Criticism From The Left On Obstruction Of The Colombia Free Trade Agreement

The obstruction of the Colombia Free Trade Agreement by Democratic leaders and the Dem presidential nominees is every bit as pathologically partisan as their stand on Iraq and Homeland Security issues, such as whether to grant immunity to the telecom industry. In none of these cases are the best interests of the U.S. and its allies considered. The carefully staked out far left positions are designed to pander to special interests and are aimed at gathering power. You can begin to realize how transparent these detestable people really are when those on the left with some degree of intellectual integrity become highly critical of their actions, as does Nicholas Kristof today on the issue of obstructing the Colombia Free Trade Agreement.

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This from Mr. Kristof writing in the op-ed pages of the NYT:

For seven years, Democrats have rightfully complained that President Bush has gratuitously antagonized the world, exasperating our allies and eroding America’s standing and influence.

But now the Democrats are doing the same thing on trade. In Latin America, it is Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton who are seen as the go-it-alone cowboys, by opposing the United States’ free-trade agreement with Colombia.

. . . Colombian cities like Medellín were the most dangerous cities in the world in the 1980s and ’90s, but now they are thriving and homicide rates are well below those of some American cities.

One reason is those bouquets you buy, entering duty-free from Colombia. These days Colombia is the world’s second-largest exporter of flowers after the Netherlands, and almost 200,000 people work in the flower industry. Up to 28 cargo planes a day carry flowers from Colombia to the U.S.

Better carnations than cocaine, no?

Critics of the free-trade pact worry that it would hurt American workers. But Colombian goods already enter the U.S. duty-free; what would change is that American exporters would get access to the Colombian market.

(Colombia is pushing hard for the pact not because of any immediate trade benefit but because its duty-free access to the U.S. must be regularly renewed. Businesses are reluctant to invest in flower farms or garment factories unless they know that they will be able to export to the U.S. for many years to come.)

Some Democrats point out that Colombia’s government has been tied to paramilitary units that kill union members. It was important for Democrats to raise these concerns — forcing the Colombian government to crack down on paramilitaries and prosecute those who murder unionists.

But Colombia’s progress has been immense. Assassinations of union members, while still a problem, have fallen 80 percent since 2002. Last year, the murder rate for union members was 4 per 100,000, reaching levels far below the homicide rate for the general public.

. . . The last few years have seen enormous gains in security and the quality of life in Colombia — and that’s why President Álvaro Uribe has an 85 percent approval rating.

I asked President Uribe on Monday if there was concern among Latin leaders that Democrats in Congress are tugging the U.S. away from its historic commitment to free trade. He said bluntly: "I don’t want to imagine this scenario. It would be devastating for the good relationship between the United States and our region."
To their credit, a large group of prominent Democrats from previous administrations have strongly endorsed the trade accord, declaring that it is "in both our vital national security and economic interests." But the presidential candidates aren’t listening.

Democrats instinctively criticize Mr. Bush when he harms America’s standing in the world. That’s easy. But a test of intellectual honesty is your willingness to hold your own side to the same standard and to point out pandering in those politicians you normally admire. . . .

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Interesting Posts From Around The Web - 14 April 2008

The interesting posts of the day, below the fold.

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Art: The Martyrdom of St. Livinus, Rubens, 1633

The most eloquent post of the day is at Belmont Club, with Wretchard discussing the significance of the Pope’s visit to ground zero. ". . . Bin Laden knows that Benedict will call to each of the hijackers by their name; not as an accuser but as shepherd looking for a long-long flock. He will bid them come forth into the light, for his staff is meant for wolves." (H/T Consul at Arms). Perhaps we just need more interfaith dialogue.

Democrats are attempting to sue John McCain out of the presidential race.

There is trouble ahead for transatlantic relations with our old NATO allies.

Bookworm Room has a superb essay asking whether we can try Jimmy Carter for treason, discussing all of the reasons distilled from history why engaging fanatics rather than challenging then – or killing them – is disasterous. Also a good post on this at JoshuaPundit. And as Seraphic Secret notes, Former President Jimmy Carter not only enables Jew-haters and terrorists, he props ups tyrannies that would murder every Jew on the face of the earth.

From the Barking Moonbat: Extremist ideas are being spread by Islamic study centers linked to British universities and backed by multi-million-pound donations from Saudi Arabia and Muslim organizations. And at Fulham Reactionary, dhimmi children taken on a propaganda tour of a Mosque are given a bit of reality: "A primary school in Amsterdam wished to provide its pupils with an understanding for other cultures. But during a visit to a mosque, the children were told they were dogs."

Religion, politics and our biased media at JammieWearing Fool.

From Investors Business Daily (H/T Right Truth), a truly damning indictment of Pelosi over her refusal to allow a vote on the Colombian Free Trade deal.

The New Mexico Human Rights Commission fine of a photographer for refusing to accept a job photographing a gay wedding is documented by Blonde Sagacity. This has got to be a First Amendment violation. I do hope it makes its way up the court system.

A superb post from Panday’s Gazette (H/T KG at A Western Heart) pointing out how the progressive members of our Supreme Court are ready to throw our nation’s sovereignty out and make our laws subservient to decisions of the UN’s World Court. More on this issue at No Oil For Pacifists.

From the Midnight Sun: The EU quietly reinstates the death penalty – for enemies of the state.

Mil-blogger Shield of Achilles on Iraq: Let’s get this thing done now.

Some real problems across the pond flagged by MK at Crusader Rabbit: One in every five murders or manslaughters in England and Wales is committed by a foreigner, police figures revealed. In one area of London, the figure is one in three. This is despite the fact that foreigners represent only around one in 16 of the general population. The UK is just so screwed. And from Dinah Lord: The Royal Navy, once the scourge of brigands on the high seas, has been told by the Foreign Office not to detain pirates because doing so may breach their human rights.

At the Liberty Corner, a black female prosecutor speaks out: "Race does not enter the equation for me. My question to these black people who believe me to be a traitor is, when will you connect the dots?"

Background on the nightmare that is Zimbabwe at the Transatlantic Conservative.

Tort reform, Islamic style at the Dhivehistan Report.

Philosophical pondering about rhetoric as magic at Soob.

The Whited Sephelcure captures the logic of the farm bill.

The Glittering Eye notes the Robot Hall of Fame.

Heh: A pint and a fag at the 13 mile mark keep the 101 year old marathon runner pumping.

Heh: TNOY has the latest Absolut ad campaign appealing to special interest groups for land grabs – or total world domination. Hillbilly White Trash has a more cautionary ad.

Heh: From Hillbilly Politics, an explanation of the pricing plan for calls to God.

An Obama Round-Up

Obama commits the mother of all gaffes: Letting on that you think rural Americans are straight out of Deliverance. As Discrminations calls it in an excellent post: What a load of Marxist rubbish.

Victor David Hanson at NRO deconstructs Obama’s attempt to explain away his comments.

And at This Ain’t Hell, its Obama versus Madison.

Soccer Dad, in an excellent post, notes the left’s attempts to deflect criticism as "painting" Obama’s remarks as elitist, suggesting it is an unfair assessment.

Classical Values points out that the dust has far from settled on Obama’s remarks, and that the remarks themselves sound far too redolent of Karl Marx’s infamous assertion that "religion is the opiate of the masses."

I personally find it hard to imagine a more obnoxious or elitist view than that Senator Obama espoused when he tied small town values, including religion, a belief in individual rights in gun ownership, and secure borders, to bitterness over a lack of economic opportunities in the hinterlands. As the Politico writes, there are 12 reasons "bitter is bad" for Obama. Obama is a tabula rosa no more, and I have yet to find a single thing filled in on that formerly blank slate that is either genuine or admirable.

Obama’s mainstream pastor of 20 years, the Rev. Wright – he who only gave outrageously racist sermons on days that Obama did not attend church with his family – has done it again. Gateway Pundit provides the information:

the Rev. Jeremiah Wright lashed out at the media, FOX News, America, O'Reilly, Hannity, Thomas Jefferson, Founding Fathers... This is what Wright said about the Founding Fathers of America, a group he sometimes refers to as the "Fondling Fathers", during his eulogy:

America’s founding fathers "planted slavery and white supremacy in the DNA of this republic," and adding that Thomas Jefferson wrote, " ‘God would punish America for the sin of slavery.’ I guess that makes Thomas Jefferson unpatriotic."

Obama's mentor Wright also said Thomas Jefferson, partook in "pedophilia."

And about Obama’s "grass roots" funding and his refusal to take money from PAC’s . . .

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Interesting News & Posts - 7 March 2008

The interesting news and posts of the day, below the fold.

Art: The Feast of Herod, Reubens, 1633
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At Vast Rightwing Conspiracy, a great post on McCain and some comparisons, including a fascinating one to Churchill.

At JammieWearingFool, the story of McCain’s limited tolerance for fools, particularly tendentious ones.

Heh. The Conservative Cat has a true test for Obama to prove his ability to sway America’s enemies with his rhetorical and negotiating skills.

Blonde Sagacity takes a serious look at Obama’s foreign policy positions and reaches much the same conclusions I reached here. And Confederate Yankee notes that Obama has reasserted his intention to withdraw from Iraq at any cost. TNOY delivers their own verdict, fit for mugs and t-shirts.

As Soob notes, the "Democratic party would seem to be headed, full steam, pedal to the metal, ass over tea kettle, toward a vigorous stage of infighting that might make even Ann Coulter seem a moderate, Undecided Sap."

At BlueCrab Boulevard, more on Hugo Chavez’s ties to narco-terrorist FARC. As Gaius says, and I agree, "[i]t is past time for the US Congress to send a message of support to Colombia. Pass the free trade agreement with that country - it may avert a war." And This Ain’t Hell has a good updated round-up.

From the Barking Moonbat, a story about how RAF personnel in Britain face abuse wearing their uniforms in public. And more thoughts at Samizdata. Then do read this post at Classical Values, as the Code Pinko’s in San Fran call the Marines for help when challenged by a civilian during their protest in front of the Marine Recruiting Station.

The RAF story is understandable in Britain of today, where the socialists are teaching the country to be ashamed of its history and traditional values. See the concluding paragraph of my post here.

While at Dinah Lord, the local Islamists try their hand at milking Britain’s welfare system.

From the Elder of Ziyon, Wafa Sultan rocks. She really does. If you haven’t read the transcript of her debate with an Islamist on al Jazeera, do so. She is an eloquent and acerbic critic of the Salafi Islamist movement.

From Seraphic Secret, the best and most comprehensive coverage of an Islamist’s barbaric massacre of unarmed teenagers in Jerusalem. See here, here, here, here and here. As to those animals that celebrated this slaughter, you are not deserving of taking another breath on this earth. There is no nuance, nor is there any moral relevance. Nor is there any difference between those animals and the one’s described by Ironic Surrealism in her post on "the barbarian’s strike again."

At Crusader Rabbit, the latest in "reach out and touch someone" technology. And at MK’s Views, the story of gallantry under fire.

At the Jawa Report, it is clear why moonbats should not be made judges.

At Q&O, a zealous member of the global warming clique breaks ranks based on new climate prediction models that correct for decades old error in the thickness of earth’s atmosphere.

At Political Insecurity, Kuwait is putting political demonstrations to good use. They are taking not of the foreigners involved in the protests and then deporting them.

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