The AFL-CIO ratcheted up pressure on Democratic lawmakers Wednesday to oppose President Obama’s trade agenda, announcing they would freeze all political contributions “until further notice.”
The labor federation wants to pressure Democrats leaning toward supporting the White House’s free-trade efforts by making them a problem for their colleagues. So far, there is little outward sign that it is having an effect, though it’s hard to tell given that free-trade Democrats keep a low profile these days.
“I don’t think it will affect his vote at all,” said a spokesman for a pro-free trade Senate Democrat speaking on the condition of anonymity. No others reached by the Washington Examiner would talk on the record. The U.S. Trade Representative’s Office, which has been lobbying Congress, did not respond to a request for comment.
Staffers for anti-trade Democrats applauded the move, saying the unions had to get tough with the party if they wanted to win. “Labor is sick and tired of supporting marginal, weak-kneed Democrats who get into office and then turn their backs on working Americans. This is a smart move to get members’ attention,” said one House staffer who also requested anonymity.
The main item on the White House’s trade agenda is the Trans-Pacific Partnership. The proposal would lower tariffs and set new, uniform regulations for intellectual property, labor and state-owned enterprises for 12 Pacific Rim nations that encompass 40 percent of the world economy: the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Japan, Vietnam, Mexico, Chile, Brunei, Malaysia, Singapore and Peru. China is not included.
The international talks are reportedly closed to completion and the Obama administration is expected to bring the deal to Congress for approval in the spring. Obama is pushing hard for passage, arguing the deal will boost the economy. The agreement is the rare case where he has the support of the congressional Republican leadership.
Before it will present the trade agreement, though, the White House wants Congress to pass a renewed version of trade promotion authority. Also known as “fast track,” the measure would prohibit Congress from being able to amend trade deals, allowing only an up-or-down vote on them. Obama says he needs the leverage it would provide in future trade negotiations.
Many liberal Democrats, led by Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., are opposed to both fast track and the Trans-Pacific Partnership, arguing the trade pact would hurt some domestic businesses and weaken unions. The AFL-CIO says opposing the agreement is a “top federation priority” and the organization is a major source of Democratic campaign funding. Unions spent $137 million in the last election cycle, with 89 percent of it going to Democrats, according to the Center For Responsive Politics.
Obama is expected to lose about 10 Senate and 40 House Democrats on the trade deals, according to a source in a pro-trade organization. A smattering of conservative Republicans are expected to oppose them as well. That’s enough to give the deals a “razor-thin” margin of error when they come up for a vote in Congress.
Which explains the AFL-CIO’s move to ratchet up the pressure. Some of the anti-trade Democrats didn’t seem to think that the labor organization would really suspend donations to its congressional allies as well, although that is apparently what it is doing.
In statement Monday, the federation said it was “freezing all Political Action Committee (PAC) contributions to federal candidates until further notice in order to conserve resources for the historic legislative battle around fast track (trade promotion authority) and the debate over the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).”
“It’s a freeze — no donations flowing out until further notice,” said AFL-CIO spokeswoman Amaya Smith.
