Global Trade Watch: Trade News — February 2006

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Wed, 15 Feb 2006 13:03:05 -0500 (EST)

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[FAIRTRADE] New Report: Dangerous CAFTA Liaisons

 

 

Global Trade Watch

 

Trade News — February 2006

 

 

Dangerous CAFTA Liaisons: New GTW Report

 

Dear Fair Trade Activist,

 

The handful of representatives whose votes led to the narrow passage

of the controversial Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) last

year have since received a total of $2.8 million in corporate campaign

cash, according to a new report, Dangerous CAFTA Liaisons, released

yesterday by Public Citizen's Global Trade Watch division.

 

Lawmakers are now facing backlash from voters angry about lawmakers'

pro-CAFTA votes. Read our full press release or download the report as

a PDF.

 

" Forget the Valentine's Day chocolates and roses, the handful of

congressional lawmakers whose startling votes for CAFTA pushed this

slimy deal through Congress appear to have received campaign cash as a

reward for the dangerous corporate liaisons, and many of the voters

whose hearts they broke are considering permanent separations from

these congressional betrayers of their interests, " said Lori Wallach,

director of Public Citizen's Global Trade Watch.

 

To highlight the report's findings, local protests were held on Monday

and Tuesday outside the district offices of pro-CAFTA Reps. Melissa

Bean (D-Ill.), Henry Cuellar (D-Texas), and Jim Gerlach (R-Pa.); as

well as that of Charlie Taylor (R-N.C.), who did not vote on CAFTA.

 

In addition to documenting corporate and Republican Party and

leadership contributions to the " CAFTA 30 " - the group of

representatives from both political parties who Public Citizen deemed

the most improbable, unacceptable and inexplicable votes for the

agreement - the report tracks the political consequences now being

felt by these representatives back home, including the announcement

Monday of a new challenger for 12-term incumbent Edolphus Towns

(D-N.Y.). Others have lost the allegiance of past important political

supporters. The report is available as a downloadable PDF.

 

Among the key findings of the report are:

 

* Pro-CAFTA industry political action committees (PACs) donated

nearly $2.8 million to the " CAFTA 30 " from January to September 2005 -

or nearly what each CAFTA country is slated to receive in labor trade

capacity-building money;

* Many of the CAFTA 30 were among the top recipients of

contributions from the PAC headed by former House Majority Leader Tom

DeLay; and

* CAFTA 30 representatives have also received funds from sources

connected to the GOP lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

 

" This report not only provides a tawdry, if not unexpected,

explanation for some of the most improbable votes that provided the

margin to pass CAFTA, but also how desperate pro-CAFTA corporations

were able to pass an expansion of NAFTA over the objections of the

public, " said Wallach.

 

See the full press release on our website, and tell a friend about the

report.

 

Sincerely,

The Global Trade Watch Team

 

 

Your Call Needed — Today!

 

* NAFTA Expansion to South America: Despite the news last week

that the U.S. trade deficit ballooned to an all-time high in 2005, the

Bush administration has announced its intention to sign a new

NAFTA-style trade agreement with Peru. The Bush administration used

strong-arm tactics to crush a proposal by Peru to include workers'

rights in the deal. Read more, call today, and spread the word.

 

More Headlines from

Global Trade Watch

 

* Trade Deficit Sets Record in 2005: Last week, the U.S. Census

Bureau released data showing that the U.S. trade deficit reached a

record $726 billion in 2005, or 5.8% of GDP — far outside what

economists consider safe. Read more about how backwards trade policies

exacerbate the trade deficit, and what it means for our economy.

* Global Trade Watch Celebrates 10th Anniversary: On February 7,

2006, GTW threw a party celebrating a decade of work protecting

democracy by fighting corporate-dominated globalization. If you

haven't had a chance yet, you can read a quick retrospective of GTW's

history and see some photos from the event.

 

Stay informed and speak out when it counts. Sign up for the Public

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please

 

Public Citizen employees are member SEIU Local 500. We support the

right of workers in the United States and around the world to organize

freely. Union Yes!

 

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