mind kidnapping Americans and pressing them into service on their own ships. When three of them escaped, and subsequently enlisted aboard the U.S. frigate Chesapeake in Portsmouth, the dang Limeys had the audacity to fire upon the Chesapeake forcing her to surrender. They then boarded her and captured the American "deserters".

IMHO, this violation of U.S. sovereignty was just cause for Jefferson to place an Embargo on Britain and France. But I suppose you're the type that would let bygones be bygones. Who cares that 3000 Americans were slaughtered in the WTC on 9/11. Osama bin Laden has money, I bet you'd want to trade with him too.

54 posted on 08/01/2002 8:49:10 PM PDT by Willie Green
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To: hc87
Of course, many New England merchants didn't give a hoot for Jefferson's Embargo. They didn't give a tinker's damn if American sovereignty was violated and somebody else was being pressed into service. Nosiree, they didn't care one goddam bit so long as it didn't interfere with their profits.

Of course, that's probably why Jefferson also had such a low opinion of THEM.

"Merchants have no country. The mere spot they stand on does not constitute so strong an attachment as that from which they draw their gains."

--Thomas Jefferson to Horatio G. Spafford, 1814. ME 14:119

"I hope we shall... crush in its birth the aristocracy of our moneyed corporations, which dare already to challenge our government to a trial of strength and bid defiance to the laws of our country."

--Thomas Jefferson to George Logan, 1816. FE 10:69


55 posted on 08/01/2002 8:59:37 PM PDT by Willie Green
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To: Willie Green
Where's "Fast Track" gotten us in the last 30 years? Oil imports have climbed from 30% to 65% of our usage.

What do oil imports have to do with it? There are NO trade treaties regarding imports.

Trade with foreign countries is your hottest button. The mere mention of it drives you bonkers for some reason.

Stop it with the red herrings, okay?

56 posted on 08/01/2002 9:08:48 PM PDT by Dog Gone
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To: Dog Gone
There are NO trade treaties regarding imports.

I agree that NAFTA, GATT and the WTO are nightmares, but they are also very real.

You need some rest.

57 posted on 08/01/2002 9:12:43 PM PDT by Willie Green
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To: Willie Green
I do need rest. But I was referring to treaties regarding imports of oil. I guess that wasn't obvious.
58 posted on 08/01/2002 9:15:24 PM PDT by Dog Gone
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To: RobFromGa
Congress still needs to APPROVE or DISAPPROVE of any trade agreements Bush negotiates-- they just can't modify them, it's yes or no. Bush does not have lone "sway" over anything.

Not only do I like this idea, I wish it could catch fire and wind up effecting other things the two branches deal with and that would be when a bill is introduced for "X" then Joe Congressman cannot add money for his pet project "Y" to the bill.

We need some way to stop all of this pork!!

59 posted on 08/01/2002 9:28:17 PM PDT by freethinkingman
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To: Dog Gone
But I was referring to treaties regarding imports of oil.

I'd think that they'd be covered under GATT along with a host of petrochemicals.

60 posted on 08/01/2002 9:49:51 PM PDT by Willie Green
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