Broder again claimed that Bush's predecessors "have enjoyed" fast-track authority
In his August 12 nationally syndicated Washington Post column, on the "Free Trade Divide" between President Bush and Democrats, David Broder asserted: "The House leadership cavalierly denied his request for the kind of 'fast-track' negotiating authority that past presidents have enjoyed." Broder was discussing the refusal of Democrats in Congress to renew Bush's trade promotion authority (formerly referred to as "fast-track authority"), which expired on June 30. But in fact, as Media Matters for America noted the last time Broder claimed that Bush's "predecessors have enjoyed" that authority, President Clinton was deprived of trade promotion authority for the majority of his time in office after it expired in 1994 during his first term. While the Clinton administration proposed a reauthorization of fast-track trade authority during the 104th and 105th Congresses, it was denied by the Republican-controlled Congress. The authority was not renewed by Congress until 2002 -- after Bush entered the White House.
From Broder's August 12 column:
The president was very clear about his views, saying that Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson and U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab "will continue to work with the [Democratic] leadership and remind them of the importance of these trade bills. And they're now in charge of the Congress, and they'll have a chance to prove whether or not they believe in opening these markets. . . . It would be a huge mistake for the country if they don't."
But as the president acknowledged, the protectionist sentiment he has long opposed appears to be rising in Congress -- and among the Democratic presidential candidates as well.
The House leadership cavalierly denied his request for the kind of "fast-track" negotiating authority that past presidents have enjoyed. That procedure limits Congress to an up-or-down vote on future trade deals, rather than rewriting them in detail.
"Cavalierly?"
What in heaven's name is he talking about?
Article 1, Section 8 of trhe Constitution clearly and specifically states that among the powers of Congress is
"to regulate commerce with foreign nations, and among the several states, and with the Indian tribes."
Fast-track, under which Congress simply hands some of its authority to the president and which didn't even exist before 1974, is what's "cavalier" here.
Fast track and Bush shouldn't be in the same sentence unless we're fast tracking junior and darth out of office.
The only fast tracking Bush did with gusto was fast track out of the national guard. And he's such a fine boarder...
Fastrack trade policy? Bush shouldnt have the authority to use the microwave
Maybe the mainstream media was ALWAYS this bad, and we just didn't have the powerful resources of places like Media Matters to monitor it. Could it be that things in the media are really getting THIS bad?
The comments above are great!
Broder continues his slow, painful descent.
Broder just demonstrates his strict adherence to the neocon cult by his inability to not lie when it helps his argument. Unfortunately for him, the world is now awash in available information and the ability to disseminate it. He has become virtually irrelevant and he knows it. You can taste the fear in his columns and appearances these days.