The Daily Down Low

Dear Friends of Fair Trade: July 16, 2007

Let's Celebrate! Fast Track expired on June 30 without a presidential request to Congress for renewal. The mounting opposition and pressure we have built to the failed "free trade" model is having an impact. Thank you for sharing in the campaign to defeat Fast Track.

Citi Bank sends letter to Congress asking for swift approval of the four Free Trade Agreements with Peru, Colombia, Panama and Korea. Stating that the FTA's are essential for "creating new market opportunities and eliminating discrimination for Citi and other U.S. financial institutions," the letter outlines a hefty package of benefits afforded to Citi through the FTA's.

This letter was attached to the following email - which apparently went to each member.

President Bush appeals to national security in an intensified push to get Congress to pass four Free Trade Agreements (Peru, Panama, Colombia and Korea). The Congress Daily for July 18, 2007 reports, "In an echo of rhetoric rarely heard since the end of the Cold War, the administration plans to increasingly point to trade as a weapon to block the influence of regimes that seek to promote socialist ideas in Latin America."    

We are extending the deadline for our campaign again. Now it appears almost certain that ‘Fast Track' will expire on June 30th. This represents a huge defeat for the Administration. In face of tremendous opposition from many sectors (including all of you) they continue trying to move their trade agenda forward. But time is running out for them.

June 27-July 1, 2007   ART is offering a full slate of dynamic workshops together with our partner networks from Mexico, Central and South America and Canada.

We are extending the deadline for submission of signatures until June 15^th. It was hard to predict a month ago just how soon the Administration would move to ask for ‘Fast Track'. Some had even doubted if it was going to happen, given the previous Democratic questioning of the current Trade Model. But with the now infamous ‘deal' which was cooked in early May, between the Administration, Mr. Rangel and Ms. Pelosi, the tables seem to be turning.

On May 10th the Democratic leadership, Pelosi and Rangel in particular, announced 'deal' they had made with the Bush Administration- without consulting fellow Democrats or constituents. This deal not only moves several disastrous "free" trade agreements forward but also is intended to "pave the way" for a renewal of Fast Track.

Last week a hemispheric-wide gathering of more than 700 grassroots organizations representing social movements throughout Latin America, declared that defeating "Fast Track" is a critical priority.

Calling "Fast Track" a "mechanism that has been utilized to accelerate the plundering of our people," social movements gathered at the IV Hemispheric Encounter for Struggle Against "Free Trade", called on the people of the United States to make their opposition known.

See the full declaration

The Bush Administration is still engulfed in intense negotiations with the democrats over passage of FTA's with Peru, Colombia, Panama and South Korea. We need to keep pressure on Rep. Rangel to make sure they don't cave in or sell out under administration and corporate pressure. We support this action suggestion from MoveOn to call Rep. Rangel:

"Please call Rep. Rangel today and ask him to reject President Bush's unfair trade agenda-and demand protections for workers and our environment."