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July 28, 2005
Sheila Jackson Lee voted against CAFTA
(and we helped her decide!)
Thanks also to all good Democrats who opposed this legislation. You can find the tally here:
The final vote was 217 to 215, and Tom DeLay had to do a lot of arm-twisting in the late hours to make good on his promise. Just like the Texas Legislature, the GOP only knows how to govern one way, and that's through threats, bullying, and intimidation.
Their hold on power is slipping through their fingers as even Republicans of conscience grow wise to their manipulations and defect in the name of good government.
Posted by Guest Blogger PDiddie at July 28, 2005 09:10 AM | Permalink
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Comments
Three Texas Democrats defied the position to oppose CAFTA taken by their own State Party:
Ortiz, Hinojosa and Cuellar. Thus, giving Bush and the Republicans the slim two vote margin they needed to enact this disasterous legislation.
But we are not supposed to criticize them on this blog, are we? Guess we just say "thanks guys for considering and rejecting your party's unified position in support of working people and sane foreign policy".
Posted by: stan merriman at July 28, 2005 01:37 PM
While I would rather, Stan, focus on the work done that made the vote close, and focus the rage properly on DeLay, Cheney, and Portman -- the new US trade representative whose vacated seat may go Democratic next Tuesday -- who held the vote open and practiced their thuggery on the poor cowed Republican House members who changed their votes, I'll pass this news along:
... House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (is) holding an emergency meeting of the House Democratic Steering Committee tonight to discuss formal sanctions against the 15 Democrats who sold out their party and voted for the corporate-written Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA). Pelosi raised "the likelihood that defectors' committee assignments would be reviewed at tonight's meeting of the Steering Committee." That's absolutely necessary - why should Democrats who undermine their party be given plum committee assignments over other, far more loyal and principled Democrats? Pelosi should be commended for her courage - and now she needs to back up her words with action.
Posted by: PDiddie at July 28, 2005 05:26 PM
Ortiz, Hinojosa and Cuellar. What do they think CAFTA will mean to their south Texas communities? More jobs? NO! Cheaper goods? NO! What would make someone vote for the Republican message and against the best interests of their districts AND the people of Central America? Bellwether says, "Follow the money."
Posted by: Bellwether at July 28, 2005 06:44 PM
What would make someone vote for the Republican message and against the best interests of their districts AND the people of Central America?
Novel thought: a belief in freer trade?
*shrug*
Posted by: kevin whited at July 28, 2005 09:09 PM
And a belief in a freer lunch.
Posted by: Bellwether at July 28, 2005 10:12 PM
Two Republicans managed to avoid voting 'no' on the bill despite their previously expressed opposition to it.
One of the Republicans, Charles Taylor of North Carolina -- an outspoken opponent of CAFTA -- claims he actually DID vote no, but a computer glitch failed to record his vote. The other -- Jo Ann Davis of Virginia -- left to attend the Boy Scout Jamboree afternoon event which was cancelled due to the heat (ignoring repeated warnings from Congressional leadership that attendance was vital), and was unavailable despite the fact that voting went nearly to midnight.
Posted by: PDiddie at July 29, 2005 05:49 AM