NYC-WTC_000230637

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

Washington post, tuesdaY, octobeb 2,2001

E. J. DionneJr.

Trade and Terror It Is not the habit of Rep. Charles Rangel to as a “litmus test of patriotism.” But in an in­ throw verbal rocks at high administration O.^i- terview on Sunday, Zoellick continued to argue ciaLa. Rangel, the ranking Democrat on the that giving the president trade promotion au- Houae Ways and Means Committee, is an adept thority would strengther his hard in seeking inside player much liked in both parties. help from other countries in the war agwnsl ter- So why was R flgel so furious last week at ror. Robert Zoellick, the US. trade representative ‘Developing-country demncr^ci^ around the and feDow Washington insider? Zoellick's sin world want to know that the US. is interested in was to link congressional approval of a "iast their economic future and stability, not just in track* bill—making it easier for the president to getting their help against terrorism,’’ he said. . negotiate trade agreements—with the war on “Traditionally, it has been Democrats who have terrorisin. led the way in asserting that America’a in* In a Washington Post oped piece headlined ternationalism must tiwjude economic and devd' ‘Couatermg Terror With Trade," and then in a opment solutions as wdJ aa miJlar* plana." scries of speeches and comments, Zoellick ar- True enough, but there are large risks in gued that 'Congrew' action on t’3. trade prumu- linking the argument over trade and terror. Ev- tion authority and the rest of our trade legislative er since Republicans, first floated the idea of pass- agenda would send an unmistakable signal to the ing a quick capital gains tax cut as the soluden to world that America will lead." Trade was linked post-Sept 11 econamic problems, Democrats— with Ihe battle against terrorism. Zoellick said, Rangel chief among them—have been suspi- because trade “promotes the values at the heart cious. Even as they staunchly support Bush on of this protracted struggle." the war, they worry that Republicans will use the Rangel called foul, accusing Zoellick of wrap- president’s new popularity as a weapon in pre­ ping the trade bill‘'in Che Hag.” Ina lengthy state- war irieolo^al disputes. Democrats are espe- ment, the New Yorker declared: *To appeal to pa- dally sensitive on trade, an issue that has long di- triotiMD in an effort to force Congress to move on vided their party. fast track by claiming it is needed to fight terror- And critics of trade agreements see recent cs- Uiu would be laughable if it weren’t so serious.' says and articles linking terrorists’ opposition to The episode was an important marker not only ‘an open society" with ■“proteetionism" as a form in the trade debate but al» in Wallington's deli- of guilt by association, 4-ate dance over what bipartisanship means after In a specen last week, Zoellick quoted one of Sept. 11. those articles and then asserted: “Change breeds Rangel thinks it means dealing gingerly with anxiety. Anxieties can be manipulated to force any issue that caused deep partisan divisions be- agendas based on fear, antagon^ms. resent- fore Sept. 11. And a real bipartisan agreement merits and hate. And then those who are the mast involve accord among congressional lead- weakest, those wi'th the feast influence, are hurt era in both parties. Winning over a few stray the most by cold and hard people who overrun Demoenta isn't enough anymore. openness and liberty and the ride of law in the . “That-might have flown before the terrorist name of ill-defined causes." strike," Rangel said in an interview, but since Since we are all against “cold and hard peo- then "we've done a pretty gnod job of raising the pie," it isan unseemly reach to say these terrorist standard of what people expect." attacks had anything to do with trade, “lb forge The trade bill is particularly thorny because such a connection risks besmirching patriotic Wbys and Means Chairman Bill Thomas, a Cali- critics of free trade through unintended innuen- fornia Republican, has been negotiating a bill do. with a small group of pro-trade Derarx-rate. It Much of today's trade debate is not about gives the party some of what it wants in making throwing up new barriers but about ±e roles environmental and labor standards part of trade that should apply when we tear down existing accords. But many Democrats think the proposal ones. People on both sides of these arguments fa- falls short. With the bill scheduled to come up in vor “open" societies. If Zoellick is right, free trad- committee this week, they feared Zoellick was era should be able to win the argument on the trying to roll over them. merits, and without resort to the terrible events Zoellick insists he never intended to use trade pi last month. I

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NYC-WTC_000230637