A Possible Shift in Trade Policy?

Thanks again to Sirota who points us to this article in the Miami Herald about the possibility of a shift in trade language based upon the perception of a greater challenge to so-called Free Trade from the incoming Democratic majority in Congress.

The story from Miami Herald reporter, Pablo Bachlelt, begins, ”Faced with the inevitability of a trade-skeptic Democratic-controlled Congress, the Bush administration has told Peru and Colombia that their free-trade agreements with the United States will need ''substantive adjustments'' to secure Congressional approval.
Deputy U.S. Trade Representative John K. Veroneau told reporters Wednesday that the concessions were needed to assuage Democratic objections over labor rights.” However the article goes on to explain that any changes to the agreements with Peru and Columbia would most likely need to come on the form of “side agreements” as the language for the trade agreements has already been agreed upon and would be nearly impossible to re-open for such changes.

Interestingly, this story comes to us just a day after Sirota posted a letter from 39 new Democratic members of the House to Charles Rangle, the new chair of the Ways and Means Committee stating their commitment to working for a better trade policy than “Free Trade.” They write, in part:

”It is very important that we not only reverse the troubling results of the Administration’s trade agreements and trade policies, but also that we are able to deliver on the promise we made to our constituents to move our nation on a new and improved direction on trade. We hope you would consider ongoing opportunities to discuss your views on trade in the 110th Congress, with those of us who have advocated for meaningful changes in trade policymaking who do not have the honor of serving on your committee.”

I say that this is interesting because, while the Whitehouse may be sensing a shift in Congress, we can’t be sure that the Democratic “leadership” will be willing to make these changes as, thus far the only voices to be heard on trade are those who brought us this policy to begin with. And while there may be 39 new House members who are ready to change course on trade, there are still folks like my own Rep. Rick Larsen (D-WA2) and Senators Murray and Cantwell who, except for Larsen’s rare “no” vote on CAFTA, haven’t met a “Free Trade” bill they haven’t liked. Hopefully, with the influx of new voices in the Congress, there is a chance that, even if we can’t change these votes, we may be able to marginalize them enough to achieve real change.

Peace,
Chad (The Left) Shue