Washblog

It was rather surprising to see your recent post to Huffingtonpost.com, "Real Progress on Trade". where you claim that the Rangel deal represents a "giant step forward into the 21st century."

I don't understand why you would believe that the Bush Administration would give any concessions, however uncertain and limited, and I don't understand why you think that Bush would compromise on anything, ever.  

If this deal is so great, why is it SECRET? If it's so great, why are the richest men in America (such as the American Chamber of Commerce and the Business Roundtable) singing its praises while labor unions, environmental groups, development groups, health experts and agriculture groups are opposed?

The secret deal does not address many other problems with our current free trade regimen, including off-shoring and job loss, investor lawsuits that threaten environmental and public health laws, the displacement of small farmers or the other distortions that multinationals cause to local economies.

And there is a real danger that this deal will serve as the pretext for Fast Track renewal.  Our utterly corrupt executive branch has enough power as it is, and far too little oversight. I call a government that wants to know everything about its citizens while conducting its own business in complete secrecy a tyranny.

A progressive Democrat should not be spreading the standard nonsense corporate meme that those who oppose trade rules favoring corporations at the expense of people and the environment must therefore be opposed to both trade and rules.