Democrat[ic] votes on CAFTA crucial

[arcos]

Democrat votes on CAFTA crucial

WASHINGTON -- After years of being kept at the margins, Democrats, especially Texas Democrats, are suddenly more popular in the House, where Republicans need their votes to pass a trade bill.

<snip>

But CAFTA has become a hard sell, even among Republicans, because of concerns over U.S. job losses and opposition from sugar-state producers who say they fear a flood of low-cost sugar imports.

<snip>


Rep. Charlie Gonzalez, D- San Antonio, one of five undecided Texas Democrats, said he's torn on the issue. He's a free-trader, but he laments that Democrats had no input in the legislation.

<snip>

Fellow free-trader Rep. Solomon Ortiz, D-Corpus Christi, is also undecided, as are Reps. Chet Edwards of Waco, Ruben Hinojosa of Mercedes and Sheila Jackson Lee of Houston. Strong "no" votes can be counted from Democratic Reps. Lloyd Doggett of Austin and Eddie Bernice Johnson of Dallas.

<snip>

http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/business/12157082.htm

[idlisambar]

1. Texans, mail these undecided folks

Solomon Ortiz -- Corpus Christi -- http://www.house.gov/ortiz/contact.shtml

Chet Edwards -- Waco --
http://www.chetedwards.com/

Ruben Hinojosa -- Mercedes -- http://hinojosa.house.gov/const_services/contact.cfm

Sheila Jackson Lee -- Houston -- http://www.jacksonlee.house.gov/
under "Let's talk"

[Carolab]

2. SHEILA????? I thought she had more sense than THAT!

Good Lord, what's wrong with Democrats--why are they even THINKING of voting yes to CAFTA?

[Algorem]

3. "GOP works late to keep you in the dark"

http://www.cleveland.com/search/index.ssf?/base/opinion/1121592910184550.xml?ocoth&coll=2&thispage=1

Monday, July 18, 2005
Sherrod Brown

One thing you can count on in Congress these days. They al ways save the good stuff for the middle of the night.

Almost every piece of controversial legislation that has passed Congress since Texas Republican Tom DeLay consolidated power has been voted on in the middle of the night.

It started a couple of years ago.

At 2:54 a.m. on Friday, March 21, 2003, the House cut veterans benefits by three votes...

[arcos]

4. kick nt

[arcos]

5. kick nt

[XNGH]

6. Cafta

Cafta would be a disaster to the economy. Problem is that the real bad effects won't be felt for a few years say about 2008-2009 ... just in time to blame the bad economy on the newly elected Democrat(s) in office.

[VegasWolf]

7. Watch Hillary sell out and vote yes on this one. If she does, I'm

going 3rd party. Why trade one bunch of corporate elitists
for another.

[arcos]

8. The Senate voted a few days ago...

She voted no.

[VegasWolf]

11. Good! That's Great! nt

[sadiesworld]

16. Yeah, but I'm loathe to give her too much credit.

ALL the potential '08 contenders seem to have done a real turnaround on trade with CAFTA.
Go figure. :eyes:

[wuushew]

9. Sugar tariffs are stupid like many other things

the benefits of protectionism for the few individuals that make and process sugar is outweighed by many times the job losses in the candy and food industries many of which have moved to Canada.

Are three candy jobs worth less than one sugar job? The same argument can be said for steel tariffs as well. Trade policies should only be concerned with maximizing employment, not cow towing to the loudest special interest.

That said I still oppose CAFTA in general for numerous labor and environmental reasons. Big sugar politicians are not heroes.

[Algorem]

10. heard Sherrod Brown say about days ago that they had votes in House

to defeat CAFTA but arm-twisting time was about to begin and no telling what happens then,so we're now in week two of Republicans twisting arms in the House trying to get the votes to pass CAFTA.

[meganmonkey]

12. Man - I hope this can be stopped

WRITE YOUR CONGRESSPEOPLE!!!!

[arcos]

13. kick nt

[Judi Lynn]

14. Here's an anti-CAFTA petition.......

http://www.workingforchange.com/activism/action.cfm?itemid=19334

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I heard some Congresspeople discussing this Monday night on C-Span. There are some Republicans who oppose this crime against humanity as well.

One of them mentioned it's very possible they will keep voting open for hours again, while they twist arms, then vote in the middle of the night. Hope it won't work this time.

[arcos]

17. I'm sure that's what they'll do...

It is a pattern now, and with so many Republican defections, surely they can find a few to coerce.

[sadiesworld]

18. .

[sadiesworld]

15. WTF?

Sheila Jackson Lee?! Vote for this at your peril, dems.