Freshman Dems revolt on free trade

Source: the hill



Freshman Dems revolt on free trade
By Jonathan E. Kaplan
November 06, 2007
Many freshman Democratic lawmakers are expected to oppose a free trade deal with Peru this week despite pressure from House leaders.

Although Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has told her freshman class that they may “vote their districts,” Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) and Ways and Means Chairman Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) lobbied Democrats over the weekend to support the measure, lawmakers said.

“There’s been a lot of pressure on the rank and file to support this deal,” said Rep. Mike Michaud (D-Maine), who opposes the deal. “It’s disappointing that Democratic leaders are not in sync with the American people.”

Fearful that trade agreements will further add to a poisonous political environment — like the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which was passed before the GOP routed the Democrats in the 1994 midterm election — some Democrats are furious they are being forced to vote on the measure.

Read more: http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/freshman-dems-revolt-on-free-trade-2007-11-06.html

Pelosi and Rangel have touted the agreement because they forced the Bush administration to renegotiate the agreement’s environmental and labor standards.

The Ways and Means panel approved the legislation last week by a 39-0 margin, and the Senate Finance Committee signaled its support last month by voice vote.

Freshman lawmakers, however, have been skeptical all year.

Swept into office last year on a wave of voter disgust over the Iraq war and Republican corruption, many Democratic candidates campaigned against enacting more free trade agreements last year.

Yes it is.

:(

:woohoo: You know they HAVE to get reelected

Honestly, I feel like moving across the river, so I could be represented by Bruce Braley!

Although Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has told her freshman class that they may “vote their districts,”


Does this mean they needed her permission to vote on behalf of their districts ? I always thought the job of the members of the House of Representatives was to do exactly that.

He is the main reason every single bill presented this year has heavy GOPer representation.

If I lived in Maryland, I might consider doing the unthinkable to get him out.

-- although he has been a disappointment re impeachment, but good on just about everything else.

able to go to the ballgame because it got rained out.. What the dem-dinos are doing is a traitorous to their party and their country and only self-serving..which would be real nice if the blowback blew up in their nice cushy jobs.