Sherrod Brown and Betty Sutton on new trade deal

[OzarkDem]

Been waiting to hear what Sherrod thinks of the latest action, he knows NAFTA. Rep. Betty Sutton won his Congressional seat when he moved to the senate and is also very pro-labor. They seem lukewarm to it.

" Sen. Sherrod Brown and Rep. Betty Sutton said they are pleased that the approach to future trade pacts unveiled Thursday night would require U.S. trading partners to comply with international labor and environmental standards.

Both said, however, they are skeptical that the Bush administration would enforce the new standards requiring other countries to follow stricter guidelines to protect workers' rights and the environment.

...

Neither lawmaker committed to voting for two pending trade pacts -- with Peru and with Panama -- that are the most likely to pass in the wake of the compromise. Brown said he's likely to vote against them, but wants to review the language of the pacts first. Sutton said she is reserving judgment.

Sutton and Brown said they would feel more comfortable supporting future trade pacts if Congress adopted a broader strategy to reduce U.S. job losses and increase U.S. exports. Brown said, for example, that he wants to see tax law changes to discourage companies from moving production abroad and expansion of a program that helps U.S. manufacturers compete.

http://www.cleveland.com/open/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/isope/117897471999750.xml&coll=2

[OHdem10]

1. Senator Brown is correct the new labor and envirnomnent

conditions in this pact, do not hold any serious conditions
on Business. This makes the deal easy for Companies to accept.
(Alan Blinder--Ex Vice Chair of Fed Reserve.)

You will know Labor and Environmental Standards carry some
heft--If K Street is out in force.

[papau]

2. ILO 1998 labor rights are great -& an environmental rule must follow major treaties makes sense

But your right this is not sitting well in Ohio where the treaties requirement that only the President can start enforcement actions under those provisions makes them seem worthless.

"The strongest voices for workers and the environment were not included" in the negotiations and were not informed of the deal," said Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D-Ohio, according to the Associated Press.

It may be a hard sell.

[OzarkDem]

3. Agree

without enforceable environmental and labor regulations, it will be impossible for US workers to compete with low wage labor overseas.

Does this mean existing foreign competition is under pressure for higher wages, so Bush has to add more third world countries where labor is free or very cheap? Eventually they'll run out of countries to turn to for slave labor, right? Hope our economy doesn't collapse completely before then.

[papau]

4. There are a lot of poor starving people - who need ILO protection - but better

would be letting the AFL/CIO be able to start a law suit than to depend on a GOP President.