House narrowly approves CAFTA.

[Sam Spade]

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050728/ap_on_go_co/cafta_16
In Bush Win, House Narrowly Approves CAFTA

By JIM ABRAMS, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - The House narrowly approved the Central American Free Trade Agreement early Thursday, a personal triumph for President Bush, who campaigned aggressively for the accord he said would foster prosperity and democracy in the hemisphere.

The 217-215 vote just after midnight adds six Latin American countries to the growing lists of nations with free trade agreements with the United States and averts what could have been a major political embarrassment for the Bush administration.

It was an uphill effort to win a majority, with Bush traveling to Capitol Hill earlier in the day to appeal to wavering Republicans to support a deal he said was critical to U.S. national security.

Lobbying continued right up to the vote, with Vice President Dick Cheney, U.S. Trade Representative Rob Portman and Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez tracking undecided lawmakers.

The United States signed the accord, known as CAFTA, a year ago with Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic, and the Senate approved it last month. It now goes to the president for his signature.

To capture a majority, supporters had to overcome what some have called free trade fatigue, a growing sentiment that free trade deals such as the North American Free Trade Agreement with Mexico and Canada have contributed to a loss of well-paying American jobs and the soaring trade deficit.

Democrats, who were overwhelmingly against CAFTA, also argued that its labor rights provisions were weak and would result in exploitation of workers in Central America.

But supporters pointed out that CAFTA would over time eliminate tariffs and other trade barriers that impede U.S. sales to the region, correcting the current situation in which 80 percent of Central American goods enter the United States duty-free but Americans must pay heavy tariffs.

The agreement would also strengthen intellectual property protections and make it easier for Americans to invest in the region.

"This is a test of American leadership in a changing world," said Rep. Kevin Brady (news, bio, voting record), R-Texas, a leading proponent of the agreement. "We cannot claim to be fighting for American jobs and yet turn our backs on 44 million new customers in Central America.

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Technically, 217 votes is not a majority of the House, but of course a plurality still passes.

[??????????]

CAFTA sucks.

[socaldem]

Does anybody have the roll call on this vote?  I'd be interested to see who crossed party lines and who may be vulnerable on this issue...

[Lunar]

CAFTA sucks.

Yeah, CAFTA is really going to cause the US to merge with Brazil and Honduras into one super-state.

I think, as the original link pointed out, this agreement will probably help Americans.  If Bush is correct, and 80% of Central American trade already comes into the United States duty free, but Americans mostly pay tariffs, it seems a reasonable compromise to make that small increase to 100%.

[bullmoose88]

Does anybody have the roll call on this vote?  I'd be interested to see who crossed party lines and who may be vulnerable on this issue...

http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2005/roll443.xml

Good. Fitzpatrick voted for it.

[Keystone Phil]

Does anybody have the roll call on this vote?  I'd be interested to see who crossed party lines and who may be vulnerable on this issue...

http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2005/roll443.xml

Good. Fitzpatrick voted for it.

I was trying to find where we can get a breakdown of everything. Him voting for CAFTA might hurt him a bit, though. They had some radio ads up targeting him, Gerlach and Weldon.

[TheresNoMoney]

15 turncoat Democrats voted for this piece of crap that will hurt American workers.

[bullmoose88]

Does anybody have the roll call on this vote?  I'd be interested to see who crossed party lines and who may be vulnerable on this issue...

http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2005/roll443.xml

Good. Fitzpatrick voted for it.

I was trying to find where we can get a breakdown of everything. Him voting for CAFTA might hurt him a bit, though. They had some radio ads up targeting him, Gerlach and Weldon.

I dunno...labor unions haven't been a presence here in a long time...the Bucks economy isn't really geared in a way that could be hurt by CAFTA...(the steel mills have been dead for a while, and the county has adjusted.)

[bullmoose88]

The point being, that the Bucks economy really cannot be hurt by cafta since its generally based in services, tourism, and white collar office jobs.

[Keystone Phil]

I dunno...labor unions haven't been a presence here in a long time...the Bucks economy isn't really geared in a way that could be hurt by CAFTA...(the steel mills have been dead for a while, and the county has adjusted.)

Fitzpatrick was tolerated by the unions in 2004. That might be different now. But, as you said, it might not have a big impact.

[Keystone Phil]

The point being, that the Bucks economy really cannot be hurt by cafta since its generally based in services, tourism, and white collar office jobs.

It could turn into "Mike Fitzpatrick has, yet again, sided with President Bush and it is hurting our economy."  We'll see how it plays out.

[bullmoose88]

The point being, that the Bucks economy really cannot be hurt by cafta since its generally based in services, tourism, and white collar office jobs.

It could turn into "Mike Fitzpatrick has, yet again, sided with President Bush and it is hurting our economy."  We'll see how it plays out.

I don't know how unionized the PA 8 parts of NE Philly and Montco are...but, as I said before, the unions haven't been a player since the steel mills closed up...

[Keystone Phil]

The point being, that the Bucks economy really cannot be hurt by cafta since its generally based in services, tourism, and white collar office jobs.

It could turn into "Mike Fitzpatrick has, yet again, sided with President Bush and it is hurting our economy."  We'll see how it plays out.

I don't know how unionized the PA 8 parts of NE Philly and Montco are...but, as I said before, the unions haven't been a player since the steel mills closed up...

The NE Philly part has union influence. If Murphy was to somehow get the nomination, I see Fitz losing that area. Don't worry about the Montco part.

[nini2287]

The point being, that the Bucks economy really cannot be hurt by cafta since its generally based in services, tourism, and white collar office jobs.

It could turn into "Mike Fitzpatrick has, yet again, sided with President Bush and it is hurting our economy."  We'll see how it plays out.

I don't know how unionized the PA 8 parts of NE Philly and Montco are...but, as I said before, the unions haven't been a player since the steel mills closed up...

The NE Philly part has union influence. If Murphy was to somehow get the nomination, I see Fitz losing that area. Don't worry about the Montco part.

Yeah I live really close to the Montco part, it's not super-rich, but pretty white collar.

[Smash255]

My douchebag of a COngressman Peter King voted for it.  The other 4 LI Congressman (all Dems) voted against it.  Very suprised that one of the 15 Dem Congressmen to vote for it was Gregory Meeks

[TeePee4Prez]

Does anybody have the roll call on this vote?  I'd be interested to see who crossed party lines and who may be vulnerable on this issue...

http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2005/roll443.xml

Good. Fitzpatrick voted for it.

Good Schwartz voted against it!  Glad I handed out lit for her.  Whoever Fitzpatrick's opponent will be in 2006 will now get the same support from me.  Congrats for electing that asshole!  Being vocal about Terri Schiavo, opposing life saving/improving stem cell research, and now this.  Makes me sick.

[RBH]

The Dems voting Aye:

Bean (IL)
Cooper (TN)
Cuellar (TX)
Dicks (WA)
Hinojosa (TX)
Jefferson (LA)
Matheson (UT)
Meeks (NY)
Moore (KS)
Moran (VA)
Ortiz (TX)
Skelton (MO)
Snyder (AR)
Tanner (TN)
Towns (NY)

The Republicans voting Nay:

Boustany (LA)
Capito (WV)
Coble (NC)
Cubin (WY)
Foxx (NC)
Garrett (NJ)
Goode (VA)
Gutknecht (MN)
Hostettler (IN)
Hunter (CA)
Jindal (LA)
Jones (NC)
LoBiondo (NJ)
Mack (FL)
McCotter (MI)
McHenry (NC)
McHugh (NY)
Miller (MI)
Ney (OH)
Norwood (GA)
Otter (ID)
Paul (TX)
Rehberg (MT)
Simmons (CT)
Simpson (ID)
Smith (NJ)
Tancredo (CO)

Jo Ann Davis and Charles Taylor both failed to vote.

The rest of the Dems voted no, and the rest of the Republicans voted yes.

[bullmoose88]

Does anybody have the roll call on this vote?  I'd be interested to see who crossed party lines and who may be vulnerable on this issue...

http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2005/roll443.xml

Good. Fitzpatrick voted for it.

Good Schwartz voted against it!  Glad I handed out lit for her.  Whoever Fitzpatrick's opponent will be in 2006 will now get the same support from me.  Congrats for electing that asshole!  Being vocal about Terri Schiavo, opposing life saving/improving stem cell research, and now this.  Makes me sick.

What is your problem with free trade?

[minionofmidas]

Interesting list. Pretty mixed bag.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Boustany (LA)
Capito (WV)
Hostettler (IN)
Simmons (CT)

Charles Taylor both failed to vote.

Trying to save their own skins I see...

[TeePee4Prez]

Does anybody have the roll call on this vote?  I'd be interested to see who crossed party lines and who may be vulnerable on this issue...

http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2005/roll443.xml

Good. Fitzpatrick voted for it.

Good Schwartz voted against it!  Glad I handed out lit for her.  Whoever Fitzpatrick's opponent will be in 2006 will now get the same support from me.  Congrats for electing that asshole!  Being vocal about Terri Schiavo, opposing life saving/improving stem cell research, and now this.  Makes me sick.

What is your problem with free trade?

The way this bill was written.  I favor bilateral agreements with strong labor and environmental regs.  You would think we learned our lesson from NAFTA and MFN with China.

[Bono]

Bastards.

[A18]

Great news!

[MODU]

I don't think this will have much impact on US industries.