Pelosi's political bad faith on Colombia

Wall Street Journal Editorial:

The Democratic Party's protectionist make-over was completed yesterday, when Nancy Pelosi decided to kill the Colombia free trade agreement. Her objections had nothing to do with the evidence and everything to do with politics, but this was an act of particular bad faith. It will damage the economic and security interests of the U.S. while trashing our best ally in Latin America.

The Colombia trade pact was signed in 2006 and renegotiated last year to accommodate Democratic demands for tougher labor and environmental standards. Even after more than 250 consultations with Democrats, and further concessions, including promises to spend more on domestic unemployment insurance, the deal remained stalled in Congress. Apparently the problem was that Democrats kept getting their way.

So on Monday, President Bush submitted the bill to Congress over liberal protests, which, under a bargain between Congress and the White House for trade promotion authority, mandated an up-or-down vote within 90 days. Today Ms. Pelosi will make an ex post facto change to House rules to avoid the required vote, withdrawing from the timetable and thus relegating the Colombia deal to a perhaps permanent limbo.

Democrats say it would have failed anyway, but at least a vote during the next three months would have forced them to show the courage of their protectionist convictions. Instead, they chose to shelve the bill in an election year while paying off organized labor and other antitrade yahoos. The gambit is especially humiliating for Ways and Means Chairman Charlie Rangel, a free-trader who has been trying to strike a deal with the Administration but keeps getting rolled by Ms. Pelosi.

For good measure, the double-cross dismantles the only process that allows any Administration to conduct good-faith negotiations with foreign nations. No one is going to take the U.S. at its word if Congress is going to change the rules when it has second thoughts and renege.

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The Democrat excuses for objecting to the deal are also wrapped in bad faith. The feigned concern about protection for labor activist has already been addressed.

As Brian Darling points out the word of the Democrats is no good on this issue and others.

PELOSI and Reid opened this Congress pledging a new openness and a respect for the rights of the minority party. Fifteen months later, their actions tell a far different story. The Colombia Free Trade Agreement and Sen. Reid's breaking of his word on a public-lands bill are the most recent evidence that a bait-and-switch is at work here.

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Republicans better start making an issue about the corrupt practices of the Democrats so voters will have an opportunity to reject them in November. The Democrats are handing them issues to run against. Hopefully, they will find the courage to do so.