Hardball White House Tactics Win Passage of Central America Free Trade Agreement

Interview with John Cavanaugh, director of The Institute for Policy Studies, conducted by Scott Harris

By the narrowest of margins, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Central American Free Trade Agreement in the early hours of July 28. The hard-fought battle saw last minute shifts among many legislators whose votes were sought by an aggressive White House wielding threats and rewards. The victory was secured after Republicans extended the usual 15 minutes of voting time to over an hour for the purpose of pressuring wavering representatives. In the end, 15 Democrats supported CAFTA, while 27 Republicans bucked their party by opposing the trade treaty.

The controversial Central America Free Trade Agreement or CAFTA, will eliminate trade barriers between the U.S., Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. Critics fear that like the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA, that came into force in1994, CAFTA will accelerate the loss of U.S. jobs, devastate small farmers and encourage the proliferation of sweatshops. Over the last decade, NAFTA has been blamed for the loss of one million American jobs and 1.5 million Mexican farmers being driven off their land.

Between The Lines' Scott Harris spoke with John Cavanaugh, director of the Institute for Policy Studies. He takes a critical look at congressional passage of the Central America Free Trade Agreement and what it may mean for workers on both sides of the border.

Contact the Institute for Policy Studies by calling (202) 234-9382 or visit their website at www.ips-dc.org.

Related stories:
"Turning the CAFTA Loss to a Win," by John Cavanaugh, AlterNet.org, July 28, 2005

LISTEN to this week's half-hour program of Between The Lines by clicking on one of the links below:
www.btlonline.org
*
"Between The Lines" is a half-hour syndicated radio news magazine that each week features a summary of under-reported news stories and interviews with activists and journalists who offer progressive perspectives on international, national and regional political, economic and social issues. Because "Between The Lines" is independent of all publications, media networks or political parties, we are able to bring a diversity of voices to the airwaves generally ignored or marginalized by the major media. For more information on this week's topics and to check out our text archive listing topics and guests presented in previous programs visit: www.btlonline.org
*
"Between the Lines," WPKN 89.5 FM's weekly radio news magazine can be heard Tuesdays at 5:30 p.m. ET; Wednesdays at 8 a.m. ET and Saturdays at 2 p.m. ET (Wednesday's show airs at 7:30 a.m. ET during fundraising months of April and October).
*
For an email subscription of "Between The Lines Weekly Summary" which features a RealAudio link to the week's program for Between The Lines, send an email to btlsummary-subscribe-AT-lists.riseup.net
*
For an email subscription of "Between The Lines Q&A" which features a RealAudio link and weekly transcript to one of the interviews featured on Between The Lines, send an email to btlqa-subscribe-AT-lists.riseup.net
*
betweenthelines-AT-snet.net
*
www.squeakywheel.net/
*
Distributed by Squeaky Wheel Productions
©2005 Between The Lines. All Rights Reserved.