CAFTA Holdouts Threaten to Undermine Dems

The Chicago Tribune today notes that two key Democrats are threatening to vote for the corporate-written Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) - a move that would undermine Democrats' up-until-now strong efforts to make this what it really is: a referendum on whether our government is going to continue selling out American workers and workers in other countries in an economic race to the bottom.

It boggles the mind that Democrats, who say they want to re-connect with the working-class in "red" America, are still wavering on this. To be sure, Rep. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) has done a masterful job of whipping together both Democratic and Republican opposition to this awful trade pact. Even the New Democrat Coalition has announced its opposition to CAFTA. But lately, you never know how many Democrats are going to undermine their own party, just to kiss up to the corporate fat cats that run Washington.

This vote is going to be quite close, and any Democratic defections could destroy a successful opposition. Keep your eye on this one - it is going to be a landmark vote for Democrats that will show us whether the party is serious about standing up for America's middle class, or if it is still just interested in paying lip service and then stabbing the middle class in the back.

These wavering Democrats - and all lawmakers - need to know that we are watching them on this upcoming vote. Contact your representative in the U.S. House today and tell him/her to start standing up for ordinary Americans, stop kowtowing to corporate special interests, and vote down this trade pact that sells out our country.

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