'We ate their lunch': How Pelosi got to 'yes' on Trump's trade deal

That meeting, described to POLITICO by multiple people familiar with the discussion, marked a turning point in the yearlong quest to reach a compromise by thrusting labor demands into the forefront and unifying Democrats behind the cause.

On Tuesday, top trade officials from the U.S., Mexico and Canada finalized a sweeping agreement to update the old NAFTA trade deal in an unusual alliance that won the backing of the powerful AFL-CIO labor federation, President Donald Trump and House Democrats. The pact appears to have widespread support in the House and Senate, giving Trump a major domestic policy victory and moderate Democrats something to sell back home as Washington is consumed by impeachment.

The deal didn’t come easy — and it was on the brink of death multiple times over the past year. Getting to yes required negotiations with an ideologically diverse coalition that included congressional Democrats, organized labor and Mexico's private sector, Canadian ministers and Trump’s hard-charging U.S. trade representative, Robert Lighthizer.

As recently as late October, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka said he saw no reason to hurry. "What's the magic about this year?" Trumka told reporters.

Even as Trumka was saying that, though, a turning point had been reached. Pelosi's demand to the Mexican officials in September had pushed labor demands to the forefront and unified Democrats behind a possible deal.

Seade and Ebrard were caught off guard, unable to explain adequately how money in its government's labor department was allocated and how Mexico could live up to its promises on union protections. Lighthizer, who was not invited to the Pelosi meeting, was angry that his Mexican counterparts had blown the chance to demonstrate they were serious about meeting the U.S.’ labor demands.







https://www.politico.com/news/2019/12/10/democrats-trumps-trade-deal-080719