Posted on 04/09/2008 11:23:48 AM PDT by SmithL
WASHINGTON, (AP) -- Defying the White House, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Wednesday the House will change its rules to avoid a required vote this year on a hotly disputed free-trade agreement with Colombia.
Pelosi said she will bring a procedural change to the House floor on Thursday that would remove the timetable under which Congress would have had to take up trade bills within 90 legislative days after they are received from the White House.
"The president took action" in submitting the Colombia free trade agreement to Congress on Tuesday, she said. "I will take mine tomorrow." Pelosi said that Bush called her Monday to tell her he was sending the agreement to Congress.
White House press secretary Dana Perino reacted sharply. "Speaker Pelosi today did something unprecedented in the history of negotiating trade deals in announcing that Democrats would change the rules in the middle of the game," Bush's spokeswoman said.
Perino said removing the 90-day timetable sets an awful precedent "for all future administrations, both Republicans and Democrats, because countries will not be able to have faith in our word when we're negotiating trade deals."
The White House has aggressively pushed Congress to approve the deal with Colombia, arguing that helping a key ally in South America is in the political and security interests of the United States. Perino accused Democrats of trying to kill the deal "without having to have their fingerprints on it."
House Republican leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, said in a statement that Pelosi's proposed rule change "would be cheating." He asked what nation "would conclude a treaty with the United States knowing that Congress can change the rules of the game after it is negotiated?"
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
Good work Nancy. Thanks for reminding us of the many benefits of protectionism.
You can’t negotiate with these people...In this respect Bush failed as a president.
All the more reason to get out there to get Republicans back in charge. Nancy is going to single-handedly drop the approval rating for congress down into single digits. Well, actually she’ll have help from her compatriot, Howard Dean. Between the two of them, the United States could just end up being the laughing stock of the plant.
Not that that would be a bad thing either.
I’m kind of confused. Pelosi changing the rules sounds quite wrong. However, why am I supposed to be in favor of this deal with Columbia? Why should I back Bush on this one. Sounds like a bid to start expanding NAFTA into South America. More American jobs going offshore, etc., etc. Maybe I’m wrong, and I’d like to hear why if I am, but I just don’t trust Bush anymore on trade issues, immigration issues, etc. He’s too willing to help out our southern cousins at the expense of our American brothers.
"No more cafe for that puta Pelosi."
someone needs to block Peeeeelousy
Makes you wonder if this is pro-FARC or pro-union. Don’t forget that the laptop of the FARC second in command killed in Ecuador had notes about meetings with “gringos” that sent word that Obama was eager to work with them.
Which candidate does Pelosi support?
Pro-union is only a convenient facade... half of our Congress is Marxist-socialist and supports its growth in South/Central America.
I hope Bush tells the nation that Colombia is willing to REDUCE THEIR TARIFFS ON AMERICAN GOODS, some currently hit for 35%, to ZERO.
If that SOCIALIST Pelosi really gives a DAMN about jobs, she'll quit playing games with our allies.
I am SO damn glad I am not a Democrat anymore. As much as I think McCain and our other RINOs suck, as soon as I begin to ponder that, then Pelosi or Reid come out and do something like this. And I am reminded of what UTTER IDIOTS they are, and how I must never ever ever fall for the line that "both parties are really the same".
This Pelosi ploy is just so stupid.
bull crap, toby. The Republicans, with a few notable exceptions, are a bunch of spineless jellyfish. And that is when they're at their strongest.
Can’t a man still dream?
They have the numbers. The rats don’t want to be on record as opposing the treaty.
Bears repeating.
“Ticks off”.....Republican Senators??
LOLOL!! Stop, you’re killin’ me!
We can all contact Ms. Pelosi and respectfully explain to her WHY she should work to pass this trade agreement.
http://speaker.house.gov/contact
He asked what nation “would conclude a treaty with the United States knowing that Congress can change the rules of the game after it is negotiated?”
It’s the same tactic they use elsewhere, what nation would care to be our ally if they know that like the Vietnamese and Iraqis they could be left in the lurch.
This is why the cut and run policy of democrats is so dangerous.We are still paying for the shameful treason the democrat congress perpetrated on the south vietnamese.
Elections have consequences.
Allowing Democrats to EVER win is a grave mistake.
Irony.
Democrats have been yelling about the importance of a DEMOCRATIC system of VOTING.
Yet, in the case of CONGRESS, Pelosi is nullifying ALL of their votes.
Apparently, Pelosi really doesn’t believe in MAJORITY RULES.
She only believes that SHE RULES.
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