BREAKING: Facing Progressive Pressure, Obama Backs Off Panama Free Trade Agreement

[kpete]

Source: Open Left

BREAKING: Facing Progressive Pressure, Obama Backs Off Panama Free Trade Agreement
by: David Sirota
Thu May 21, 2009 at 17:18

This is huge news for the Make Him Do It Dynamic:

May 21 (Bloomberg) -- A U.S. trade accord with Panama, which is opposed by labor unions, won't be submitted to Congress for approval until President Barack Obama offers a new "framework" for trade, an administration official said.

The decision, announced by Assistant U.S. Trade Representative Everett Eissenstat at a Senate Finance Committee hearing today, is a reversal from statements in March that the U.S. wanted to pass the accord soon...

Eissenstat's comments follow remarks by John Sweeney, the head of the AFL-CIO labor federation, that unions would oppose a rush to ratify the deal. Also today, 55 House Democrats told House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to reject the Panama accord unless it is renegotiated.

Read more: http://www.openleft.com/diary/13450/breaking-facing-progressive-pressure-obama-backs-off-panama-free-trade-agreement

[billyoc]

1. Constant pressure must be put on this administration.

Just like any other.

[ClarkUSA]

2. The title should read "Facing Union Pressure" which is what really happened.

So what's the big deal? President Obama is good at listening to all sides and has called himself "a union man"; this decision just proves it.

[Ken Burch]

3. How about "Union AND Progressive pressure"?

And is there a reason why you DON'T want this to be seen as a progressive victory? Or a "big deal"

We should celebrate with the non-Beltway majority wins one.

[ClarkUSA]

4. Because the specific agent of persuasion was union input, which Pres. Obama listened to.

It's a no-brainer. :shrug:

[Bluenorthwest]

6. Those would be the non Progressive Unions?

The right wing conservative labor movement?

[Ken Burch]

9. Mr. Hoffa is STILL a cornerstone in the organization.

n/t.

[IndianaGreen]

7. Unions represent the workers that have been most hurt by globalization

In an age of bailouts for greedy bankers and financiers, it is refreshing that those that produce the wealth (the workers), get a break for a change.

[Ken Burch]

8. Well, I'm a union man and I'm glad the unions won this round

Still, it doesn't harm anything to point out that progressive activists probably helped.

It sends a good message that all these parts of the coalition can, in theory, have a say. And it takes nothing away from labor to say it.

[cascadiance]

11. or... How about "REJECTED corporate lobby pressure!"....

which is also what happened, but is more of a forbidden area to discuss in today's media!

[Ken Burch]

14. Ok...that too.

I'm easy.

[cascadiance]

16. Cool.. The framing always has progressives looking like they're the ones manipulating government!

When we know damn well that it is the corporate lobbyists that spend far more to twist the politicians' wills away from supporting a majority of the people.

We need to get the framing so it informs people that the corporate lobbyists are responsible for most of the "tweaking" of our government officials, and that our pressure is in most cases just trying to counteract that "tweaking"!

[blue_onyx]

5. Good...we don't need anymore "free trade"

[Hawkowl]

10. Getting an effin clue

Ahhh. More evidence President Obama is getting a fucking clue. Time to stop kow towing to the treacherous rehthuglicans trying to destroy him and perhaps listen to those who actually are responsible for electing him?

[pleah]

12. K&R

[Optical.Catalyst]

13. Good. Throw the PFTA into the Washington legislative cycle and let it languish there for years

Send it to committee, send it back to be rewritten, bring it up on the floor for debate, just keep it bouncing around for a couple of years, but never pass it.

[Optical.Catalyst]

15. Kick and Recommend

[ShortnFiery]

17. Good, I lived in Panama for two years stationed on the Atlantic side of the Isthmuth.

There's 70-75% unemployment and people truly do live from hand to mouth.

You want to talk about the stark difference between the rich and poor, visit Panama.

[jwirr]

18. "Go home and make me do it." works.

[Wednesdays]

19. K&R

:kick:

[Arkana]

20. This is, um, good news, right?

[No Elephants]

21. Do we really know, one way or the other, until we see the "new framework" and what happens with it?