Kerry to Force Key CAFTA Vote on Tuesday

[Douglas Carpenter]

http://www.davidsirota.com/2005/06/kerry-to-force-key-cafta-vote.html
{http://www.davidsirota.com/2005/06/kerry-to-force-key-cafta-vote.html}

Kerry to Force Key CAFTA Vote by David Sirota

I have not always agreed with Sen. John Kerry (D) on trade. I happen
to believe the failure of Democrats to articulate a strong position
against corporate-written "free" trade deals has been a disaster for
the party since Bill Clinton rammed NAFTA down America's throat in
the early 1990s. That's why Kerry's move on Tuesday to force a
critical vote on the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) is
so refreshing. It shows that the Democratic Establishment is starting
to figure out that trade is becoming one of the most critical
political and economic issues in America.

Kerry's amendment in the Senate Finance Committee is simple - force
CAFTA to include stronger provisions to protect American and Central
American workers. Specifically, while the bill contains measures to
allow corporations to challenge violations of patents and
intellectual property, it does not contain the same measures for
workers to challenge violations of labor laws. The Kerry amendment
simply extends the same protections that corporations get to ordinary
workers. To read more about the amendment, see this letter from House
Democrats in support of it.

Kerry's amendment is not without precedent. America's trade agreement
with Jordan has these protections in it. Thus, the question for
Democrats and Republicans on the Senate Finance Committee is cut and
dry: are you going to follow Corporate America's orders and sell out
average American workers who are already being ravaged by past trade
deals, or are you going to actually stand up for America's middle
class?

The vote is scheduled in the Finance Committee for around 10:00 am on
Tuesday, June 14. Senators be aware: America is watching to see who
you side with.

Sources: Kerry to force critical vote on CAFTA:
http://kerry.senate.gov/v3/cfm/record.cfm?id=238846
{http://kerry.senate.gov/v3/cfm/record.cfm?id=238846} Text of Kerry's
amendment:
http://kerry.senate.gov/v3/headlines/Kerry-CAFTA-amendment.pdf
{http://kerry.senate.gov/v3/headlines/Kerry-CAFTA-amendment.pdf}
Letter from House Democrats in support of the Kerry amendment:
http://kerry.senate.gov/v3/headlines/CAFTA-House-letter.pdf
{http://kerry.senate.gov/v3/headlines/CAFTA-House-letter.pdf}
Comparison of the Jordan trade deal to CAFTA:
http://kerry.senate.gov/v3/headlines/Labor-Rights-CAFTA-v-Jordan.doc
{http://kerry.senate.gov/v3/headlines/Labor-Rights-CAFTA-v-Jordan.doc}
Members of the Senate Finance Committee who will be voting on the
Kerry amendment: http://finance.senate.gov/sitepages/committee.htm
{http://finance.senate.gov/sitepages/committee.htm}

[Kevin Spidel]

1. Shit!

I am sitting here plugged into the AntiCAFTA movement with all the movers an shakers and this was not on their radar. Makes me rethink the power of DU!

Thank you for this!!!

[Douglas Carpenter]

10. I strongly recommend subscribing to David Sirota's E-mail list

He does a pretty good job of keeping up with trade issues

Here is the link:

http://www.davidsirota.com/

[sellitman]

24. You should merge the two sites into one kick butt repuke eating one

:wow:

[JDPriestly]

2. Go Kerry!

[pacalo]

3. I'll be watching.

Thanks, Kerry!

[lonestarnot]

4. I will be watching.

[Selatius]

5. This amendment could make CAFTA less attractive to corporations

The biggest pushers of free trade on Capitol Hill today are multinational behemoths who want to make it easier to get their way whenever a conflict of interests arises. Adding in this amendment would attack the original effect of this agreement because it would theoretically expose these firms to the same mechanisms that they use against workers and those who break copyright/trademark (property) laws.

[wisteria]

6. I'll be watching,I want to know what Senators don't vote for this!

It's about time the middle class gets some consideration for a change! I'm extremely happy John Kerry is sponsoring it. I'm certain its been throughly researched and is well written.

[arcos]

7. I thought CAFTA didn't allow any ammendments...

?

[Elwood P Dowd]

15. Congress caved and gave Fast Track Authority

to the president back in the 70s. Now it's called something like Trade Promotion Authority. Basically, the prez can send a trade bill to Congress for an up-or-down vote without admendments. From there, it gets a little complicated.

[arcos]

16. That's what I thought...

How can he offer an ammendment then?

[Elwood P Dowd]

19. Considering that CAFTA has already been negotiated and signed

by Bushit and the criminals from Central America and the Dominican Republic, I don't know. Sounds like Kerry is relying on the stupidity of us Democrats to think he was actually concerned and tried to amend the bill before he votes for it. I may be wrong, but Kerry has always caved and voted for these trade deals.

[sadiesworld]

20. I thought CAFTA was unlikely to pass due to opposition in

Central America and '06 concerns here. So is Kerry going to negotiate a "compromise" w/ * and provide political cover? I imagine * and the multi-nationals want this badly after the drumming the French gave the EU constitution and the dust being kicked up in SA. They may be willing to compromise (a bit), but I can't believe it will be anything less than shit in the long run with *'s sig on it.

:shrug:

[Elwood P Dowd]

21. They've already signed the agreement

It's up to Congress to pass it. All the other countries are on board. My guess is that Bush will try to buy enough votes with promises of pork, just like Clinton did with NAFTA. Might cost us 100 billion dollars or more just in pork promises.

[arcos]

22. It has been approved in 3 countries...

And will likely be approved soon in 2 more. Costa Rica will eventually approve it, but it may be until next year.

[arcos]

23. That's what I'm afraid of...

I don't see how can he pass an amendment without it being renegotiated with the other countries... and if the agreement is opened again, anything can be changed.

[lonestarnot]

8. Focus on stuff like this not m.j. verdict...

[tuvor]

9. That reminds me...

Did he ever "raise the issue" of the Downing Street Memo?

[SammyWinstonJack]

11. Did he? n/t

[tuvor]

12. Well, he promised to, and got us all excited.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=273&topic_id=29846

It was almost like when he promised to make sure every vote would be counted.

I like Kerry, but I just don't see a pattern of following through. Seeing posts that announce a plan of Kerry's always makes me think, "Yeah, I'll believe it when I see it happen."

(And I always hope to see it happen.)

[SammyWinstonJack]

13. I agree

I like Kerry but I wonder about his follow thru of late? When he conceded before all the votes were counted, my heart sunk. I believed in him up until that point. I am trying desperately to get back on board with him.

[Pinboy]

25. He's building Senate support around DSM

From today's LBN:

"A senior aide close to Kerry said this week that Kerry is circulating a letter about the memo among Democratic senators before sending it to Bush. The aide predicted that Kerry would make the letter public in the next few days."

WP: Democrats Looking for a Road Map to Downing Street (Kerry Letter to *)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1547845

[sandnsea]

14. Jordan Trade Agreement

He pointed to that as one of the better examples of how trade should be conducted and treaties written. He must have said it 50 times over the last 2 years. And for all the years he was trying to get environmental regulations in treaties and voting for human and labor rights amendments as well. He isn't "starting to figure it out", he's always known we needed to push for trade improvements. But sometimes it's a little tougher to get where you want to go than you'd hoped.

[redqueen]

26. WE can all help.

By calling our senators and reps and letting them know what we think.

Every day. :)

1-877-762-8762

[Robert Oak]

17. thank you, fantastic post

watch dog on free trade agreements is critical. I'm extremely active
and did not anything about this.

Getting trade on the radar is very important, this is one of the primary
reasons the US is in such trouble for the middle class.

[sadiesworld]

18. I thought this puppy was DOA?

So are Kerry and the dems going to be blamed for another trade agreement? The American people won't be interested in the fine details if they believe this agreement was a goner until Kerry resuscitated it.