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 Trading SecretsPosted on May 22, 2007By Amy Goodman The Democratic Party leadership is stabbing its base in the back with secret “free trade” deals made behind closed doors with the White House. Now congressional Democrats may be on the verge of a significant split. While Democratic leaders and President Bush do the hard sell on bipartisan immigration reform, they are now pushing secret, anti-worker, anti-environment trade agreements that will only exacerbate U.S. immigration problems. The contentious agreements are bilateral trade deals between the U.S. and Peru, Panama, Colombia and South Korea. The deals were announced in a bipartisan press conference May 10, with principal credit going to Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., the chair of the House Ways and Means Committee (long dubbed by some as the “Ways to be Mean” Committee). According to Inside U.S. Trade, as noted by blogger David Sirota, House Democrats admit that the White House is drafting the legal language of the trade deals. Rick MacArthur, publisher of Harper’s Magazine and author of the book “The Selling of ‘Free Trade’: NAFTA, Washington, and the Subversion of American Democracy,” calls these agreements “a fundraising gambit by the House leadership.” He told me: “Rangel and [Speaker Nancy] Pelosi are saying, ‘Well, we’re gearing up for the 2008 election. We’ve got to raise a lot of money.’ They’re closer to the Clinton wing of the party, which is the pro-so-called-free-trade wing of the party, the pro-NAFTA, pro-permanent-normal-trade-relations-with-China part of the party. And this is a way of saying to the corporate community—Wall Street, Wal-Mart—that we’re open for business, we want to raise money from you.” In order to compete for campaign money, the logic goes, the Democrats have to cater to big corporate donors. MacArthur points out that the agreements with the four small countries are not key. The big money, he says, lies with China. This is where Hillary Clinton comes in. She served on the Wal-Mart board of directors for six years when her husband was the governor of Arkansas (where Wal-Mart is based). Wal-Mart, MacArthur says, “depends on dedicated factories in China, where you cannot form a labor union. Wildcat strikes are met with violence. You get your head busted or you get thrown in jail.” The corporate Democrats and their Republican allies are promising labor and environmental protections. But 13 years after NAFTA passed, with President Clinton orchestrating pork-barrel payouts to buy the vote, promised safeguards have proved unenforceable: Workers, especially in Mexico, earn low wages with little or no security, while companies crush union-organizing efforts and pollute with impunity. As jobs move to Mexico, China and other low-wage havens, the U.S. is the loser. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, knows it all too well: “We see that kind of job loss in the thousands ... devastates communities. It hurts the local business owner, the drugstore, the grocery store, the neighborhood restaurant. It hurts communities. It hurts schools. It hurts police forces. It hurts fire departments.” Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wis., also slammed the trade deals, saying it was as if “the foxes and wolves had reached a deal on guarding the henhouse.” He went on: “I wish I could lay the blame at the feet of our colleagues in the other party. But members of both parties have aided and abetted these flawed policies.” Feingold pointed out that the trade deals have not been endorsed by any union or environment groups, but they have been endorsed by three of the most powerful organizations representing corporate interests: the Business Roundtable, the National Association of Manufacturers and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. If the Washington power brokers are betting on Americans not understanding or caring about arcane trade policy, they should recall the Battle of Seattle. In late 1999, when the World Trade Organization tried to meet in Seattle to impose global corporate trade policies, it was met by tens of thousands of protesters, from Teamsters to environmentalists, healthcare workers to students to farmworkers. The meetings were shut down. Compound this potential backlash with the millions of hardworking immigrants now staring down the barrel of another bipartisan agreement. These are the people who took to the streets in the millions last year. When the rules are rigged to allow money to move freely across borders, then people will follow. Falling wages south of the border, caused by “free trade,” drive people north—no matter how high the wall or how many detention facilities are built to contain them. Make no mistake about it—trade and immigration are linked. Amy Goodman is the host of “Democracy Now!,” a daily international TV/radio news hour airing on 500 stations in North America. © 2007 Amy Goodman; distributed by King Features Syndicate Previous item: Worse Than Watergate, Part II Next item: Chris Hedges: I Don't Believe in Atheists Elsewhere: . CommentsAre you a Truthdig member yet? Login now, or register with Truthdig.
By fazzaz31, May 24, 2007 at 11:33 pm # For those of you worried about “continuity of government”: Do some research before you get all paranoid. Start here: http://tinyurl.com/2cdofx If after reading ALL of the above you want to continue to wave your hands and claim a conspiracy, well, be my guest. Personally, I’d be pissed if the feebs didn’t have a backup plan for a national emergency.
By Jon Gold, May 24, 2007 at 2:28 pm # Lonna, Lonna, Lonna: That “debate” on 9/11 was a joke. Sincerely,
By Terry Dougherty, May 24, 2007 at 1:24 pm # Kudos to Ernest Canning who has pointed out that the only candidate for the Presidency who has opposed the war from the beginning (rightly connecting it to our attempt to steal Iraqi oil) is Dennis Kucinich. Kucinich is also the only candidate to propose a single payer/single plan universal health care system that would eliminate the insurance gangsters from the system. He also proposes an annual reduction of dod spending by 15% per year--redirecting that amount to finance education from early childhood through college for every American. He would get us out of NAFTA and the WTO. His detractors argue--"His ideas are good, but he’s not electable.” Why not? Because he doesn’t have a nice tan and easy southern drawl like Edwards? Because he isn’t tall or an ex-football player (James Madison was only 5’4")? Because he isn’t ‘charismatic’ like Clinton or Obama? These are not valid reasons. This is not about who becomes king of the prom. This is about restoring our country to the ideals of a government of the people, by the people and for the people, and away from the kleptocrats and corporatists (aka fascists) who are destroying America for profit. Come on, America--grow up!
By Lonna Gooden VanHorn, May 24, 2007 at 3:29 am # for Jon Gold, I guarantee you, Amy reported on all of this before the war on her news program, Democracy Now. It is carried on FSTV, channel 9415 if you have DISH and also on 9410 World Link. You can also get audio and transcripts of the show for the past several years off the net at the Democracy Now website. FSTV and World Link also ran specials right along prior to the invasion featuring peple like Scott Ritter and a priest from Iraq, both of whom said the premise for the invasion was lies. Both also decried what would happen to Iraq if we went in. Amy had guests on her show who were antiwar. The MSM gave them almost no air time, but she did. She also has carried a debate on 911 on her show. I have DISH for the educational channels. Direct TV also carries Amy and Democracy Now on Channel 375 (I believe, I could be wrong on the channel) but it does not carry FSTV, which is why I continue to use DISH. I thought I died and went to heaven when I found those channels. 56 minutes of news with only 4 one minute station breaks and no commercials. In depth interviews with people like Seymour Hersch, Scott Ritter, Gore Vidal, Maxine Waters, etc.
By Beau Alford, May 24, 2007 at 2:58 am # F. D. R. was the last of the Great American Presidents. So why don’t you “ Pilgrims “, go back to Europe and take your “ ROOT “ brothers with you. So that we Native Americans can get things right with mother earth.
By fazzaz31, May 24, 2007 at 1:05 am # Uh, I hate to break it to you all, but that White House directive that Tony B. and others have been worrying about is just the latest update of civil defense plans that have been around in one form or another since 1916. Remember CONELRAD, Civil Defense, fallout shelters, line of presidential succession, and “duck and cover”? Same stuff, just a new name. For a laugh, see here: http://tinyurl.com/3xl7md
By Jon Gold, May 23, 2007 at 7:48 pm # Hi Amy, Please show me where the media, of which you’re apart of, covered any of the following: 1. In August 2006, the families that fought for the creation of the 9/11 Commission, that attended every hearing, that worked with the Commission Staff, that provided 1000’s of well researched questions (70% of which were not answered), declared that very Commission, “derelict in its duties”, and questioned the “entire veracity” of the 9/11 Report. 2. A documentary endorsed by those same family members was released on 9/5/2006 entitled, “9/11: Press For Truth” that calls into question the entire 9/11 Report. 3. On September 11th, 2006, representatives of a good portion of family members called for an entirely new investigation at the National Press Club in Washington D.C. 4. In October 2006, the families that fought for the creation of the 9/11 Commission, that attended every hearing, that worked with the Commission Staff, that provided 1000’s of well researched questions (70% of which were not answered), released a petition which now has 15,000+ signatures, and calls for the declassification of pertinent 9/11 related information. 5. On April 11th, 2007, family members Bob Mcilvaine and Bill Doyle filed a petition against NIST seeking corrections of inaccurate factual statements and analysis in NIST’s reports on the destruction of the Twin Towers. Thank you, Jon Gold
By Lee, May 23, 2007 at 3:17 pm # You say you want a revolution. Well, we’d all love to see the plan. Mike Gravel as a plan. National Initiative for Democracy: The problem with supporting the Democrats is that there is only a façade of a difference between them and the Republicans. The problem with supporting third parties is that it ensures the Republicans win by splitting up would be Democratic votes. If we want a revolution, we must first change our arcane voting system of winner take all. Instant runoff voting has the potential to make a third party ticket viable. Without instant runoff voting in place we will simply keep chasing our trail to the delight of both Republicans and Democrats. The winner take all elections system is a rigged game that produces an extremely apathetic voting and nonvoting public. It’s kind of silly to read that the Democrats are cutting deals with the Republicans for money, as if this were news. Neither the Democrats or the Republicans give a damn about America or the American people. Both parties are interested only in hanging on to power. So talking about it as if it’s surprising is thoroughly asinine. Ralph Nader pointed out that there isn’t a dime’s worth of difference between the parties many years ago. Since then that dime has become much thinner.
By ctbrandon, May 23, 2007 at 10:36 am # may want to do a bit more research before you writeoff Kucinich, Sam. He’s been saying “oil” since day one. I believe he is the only candidate running who voted against the war. If you need proof of his stance, watch the main video at http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=Kucinich2008 Two minutes in you’ll be happy to hear his very passionate stance on this issue. Oh and BTW, hes not even my candidate, just wanted to make sure the facts were reported. Brandon
By Bill Blackolive, May 23, 2007 at 8:09 am # Amie Goodman, in the meantime one Alan Miller has out since September an expanding website: patriotsquestion911.com/media, which can be a book, already some hundreds of names and photos of known people who declare there is a coverup of 911 by our government. There is Kucinich, Ron Paul, probably soon Gravel and Ralph Nader...I think at this point you will lose no ground by getting into Miller’s book....Then, everything changes...our nation is jerked rudely awake....
By GW=MCHammered, May 23, 2007 at 8:00 am # ‘We The People’ have been removed from this government’s Constitution. Time to disinvest in Kleptocracy/Oligarchy/NeoCorporatism and move avidly toward other forms of Democracy. Or does the USA hold enough institutional momentum that it would better function on solemn GovernmentLite? Another example of his ‘I never do as I say...’ President’s Statement on Kleptocracy For too long, the culture of corruption has undercut development and good governance and bred criminality and mistrust around the world. High-level corruption by senior government officials, or kleptocracy, is a grave and corrosive abuse of power and represents the most invidious type of public corruption. It threatens our national interest and violates our values. It impedes our efforts to promote freedom and democracy, end poverty, and combat international crime and terrorism. Kleptocracy is an obstacle to democratic progress, undermines faith in government institutions, and steals prosperity from the people. Promoting transparent, accountable governance is a critical component of our freedom agenda. At this year’s G-8 meeting in St Petersburg, my colleagues joined me in calling for strengthened international efforts to deny kleptocrats access to our financial systems and safe haven in our countries; stronger efforts to combat fraud, corruption, and misuse of public resources; and increased capacity internationally to prevent opportunities for high-level public corruption. Today, I am announcing a new element in my Administration’s plan to fight kleptocracy, The National Strategy to Internationalize Efforts against Kleptocracy, which sets forth a framework to deter, prevent, and address high-level, public corruption. It identifies critical tools to detect and prosecute corrupt officials around the world, so that the promise of economic assistance and growth reaches the people. Our objective is to defeat high-level public corruption in all its forms and to deny corrupt officials access to the international financial system as a means of defrauding their people and hiding their ill-gotten gains. Given the nature of our open, accessible international financial system, our success in fighting kleptocracy will depend upon the participation and accountability of our partner nations, the international financial community, and regional and multilateral development institutions. Together, we can confront kleptocracy and help create the conditions necessary for people everywhere to enjoy the full benefits of honest, just, and accountable governance. (Mea Culpa, bruthas and sistas)
By Hank Van den Berg, May 23, 2007 at 7:28 am # This is just one way in which the Democratic leadership is stabbing the base in the back. Despite all the talk about withdrawing from Iraq, we learn today that the Navy now has two carriers in the region in a blatant daytime show of sabre rattling against Iran, troop levels in Iraq have been quietly slated to approach 200,000 by the end of the year, Democrats openly talk about maintaining a presence (continue to operate the huge bases) in Iraq, and now they give Bush every penny he wants to continue his wars. And we should worry about these little trade agreements?
By tomack, May 23, 2007 at 7:21 am # Business as usual. It remains up to us--all of us--to effect any real change. If it didn’t work out to our satisfaction this past election, then let’s make it work a little better on the next. And if needed, the next… That is why I have raised my children well--this is a long haul job.
By Brando, May 23, 2007 at 6:19 am # So called Democrats and Republicans working together to destroy our way of life, all for money and power. This is exactly the type of agenda forced down the throats of Americans, simply because we feel we are unable to do anything to stop it. I am proud to be part of a group that is determined to once again make this a nation “of the people, for the people, by the people”. Our goal is simple, to win nominations for real candidates from both parties, and give America an actual CHOICE in 2008. So many of us feel this way, but we feel that we are helpess to stop it. Afterall “what is one person going to fix?” But we have already made progress. Working together, we shut down a petition in Michigan that was designed to ban Ron Paul from the Republican Debate. If you would like to be part of this movement, please stop by our site. Together we can make a change.
By Sang Ze, May 23, 2007 at 5:54 am # The Democrats have amply demonstrated that they are less capable of leadership than the Republican yahoos running the country. We no longer have a choice. We must move in a totally new direction. People often claim that a third party will only damage those in the current major parties actively seeking change. Too bad. They can change their affiliation, too. We need a new party, a serious alternative to the self-serving liars now in office. Unless we make a real effort to change it, and do it now, we will be stuck with this corrupt system forever.
By Anthony Martin Dambrosi, May 22, 2007 at 10:39 pm # Yeah it’s really mind numbing to see them cave in on setting a date certain as well as the trade deal. The Captain of the Titanic realized help could be there in 4 hours but his ship will sink in 2. I wonder if the ship of state has listed too far right to be pulled back from the brink of capsizing. I once thought the pain had to reach a point of critical mass as in the Great Depression; when middle class kids risked being cannon fodder for the other bungled unwinnable war as the Draft Lottery went into effect. Now enough people may be feeling pain we no longer have a Free Press, no check, no balance, no Habeus and free speech as well as other rights are being sold off i.e., privatized. The latest revelations in the Senate on the illegal wiretapping should put impeachment back on table.
By THOMAS BILLIS, May 22, 2007 at 10:05 pm # These back door trade deals are just another indication to those who thought the democratics were the second coming to get a grip on reality.It is all about raising money.The democrats do not want to impeach George Bush they want to get his donor lists.Until there is some type of public financing for federal campaigns it will always be about money.In the long run for the middle class it is cheaper to publicly finance these campaigns and not have the billions of dollars that are given away to pay back those large donors.If you think wealthy people and corporations do not give a 1000 to get 10000 back you are living in a dreamworld.
By G. Anderson, May 22, 2007 at 8:50 pm # Whose going to buy American products when the American middle class is gone? Whose going to pay enough taxes to a government that has a huge military budget, when the middle class is gone? Maybe that’s what it’s going to take, a nice fat depression worse than the last one, before our leaders and our corporations realize that American’s aren’t a “bottom-less well”, to take from decade after decade, with no consequence… This is why the Democratic party, doesn’t do much about Republican malfeasance, because their alike. The solution is obvious to everyone, shift the tax burden from the middle class, back to the corporations, tax the products that the corporations bring into this country, limit technical work visa’s, require CEO’s to be licensed and meet strict ethical guideliness as a part of their licensing process.. or better yet, support a third party, because there’s no difference between the Republican party and the Democratic party. Free trade has gutted this country, and it’s making American’s desperate like never before…
By DennisD, May 22, 2007 at 7:02 pm # Let me know when our Congress hasn’t sold out to the highest bidder, that would be real news. This story is beyond redundant.
By Jim Goodson, May 22, 2007 at 6:29 pm # The Prosties in Congress are jumping to the tunes played by the Corporate Pimps again. This Bill Of Goods called Immagration Reform or Amnesty Reform sells out every American and surrenders our sovereign heritage to the highest bidder. Government as we used to know in the past cannot and will not enforce the Laws our forefathers fought and died for.Makes you wonder who our enemy really is?.P.S. Dummies, Bush is sending your children to war. Now the Dems are sending your grand children to war.
By Jim Goodson, May 22, 2007 at 6:15 pm # The Prosties in Congress are jumping to the tunes played by the Corporate Pimps again. This Bill Of Goods called Immagration Reform or Amnesty Reform sells out every American and surrenders our sovereign heritage to the highest bidder. Government as we used to know in the past cannot and will not enforce the Laws our forefathers fought and died for.Makes you wonder who our enemy reall is?.
By Fools on the Hill, May 22, 2007 at 6:02 pm # This isn’t the leadership Pelosi promised.
By Tony B., May 22, 2007 at 4:39 pm # Seems to look that way. All dissent from the Democratic party appears symbolic at best. BTW why no metion of “National Security Presidential Directive/NSPD 51” and “Homeland Security Presidential Directive/HSPD-20.” anywhere. Bush has basically signed his way into a potential dictatorship. The writ is vague and frightening! No word from the Dems, the press, anyone… Directive can be found @: Add Your Comment |
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Newsroom Carnage Continues at The Washington Post
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