Bush risks losing trade powers after talks collapse

[Up2Late]

Source: AFP

Bush risks losing trade powers after talks collapse

23/06/2007 18h31

WASHINGTON (AFP) - US President George W. Bush risks losing his special trade negotiating powers after talks between four key players in the World Trade Organization collapsed this week, analysts said. Progress in the talks, which collapsed Thursday in Potsdam, Germany, would have helped Bush secure from the Democratic-led Congress the renewal of his so-called "fast-track" authority, which expires on June 30, analysts said.

The talks between the so-called "G4" in the World Trade Organization -- the European Union, the United States, Brazil and India -- broke down over farm subsidies and open markets. "We really wanted a breakthrough (at Potsdam) to help gain some traction in terms of convincing Congress to deliver trade promotion authority," said US Trade Representative Susan Schwab on Friday.

The Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) lets the White House submit trade agreements they negotiated for a simple yes-no vote in Congress. Legislators cannot attach amendments to the agreements.

(edit)

"There is just a real reluctance to push forward the trade agenda that has been led by the Bush administration when it seems to be such a sensitive issue among US voters," said Sarah Anderson of the Institute for Policy Studies, a think tank.

Read more: http://www.afp.com/english/news/stories/070623182249.09pfdd86.html

---

Golly, what a shame.

And in response to Sarah Anderson of the Institute for Policy Studies' comment above, millions of Democrats all across America responded, "Gee, Ya Think!?!?"

[Odin2005]

1. Poor wittle corporatists...

:nopity:

[kurth]

2. Good. Let them collapse

[phantom power]

3. Failed president. In every way.

[murielm99]

4. He lost his businesses,

he lost his way to his National Guard posting, he lost Sammy Sosa, he lost his elections, he lost the World Trade Center, he lost our world standing, he lost the surplus, he lost the Iraq war, he lost Congress, he lost New Orleans, he lost the Constitution.

What's one more loss to this guy?

Oh yeah. He lost his ass and he can't find it with both hands.

[aquart]

5. Did any of the negotiators actually break out laughing?

Or did they save it for drinks, later?

[MichiganVote]

6. Michigan to Washington: Eat shit.

[xchrom]

7. no -- really? -- i'm so surprised.

not.

[Up2Late]

8. kick n/t

:kick:

[lpbk2713]

9. Negotiating 101: You can't negotiate from a position of weakness.

He has bankrupted the US Treasury and the rest of the world knows it. Everyone but Shit-for-Brains apparently.


Someone send him a copy of *Negotiating for Dummies*. :eyes:

[Warren Stupidity]

10. Why on earth would they renew that authority under any circumstances?

What I really truly do not get is why our purported opposition party REFUSES TO USE ANY EFFECTIVE POWER IT HAS to actually OPPOSE an administration that has declared itself outside all legislative oversight, an administration that has taken this nation into a fraudulent war and a disastrous occupation without end, and a party in power that has declared itself ready and willing to obstruct all legislative initiatives and has acted on that declaration to do just that.

INSTEAD our purported opposition party performs only symbolic acts of token opposition.


Take his authority away. Use the power you have.

[Doctor_J]

11. The 20 million or so hate radio devotees are the ONLY PEOPLE ON EARTH

who think * is fit to do anything but play celebrity golf. The other 5.998 BILLION PEOPLE despise him with a passion reserved for the likes of Hitler and Stalin. In particular, anyone of authority laughs at and abuses him whenever possible.

[amandabeech]

12. Actually, some of the hate-radio crowd is pissed as hell over the

immigration bill. They're also pissed that they've been told to shut up about it.

I went over to Freeperland before my shower, and some of them are hopping mad.

[sutz12]

13. "We really wanted a breakthrough...........

but we only do breakdowns."

:evilgrin:

[GrantDem]

14. Gee Bush failed????

Who would've thought...

:sarcasm: