NAFTA Expansion Update

[MDOLAN <mdolan@citizen.org>]

  TO:    Selected Organizers, Activists and Trade Patriots
  FROM:  Mike Dolan, Field Director, Global trade Watch, Public Citizen
  RE:    The "Fast Track" Battle
  
  1)  Journal of Commerce reports today that the Administration still hasn't 
  crafted a "fast track" bill to offer to Congress and quotes a mid-level 
  official involved in the process: "Panic has set in."  That the White House 
  and its War Room (Jay Berman, Proprietor) are unprepared for the upcoming 
  legislative fight is the gist of the article.
  
  Part of their problem is that they cannot write a bill that will satisfy 
  enough free traders on each side of the aisle to have a numerical crack at 
  a floor vote -- as you know, Reps and Dems differ on the labor and 
  environmental issues that are affected by free trade agreements.
  
  [The JOC observes, "From businessmen ... to labor activists ... there is a 
  widespread belief that Mr. Clinton will accept restrictions on his power to 
  legislate on labor and the environment as the price for Republican 
  support."]
  
  Naturally, we think this is a good sign; and it has persuaded us to 
  redouble our efforts.  Together, we stopped NAFTA expansion in the 104th 
  Congress, and the national "Fair Trade" movement seems to be in position to 
  win again. The Congress is back from their recess and, if the vote were 
  held tomorrow, we would win.
  
  But the Business Roundtable and its fast track front group, ALOT!, have 
  only begun to spend the millions that they'll dump into this campaign on 
  targeted astroturf (ersatz grassroots, fake field, the Wexler Group).  We 
  have People Power, not deep pockets; the Citizens Trade Campaign and our 
  allies across the country share the challenge -- and also the capacity -- 
  to be louder and more effective than the transnational corporate lobbyists. 
  
  
  The floor vote will occur probably no earlier than the first week of 
  October, five weeks from now, and it's ours to lose. 
  
  2)  NBC/Wall Street Journal published a poll this summer (7/26 - 28) in 
  which respondents were asked if they favor or oppose having the Congress 
  grant the President fast track:
                       32%  favor
                       61%  oppose
                       7%  not sure
  
  In spite of which, the President will most likely unveil some fast track or 
  another NEXT WEEK, on or about the 10th, the date on which the 
  Administration has scheduled a free trade group hug press event.
  
  Will you and your coalition be ready to call your congressional delegation?
  
  
  ****************************************************************************
   /s/ Mike Dolan, Field Director, Global Trade Watch, Public Citizen
  
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