CAFTA vote may have clinched win for Matheson

Pignanelli: "Is that a cappuccino drink?" was a friend's response to my inquiry regarding his opinion of CAFTA. Although not a hot coffee beverage, CAFTA (Central American Free Trade Agreement) is percolating among politicos as an issue that could impact national and Utah congressional elections. CAFTA establishes a free-trade zone with six Latin American countries and removes $33 billion of tariffs imposed on imports. Proponents claim this will create more jobs on both sides and shore up fledgling democracies. Opponents point to the lack of bipartisan input to the CAFTA document, which is devoid of environmental and worker protections.

Southeastern Republican congressmen, sensitive to textile and sugar industries concerned with the pact, stalled the bill for almost a year. Wounded from failed Social Security reform efforts and dropping public confidence in the Iraq struggle, President Bush prioritized CAFTA this spring in order to demonstrate his relevancy. However, Bush & Company demonstrated their usual incompetence in garnering broad national support on anything, and CAFTA was doomed to fail. Smelling blood for an opportunity to embarrass the administration, Democratic leadership, labor unions and a variety of leftist organizations made CAFTA an ideological litmus test. Labor more than drew a line in the sand; it carved a canal and dared Democrats to cross. Even in the midst of the recent split at the Chicago convention last month, presidents of the 20 largest unions sent a letter to the Democratic national leaders threatening "real and measurable consequences" in opposing labor, and no Democrat member of Congress could receive a "pass on CAFTA."

CAFTA limped out of the House on a 217-215 vote, which included Congressman Jim Matheson and 14 other Democrats voting "yes." The fallout to these mavericks has been substantial. Labor is promising to withhold campaign funds to the wayward Democrats (almost $300,000 to Matheson), populist liberals are threatening interparty primary opposition and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi is grumbling about committee assignments.

To remain a powerful contender in 2006, Matheson must repair his relationship with labor. The unions will remember his support on crucial issues: the Free Choice Act (reinforcing collective-bargaining), federal funds for worker retraining, important wage and safety considerations on federal transportation projects, affirmation of union retirement issues. Matheson has the ability to transform the kind words he is receiving from local business leaders into financial support and endorsements (CAFTA countries are Utah's fifth largest growth market).