Winning the Battle?
WSJ - WASHINGTON WIRE
In Domestic Policy
John Harwood reports on a new development in the culture wars.
Struggling to hold off a drive for government action against broadcast indecency, a coalition of TV networks and other organizations cites a new poll suggesting parents side with them.
The poll, conducted by the firms of Democrat Peter Hart and Republican Frank Luntz for TV Watch, asked 1,000 parents about the following statement: "The current parental controls and ratings systems have failed. It's time for the government to step in and do more." Just 35% agreed, while a 60% majority disagreed.
Expiration of Fast Track Slows Trade Deals
In Trade
Greg Hitt reports on trade deals.
Top Bush administration officials appealed to the Democratic-controlled Congress to renew President Bush's trade-negotiating authority, which expires this weekend.
The authority, known as fast-track, allows the president to negotiate market-opening trade deals and submit them to Congress for approval without amendment. But given the deep concern with globalization and free trade that has taken root on Capitol Hill, the president isn't likely to see this authority renewed anytime soon.
The White House wants trade deals already completed with Peru, Panama, South Korea and Colombia to be considered under the soon-to-expire authority. But without renewal of fast track, Bush has diminished leverage to pursue additional trade deals, and the prospects for completion of the Doha Round of global trade talks, as well as several proposed bilateral U.S. trade deals, remain bleak.
U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab warned the U.S. is at risk of being left behind, as other countries rush to embrace free trade. "American workers cannot afford for us to hang up a 'Closed for Business' sign," she said. "The United States must be in the game and not on the sidelines as other nations negotiate deals that disadvantage our businesses, farmers, ranchers and service providers."
Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez pushed for renewal – and bipartisanship: "Congress has an opportunity to demonstrate bipartisan leadership by passing essential Trade Promotion Authority legislation."
White House spokesman Tony Fratto said, "It's regrettable that Congress is letting this authority expire this weekend. It will be damaging to our economy and our national security if Congress abandons America's leadership role in trade and the global marketplace…. We should reject protectionism and keep this economy open to trade opportunities for our ranchers and farmers and entrepreneurs."
The Business Roundtable and the National Association of Manufacturers both urged prompt action on fast track. But Public Citizen's Global Trade Watch, an advocacy group strongly critical of the Bush trade agenda, published an "obituary" celebrating the "long overdue" demise of fast track.
Read the full text of Gutierrez's statement calling for the renewal of the trade promotion authority below.
WASHINGTON — Today Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez issued a statement calling for the renewal of Trade Promotion Authority (TPA).
"Trade Promotion Authority provides economic opportunity for American businesses, farmers and workers to compete and win in international markets. TPA helps level the playing field, and boosts jobs for American workers by expanding our export opportunities around the world.
"Congress has an opportunity to demonstrate bipartisan leadership by passing essential Trade Promotion Authority legislation. The United States needs to continue to lead the world trading system and expand economic growth at home and abroad.
"Our trading partners, including those in Asia and the European Union, among others, are signing free trade agreements (FTAs) with each other, and the U.S. needs the ability to adapt and react within this dynamic environment.
"With exports at a historically high level, the U.S. cannot afford to be sidelined. FTAs play a vital part in maintaining that leadership position. Free trade agreements level the playing field. The countries with which we have implemented FTAs represent just 7.5 percent of global GDP, yet more than 42 percent of all U.S. exports are headed to our FTA partners.
"We have tremendously benefited from trade. More than 95 percent of the world's consumers live outside of our borders and TPA helps ensure that U.S. goods and services reach them. If you look at our FTA with Chile for example, two-way trade over the first three years of the agreement rose by more than 154 percent. Last year, exports to the 11 countries with which we implemented FTAs between 2001 and 2006 grew faster than U.S. exports to the rest of the world.
"The Administration has worked hard, in a bipartisan fashion, to promote international trade and looks forward to working with Congress to continue this record of success with the assistance of TPA."
Background
Renewed Trade Promotion Authority will help the United States continue to play a leadership role in multilateral and bilateral trade negotiations. A successful conclusion to the Doha Development Agenda will result in economic growth and development, especially in the world's poorer countries, by creating new trade flows and disciplining subsidies.
Bilateral free trade agreements have proved to be one of the best ways to open up foreign markets to U.S. exporters. Currently more than 100 regional trade agreements are being negotiated around the world. Today, the United States has FTAs implemented with 14 countries. Last year, trade with countries that the United States has FTAs was significantly greater than their relative share of the global economy. Although comprising 7.5 percent of global GDP (not including the United States), those FTA countries accounted for more than 42 percent of U.S. exports. |
