Byron Dorgan: “because the proposal for fast-track trade authority was not adopted, there have been a good many columns and…”

“because the proposal for fast-track trade authority was not adopted, there have been a good many columns and commentators evaluating why fast track failed. I wanted to comment about that just a bit today. It is interesting. Even though the political pathologists for this legislation--the journalists, and the beltway insiders--have picked the fast track carcass clean, they still missed the cause of death. The eulogies I read have no relationship to the deceased. Fast track didn't die because of unions and union opposition to fast track. Fast track didn't die because the President didn't have the strength to get it through the Congress. Fast track didn't die because our country doesn't want to engage in international trade. Fast track died because this country is deeply divided on trade issues. There is not a consensus in this country at this point on the issue of international trade. Instead of a national dialogue on trade we have at least a half dozen or more monologues on trade. What people miss when they evaluate what happened to fast track is the deep concern that this country has not done well in international trade, especially in our trade agreements.”