Denver continued to be a hub of conversations on trade last week, thanks to a ripple effect from the ongoing Biennial.
The event drew a U.S.-Brazil CEO Forum here, attended by U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk.
“Colorado’s a state that generally understands the need to be connected internationally,” said Kirk. “This was a group saying: ‘Come on and get it done. Let’s go.’ “
Kirk is canvassing the country to talk about trade enforcement and to keep markets open, said a senior trade office official.
The conversations are important to many people in Colorado, including the 25 percent of manufacturing employees dependent on exports for jobs, agricultural producers, and tech firms concerned about intellectual property protections.
What makes these discussions even more important in cities like Denver, however, is the deafening silence on free trade inside Congress.
None of the three free trade agreements President Obama outlined in his State of the Union address have been sent to Congress for approval. Congress hasn’t been inquiring about their whereabouts, either. In fact, in 2008, Congress decided not to even vote on a Colombia free trade agreement.
At the time, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was irked that President George W. Bush sent the agreement to Congress without pre-approval. The House has 60 days to vote on trade agreements, but an angry Congress voted to change the rules and remove the deadline. The Colombia agreement has stalled ever since.
Silencing talk on free trade hurts both sides. It damages our democratic concepts of free speech, open debate and equal representation, where all voices get heard.
Congressional debate is vital to the process of government. In last week’s debate over jobless benefits, for example, we saw Republicans filibuster to stall a vote. We watched Democrats break that filibuster with the single vote of a newly appointed senator. The tactics — and opinions — were open for all to see.
In November, we can voice our own opinions about whether we liked what we saw.
No matter where you stand, refusing to have any discussion is bad representation. Congress decided to play King of the Hill with an opposing party president. Now that Congress and the presidency are led by the same party, why isn’t anyone getting back in the game?
“To get this economy jumpstarted and create jobs, we just cannot be on the sidelines and we can’t be left out,” Kirk said.
So perhaps it’s appropriate that Americans, deprived of debate in Congress, are having their own free trade conversations in events such as Biennials, CEO forums and breakfasts with trade representatives.
Perhaps it’s also appropriate that Kirk, a former Dallas mayor rather than a long-time Washington insider, is getting the conversation moving.
Ironically, before he was appointed, critics pointed to his lack of experience on an international stage. Thanks to Congress, however, Kirk’s real work seems to be in creating a dialogue here at home.
The Colombia trade agreement is likely to move to the front burner Monday as Colombian Ambassador Carolina Barco comes to Denver for a final Biennial roundtable.
“We are acutely aware of the pace with which Colombia has signed free trade agreements with Canada and other countries,” said Kirk. “We have been working with colleagues in Colombia and Panama almost daily to try and resolve outstanding issues so we can be in a position to move forward as well.”
Kirk is trying to narrow down objections to the agreement “and separate emotions from facts,” he said. “One of the things we’ve been doing is . . . saying, ‘OK, what is it you want Colombia to do?’ “
In Kirk’s mind, that nation can can further strengthen labor laws to protect the rights of workers and strengthen its justice code for those who commit violence.
These are issues, of course, that Congress could debate on our behalf. But President Obama isn’t likely to send the trade bill to Congress until the next State of the Union. And Congress isn’t asking for it to be sent.
Fortunately, in towns like Denver, the conversations continue without them.
Lisa Wirthman has covered business, politics and travel for publications such as USA Today, US News & World Report, and Investor’s Business Daily. She lives in Highlands Ranch.
