Trade agenda facing defiance-Election of Democrats to snarl Bush plans

[Algorem]

http://www.cleveland.com/plaindealer/stories/index.ssf?/base/business/1164371918273520.xml&coll=2

Friday, November 24, 2006
Elizabeth Auster
Plain Dealer Bureau

Washington -- Ohioans tired of losing jobs to workers overseas and angry over trade deals they believe are to blame can take heart.

The election this month of U.S. Sen.-elect Sherrod Brown and a crop of like-minded Democrats who emphasized anti-trade( correction: pro-fair trade ) themes in their campaigns have sharply complicated the outlook for any ambitious trade initiatives President Bush might try to push during the remainder of his presidency, observers say.

The first sign of trouble came last week, when the House unexpectedly denied Bush something he dearly wanted before flying to Hanoi for an economic meeting: a vote in favor of normal trade relations with Vietnam.

Republicans were so confident the issue wouldn't be controversial that they scheduled a speedy vote under a procedure requiring a two-thirds majority for passage. Leading Democrats not only voted for the bill, but made clear they, too, expected it to pass...


Labor Challenges `Rubinomics' as Democrats Gain Power

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601070&sid=anM1H6Ktw73E&refer=home

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=230&topic_id=1306&mesg_id=1306

By Kim Chipman

Nov. 22 (Bloomberg) -- Democrats are returning to power on Capitol Hill just as two powerful wings of the party, labor and Wall Street, are colliding over economic issues.

The dispute over trade and budget policies prompted a high- level private meeting earlier this month between AFL-CIO President John Sweeney and former Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin, who is now chairman of the executive committee at New York-based Citigroup Inc.

AFL-CIO leaders, contending Democrats won the midterm elections because of voter concern about job security and stagnant wages, say it's time to set aside the free-trade policies touted by Rubin.

``We need to review the Rubin agenda that's led to millions of lost jobs and declining standard of living for the middle class,'' said United Steelworkers President Leo Girard. ``It's an agenda that has been very good for Citigroup and the financial community because they've been able to finance the relocation of jobs and refinance the trade deficits.''...

[Kolesar]

1. Those trade agreements were barely prevailing as it was

So the shift of a few votes and the loss of both houses are enough to put further exploitive agreements on the backburner for years.

[acmejack]

2. Damn the bad luck!

For those that would exploit the American Worker that is...

[Selatius]

3. Why the hell did Wall Street get its own "wing" in the Democratic Party

You can't honestly claim to be a party for workers when you have the very same people in the party who rape the workers. It is nothing short of hypocrisy to do so while they have a major influence in the affairs of the party.

[Kagemusha]

4. Because of politics, would be the short and blunt answer

Besides, pre-Dean, the party needed Wall Street to have any shot at competing with the Republicans for money, and still ended up trailing by a lot. So a lot of lawmakers have longstanding relationships.

A pure socialist party wouldn't get into power easily in the present political climate and system at any rate.

[juajen]

5. K & R