G.O.P. House Leaders Withdraw Vietnam Trade Bill, "deep disappointment and embarrassment" for W.H.

[Human Torch]

G.O.P. House Leaders Withdraw Vietnam Trade Bill

By STEVEN R. WEISMAN
Published: November 15, 2006



http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/15/business/15trade.html?hp&ex=1163566800&en=87fe6f8f64b83576&ei=5094&partner=homepage

WASHINGTON, Nov. 14 — Prospects for Congressional approval of several free trade bills backed by the administration were thrown into doubt Tuesday when House Republican leaders abruptly withdrew the one aimed at Vietnam on the eve of President Bush’s trip there this week.

The failure of the Vietnam bill was a deep disappointment and embarrassment for the White House, which had hoped that the president would hail its passage as a milestone in improvement in relations with a country where tens of thousands of Americans died more than 30 years ago.

The bill’s failure touched off a fusillade of partisan recriminations, with Republicans blaming Democrats for trying to sabotage the bill and Democrats saying that some Republicans, bitter after losing the election last week, were trying to embarrass Mr. Bush.

Though the bill could come back to the House before the end of the year, some legislative aides said that its future was in doubt, along with that of several other bills lowering trade barriers with poor countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America. The administration remained hopeful, at least on the surface.

[Botany]

1. snort!

"..... with Republicans blaming Democrats for trying to sabotage the bill ....."

Ah, the repugs are still the majority as of now.

[JohnnyLib2]

2. Quaaaaack!

Who knows how many times lame-duckery will override the merits or demerits of anything backed by the administration. Ah,well.

[Graybeard]

3. Lame duck limps across Asia...empty-handed.

...a pathetic failure.

[Cha]

4. Is that a real pic of

the chimpleton? Cause it sure it ugly.

[silverweb]

5. The show's just beginning, folks!

"...with Republicans blaming Democrats ... and Democrats saying that some Republicans, bitter after losing the election last week, were trying to embarrass Mr. Bush."

LOL

:popcorn:

[Selatius]

6. Viêtnam's human rights record is atrocious

I don't believe in this corporate-backed "free trade" crap. The only thing I'd accept is fair trade, and if it has no protections for workers or the environment on both sides, then it's not fair, especially if the only ones invited to write the legislation don't include labor and citizens' organizations and environmentalist groups, and if we want to trade with authoritarian regimes that don't have civil liberties, then the trade agreement should also include human rights provisions.