The CAFTA Victory Lap

I've taken some heat in recent months for having the nerve to call out Democrats when they sell out the middle class to Corporate America's profit-at-all-cost agenda. Some have said exposing Democrats when they sell us down the river doesn't do any good. To them I say, read this Washington Post article.

As readers of this site know well, I have been doing everything I can to pressure Democrats (and others) to oppose CAFTA - the Central American Free Trade Agreement (you can see some of the recent posts here, here, here, here and here). I've been one of many who has tried to make Democrats understand that taking a strong, pro-middle-class position on trade - and opposing efforts to sell out America with corporate-written trade deals like CAFTA - is key to the Democrats long-term success. And it appears that the party is finally starting to listen.

As the Post story notes "traditionally pro-business and pro-trade House Democrats have announced plans to vote against" CAFTA, even as Big Business puts the squeeze on. Even Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA), one of the Democrats who has helped pass these terrible trade accords in the past, said the deal "has undermined the worker-protection precedents for domestic and foreign workers." He actually used the kind of populist rhetoric that the party has up until now refused to embrace. He said, "The Bush administration's goal is to take care of business first, second and last, and not do enough to make sure workers are getting their fair share." Right on - that's how to make a message that resonates, because, as polls show, Americans inherently know this to be true (see question 27 in this poll, for instance).

Smith says that in opposing these corporate sellout trade deals, "there is no question, it's a risky step." He's right - Big Business lobbyists may not like it. But it's not risky in terms of voters. People don't want their government selling them out - and they will respect a party that has the guts to protect ordinary Americans.

It's true - the outcome of the CAFTA vote is still in question. And, pathetically, the Hill Newspaper reports that House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said last week that "the Democratic leadership has not taken a position on the bill." But still - the fact that the most conservative factions of the Democratic Party are now moving to a more progressive position on trade is a HUGE victory for progressives - and bodes well for the party's long-term future. As I have argued in the past, Americans crave a populist party that will stand up for the middle class - and this is a step forward in bringing the party back to its roots (listen up, you potential '08 Democratic presidential candidates).

After being berated and insulted for my efforts on economic issues in the past, I, for one, am feeling pretty good about this victory - as should every other progressive who knows the Democrats need to start engaging in more of this kind of populism if it ever hopes to regain the majority.