"To promote the growth and prosperity of the Marine Industry in Maine; to foster cooperation among Marine Businesses with outside industries; to encourage and assist with sound environmental practices in the marine industry."

"There's simply no reason that this Congress and our government should protect the drug companies, but not protect workers, that they should protect Hollywood films, and not protect the environment. That's an overwhelming sentiment in this freshman class, in both parties, in both houses. And it's an overwhelming sentiment now in the majority in both houses overall."

"On the January 8 broadcast of National Public Radio's Morning Edition,...Cokie Roberts asserted that if Democrats pursue "fair trade" policies instead of "free trade" policies, they will be "essentially on the wrong side of history with globalization." Roberts made the assertion in response to host Steve Inskeep's request that she comment on his interview with Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH). Brown had addressed precisely the question of "history," saying that "mainstream Democrats" have "evolved" from the early 1990s, when President Clinton pushed for congressional approval of the North American Free Trade Agreement. Brown said: "[T]here has been an evolution among almost all Democrats that these trade agreements simply need to be constructed in a different way for fair trade, not for free trade." Roberts did not address the specific elements Brown laid out as part of a "fair trade" policy: ensuring compliance with environmental and labor standards. Rather, she simply responded to Inskeep's characterization of Brown's position as "cracking down on free trade." Roberts warned that opposition to free trade would be a "long-term loser" for Democrats and that Democrats "have to be very careful here, and there's a lot of division among Democrats on this issue." From the January 8 broadcast of NPR's Morning Edition: INSKEEP: Is there a danger of this being any kind of distraction for Democrats because you still do have what we could call the Bill Clinton wing of the Democratic Party, which, for example, pushed for the NAFTA free trade agreement? BROWN: That was 15 years ago. The so-called Bill Clinton wing of the Democratic Party has evolved into the mainstream Democrats, which we are, that say that we need trade agreements with environmental and labor standards. There has been an evolution since China in the late '90s, there has been an evolution among almost all Democrats that these trade agreements simply need to be constructed in a different way for fair trade, not for free trade. [...] INSKEEP: We interviewed Senator Brown to begin our series on what Democrats stand for as they take over Congress, and NPR news analyst Cokie Roberts has been listening in. Cokie, is the notion of cracking down on free trade a winning issue for Democrats? ROBERTS: It is in some states and in some districts, but it's a long-term loser. It puts them essentially on the wrong side of history with globalization. And even though labor unions often lose in trade agreements, consumers gain. And so the Democrats have to be very careful here, and there's a lot of division among Democrats on this issue. INSKEEP: OK, Cokie, thanks very much. We'll continue watching that issue and others. —R.M. "

"I just heard Cokie Roberts, National Public Radio's political analyst, tell listeners that the Democrats would suffer if they oppose President Bush's trade agenda, because they would be "on the wrong side of history." It would be great to be able to know the future course of history, but I question whether Ms. Roberts really has such knowledge. Has she looked into the out years of the 21st century and determined that the copyright and patent protection will become ever more stringent? Will the heirs of the Clinton-Bush trade agenda have our homes, offices, and public places thoroughly wired so that anyone using an unauthorized reproduction of copyrighted can be immediately apprehended and prosecuted? Will they have bathtub labs carefully policed so that anyone attempting to manufacture lifesaving drugs that are subject to patent protection will be harshly prosecuted for interferring with Pfizer and Merck's profits? That may be what the future holds, but I would like to think that it is still contested, not predetermined, as Ms. Roberts claims. Of course, those opposing this future would have a better chance if they didn't have to pay taxes so that "experts" like Ms. Roberts could tell the public that they have no chance. --Dean Baker Posted by Dean Baker on January 8, 2007 6:19 AM | Permalink "