European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 20, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                I saturday november 20, commentary the stars and stripes Pago 13 i president s forging an unlikely coalition of republicans and his house1 allies presi Dent Clinton won a decisive vote on Anorth american free Trade agreement that at Midsummer was dormant and left for dead. In the process however the democratic majority fractured. Two of its leaders were losers and organized labor was  Perot drawling Defiance took a hit but claim edit would strengthen not damage his political move  wednesday night s 234-200vote, it was re publicans who Baid off in Naftal Battle  r. Mears settled the Issue most democrats said no. But Clin ton gained More than enough of them to get his Way and Senate approval is  doomsday nor salvation Naftal became such a political and eco nomic Symbol that defeat could have been devastating for  he lobbied and campaigned for two months talking to perhaps half the Mem bars of the House in person or by Tele phone appearing at 18 Public events to Campaign for the Trade agreement and deployed his Cabinet All in the cause of Adeal first fashioned by his Republican  he was behind Clinton made deals to line up House votes to protect farm and manufacturing interests and to open a Trade Center and a development Bank. Once ahead the White House said All that bargaining had been  president Al Gore worked it non Stop too. His to debate with Perot Las week came at a turning Point toward Naftal. Gore outdid Perot s opposition arguments that night but the Well promoted match May have been most significant because it heightened attention and interest in the  addition Clinton began accentuating the foreign policy and world Trade concerns he said were at stake in the Naftal decision telling arguments foray president. As a candidate Clinton had hedged his support of Naftal until Side deals on labor and environmental questions were set which took until August. Treasury Secretary Lloyd Bentsen Senate Veteran said he could t recall a Trade Bill that began with ski pier support than when Clinton began his Naftal drive. Mexico Bentsen said Clinton could have Cut Luton the Deal when the Odds were against him. But he stayed in there and fought the Issue and fought it passionately and  Cabinet members Are supposed to talk that Way about their presidents. Still Clin ton defied the Odds took the risks and won. That commitment was crucial in lining up the support of republicans like the cantankerous rep. Newt Gingrich of Georgia a Short term ally who said the Naftal vote was one of historic bipartisanship. The next minority Leader Gingrich showed he can help pass legis lation As surely As he can snarl or Block it. Republicans were wary at first insisting on an All out push by. Clinton so they could t be isolated As political targets by opponents like Perot and big labor. That also led them to seek and Linton s Promise in writing that would defend House members who vote for Naftal should it be raised As an Issue against them by democratic Chal lengers in the 1994 Campaign. Clinton said i Don t believe any Mem Ber of Congress should be Defeated if they voted for  but Union Lead ers said they mean to make it an Issue next year leaning hard on the democratic incumbents who usually get labor Money and Campaign volunteers. Al Cio president Lane Kirkman said monday that Clinton s pledge to the republicans amounted to Campaign Hel for the opposition. The president has clearly abdicated his role As Leader of the democratic party he said. Clinton was t the first president to offer such political shelter. Ronald Reagan did it in 1983 to gain democratic votes on an International lending Bill both parties tried it to avoid the hot Button congressional pay raise As an Issue in 1990. But Clinton probably was the first to Winon a difficult Issue like Naftal against traditional allies with two of his party s to three House leaders lined up against him As were Missouri rep. Richard a. Gep Hardt the majority Leader and Michigan rep. David , the whip they said democrats would reunite notably on health care indeed Bonior said his big frustration was that Naftal diverted democrats from that concern. There was no hint of rebuke. Clinto made a Point of saluting the passionate defenders of the working people who had opposed him in the House and from the labor movement. He said he Hope labor now would join him in going on to the health care Battle and other issues. When the White House pointedly snubbed a Southern Democrat for opposing Clinton s budget in the Senate it served Only to make him a hero Back Home. This time the emphasis is on making up. C tit associates Prev. Clinton heroics badly needed for other fights now that the House of representatives has spoken it May be time to wonder just what it was about the North american free Trade agreement that stirred the nation to a level of near hysteria As no single economic Issue has in most of our lifetimes. Surely the benefits of Naftal eve i expressed in the most optimistic hyperbole pronounced High per bowl by one congressman in wednesday s debate did not measure up to the political capital expended by its  did the perils of Naftal most fanatically stated amount to a Nanny Goat s Nightgown compared with economic forces which without any help from Mexico or much from Congress have been devastating the living standards of american workers in the last , for instance the loss of half the jobs in the . Steel Industry since 1980, the stagnation and decline of real Blue Collar wages that began in 1980, the upward redistribution of wealth that began with the 1981 tax cuts for the wealthy the recent corporate fad for butchering work forces under the euphemism of downsizing and the failure to increase the minimum wage with inflation.1 compared with these ongoing calamities suffered by american workers Many of the most horrifying Ami Naftal scare stories including gasp the destruction of the american Corn Broom Industry Are basically collection of trivialities. Certainly one thing that attracted Many of Naftal s enemies was the Chance to blame the nation s troubles on somebody else. How much easier to conjure a mexican monster snatching the breakfast of the children of american fac tory workers than to imagine that America itself has been treating its workers rather wretchedly. Besides if you re not too fastidious about those you associate with the Mexico As monster theory was certain Topick up the votes of those Nativ its always disposed to believe that nothing Good comes from closer association with foreigners especially when they Are a Darker skinned people. But perhaps All the fuss raised by Naftal has also sent us a More Liberal message. And perhaps it is that much of the opposition to Naftal was genuinely Liberal in instinct if not common sense and that Robert Reno there a in this nation a huge Pool of dissatisfaction that can be harnessed to More Liberal solutions to the nation s problems. If it weren t so obsessed with proving its centrist Man Hood the Clinton administration might have used some of the heroics it expended for Naftal to fight for its jobs creating economic stimulus package which went Down the tubes last summer. It might be pushing just As energetically for an Early upward revision of the minimum wage for passage of the Bill to ban the firing of striking workers for More ambitious worker retraining programs and yes for the taxes to pay for them. It might be fighting for More aggressive Industrial policies. Surely More Public investment in education and re search in the infrastructure in intelligently targeted Industrial policy designed to create jobs and enhance competitiveness even if it involves the government in picking winners from the private sector is inherently Wiser and More efficient than a intelligently applied tariffs and Trade barriers which ostensibly protect american work ers but which in reality involve the government in pick ing losers and in sticking it to Consumers