[Vision2020] Politicians Taking Heat on Trade Laws in NC

Tim Lohrmann timlohr@yahoo.com
Wed, 27 Aug 2003 11:14:33 -0700 (PDT)


Donovan,
     Your thinking on the Clark candidacy is clouded
by your clear need for him to be a strong candidate.
This emotional identification with him has evidently
made it more difficult to see past the medals on his
uniform to political realities. Also, your lending
credence to polls taken 5 and a half months before any
primaries/caucuses and 14 months before ther general
election reveals naivete as to their value. 

In response to my contention that many Demo. primary
voters are anti-war and anti-military as well, you
simply state that Dean will look like a, in your words
"hippy anti-war idiot." Have you forgotten that many
of these same voters WERE THEMSELVES "hippy and
anti-war?" That's why many of them support Dean, they
identify with him and yes, many of them are in fact
VERY ANTI-MILITARY. They supported Bill Clinton and
his draft evasion and anti-war orgainizing overseas,
just as they support Dean's "in your face" opposition
to the Iraq war. The medals on Clark's uniform photos
remind them of the civilian casualties in Serbia, not
of anything noble. 
These voters are very much anti-military and they are
a strong component of the Demo primary voters whoe
ALWAYS turn out. As for them being idiots just because
they disagreed with the government, wore long hair and
etc. I doubt it. But if you choose to stereotype all
"hippies" as idiots, that's up to you. 
    I also disagree that Clark will necessarily have
any broad appeal to minorities. On social and economic
issues important to blacks, for example, he is most
likely to position himself so far to the center that
he is indistinguishable from Bush. You mention that
Dean is not doing well among minorities at the moment.
That's more evidence that you put too much stock in
meaningless polls before the real battles have even
begun. Dean will soon set a fundraising record for a
quarter--reports will show that he has raised almost
ten million in the quarter that will end in Sept. If
Dean has a deficit in minority support, these millions
will go a long way to relieve that shortfall. 

And if Clark starts to challenge him? With ten million
dollars(and much more on the way) in the limited media
markets of the early primary states, Dean's media folk
can and will turn Clark into a waffling war-freak
instead of a proud general with medals on his
chest--in the voter's perception that is. 
  
  Also, what do you think GW Bush is going to be quiet
during the primary season with the approximately $100
million he has raised? Don't count on it. Karl Rove
will use Gray Davis' strategy during the last CA GOP
primary. Davis wanted to run against Simon, so being
without an opponent in the Democratic primary, he
spent his money attacking Dick Riordan. Rove will do
the same. He'll pick whoever he wants Bush to run
against and he'll do everything he can to attack this
candidate's opponents. 
 
  In other words, the light in which voters see Gen.
Clark today, is going to be the most positive glimpse
they'll ever have--and it won't last long. As soon as
he joins the race he's going to undergo severe
reconstructive surgery courtesy of Dean and Bush and
the good general ain't going to like the results.
    It's already happening as a matter of fact. Just
yesterday Clark was called upon a very questionable
statement he made about the Bush administration just
after 9/11. Clark first made the statement that
administration officials had contacted him and asked
him to blame the 9/11 disaster on Iraq. The Bushies
disputed this, and Clark then backed off saying there
was a call, but that maybe he misunderstood. Then he
backed further off and admitted that the Bush
officials had not contacted him at all and that the
only call even asking about Iraq was from a "Canadian
think tank" with no Bush links. Credibility? Candor?
Hmm..
   
  Also your contention that Clark and the Clintons are
all palsy walsy is very questionable. Clark's
considerable ego has likely not fully recovered from
the effects of what happened after the war in Serbia
calmed down. The following quote from "Wesley Clark's
War" an article appearing in the the Air Force
Association, vol.84, no. 9 Sept. 2001 some of these
problems: 

"As it turned out, Clark was completely at odds with
Washington and European leaders about the preferred
direction of the war. His penalty was high. Just one
month after the end of Allied Force, White House
officials leaked the embarrassing news that Clark
would retire earlier than planned and vacate the
SACEUR post for another officer, USAF Gen. Joseph W.
Ralston, who was then the vice chairman of the Joint
Chiefs of Staff."

In other words Clinton and Sec. of Defense Cohen fired
the good general from his post, they forced his early
retirement because they couldn't get along with him.
Apparently Clark was obsessed with a "boots on the
ground" strategy in Serbian/Kosovar conflict. HIS
commanders--the President and the Sec. of Def.
disagreed and he couldn't accept that. I don't think
the General has forgotten about that and I doubt the
Clinton's or their handpicked head of the Democratic
National Committee will feel that he's trustworthy.

 I also believe you're completely incorrect about
Hillary's ambitions in 2008. You say she wants to be
Democrat leader in the Senate---I say she wants to be
Queen of the Universe---but since that position is not
available as of yet she'll just have to settle for the
Presidency of the United States. If she's still in the
Senate, she'll be fresh from a re-election victory in
2006 and ready to pursue a presidential campaign. In
2012-- the year you say she'd run for president--she
would have to either run for both her Senate seat AND
the presidency for which she'd suffer criticism and
opposition in NY. OR she'd have to give up the
relative sure thing and forego running again for
Senator for a much less sure thing in a presidential
campaign. 
   Anyway, bottom line point? 
  It's way to early to tell and making pronouncements
that Clark IS going to win based on how things look at
this point is ludicrous.  
  If things always turned out the way they look over a
year from the general elections, George Bush the first
would have been re-elected by a landslide. He looked
very strong in the polls in 91. 
  Who knew Ross Perot would come in with his millions
and gain almost 19 percent of the vote--taking most of
those votes out of Bush's hide--and letting Mr.
Velcrozipper skip into the White House with a mere 43%
of the votes? 
  That's just it, no one did and no one knows now
what'll happen in '04--at least not on the basis of
them darn polls. 
    Tim Lohrmann




--- Donovan Arnold <donovanarnold@hotmail.com> wrote:

---------------------------------

Tim,

You are not thinking very in-depth. Nor have you
looked at many polls lately. 



"White Demo. primary voters, especially this year are
very anti-war and that translates directly, at least
for many of them, as anti-millitary."


This is incorrect. Clark is and was strongly against
the war with Iraq. He ads creditability to the issue.
Bush looks like an idiot telling a retired 4-star
general that he was right about the war and the
General was wrong. Bush saying this to Dean makes Dean
look like a hippy anti-war idiot. Democrats know this.



"Further, Black Demo. voters are not going to be
especially turned on by a Clark candidacy. Most Black
leaders are either committed to Sharpton or are
leaning to one of the other candidates and won't give
up at this late date."


Actually, this is incorrect. Clark is doing very well
in places like DC that is 80% African American. Dean
is doing horrible with all minorities. Sharpton is
doing the best with African Americans, but he will
have to give his delegates to someone eventually,
since Sharpton despises Dean to the core, as do most
the other candidates, also being a veteran, Sharpton
will give his delegates to Clark if it means Clark or
Dean.  


Hillary Clinton is not an issue. I don't see why you
think she is so powerful as to be able to go against
the entire party. Clark and Dean are not the ones
keeping Hillary from getting the Presidency, it is
Hillary herself. Her negatives are in the 40's. She
can't win in 2008. She needs until at least 2012. You
are also forgetting the Clark is good friends with
both the Clintons. Hillary and Clark were born in the
same town. They later moved to the same town, Little
Rock. Hillary is going to endorse Clark. Hillary wants
to be the Democratic Senate Leader, and her best way
to do that is to support Clark. About Gore. He was
robbed in the election, and should be president right
now. 


Guns, well, Clark is an hunter, an excellent one at
that, it is said he never misses even with a bad right
hand. He owns 21 guns himself, and is pro-gun.


You are correct that Clark is not that well known as
Dean. But Dean was not known at all until about two
months ago. Dean became well known because he spent 6
million dollars. Clark is better known than 5
candidates already and has not spent a dime. 


The Democratic nomination will have 4 major players.
Gephardt, Dean, Clark, and a distant 4th Sharpton.
Gephardt is hanging on in the Midwest, Dean the New
England states. Clark with the South and military
votes. Sharpton with the African Americans.


The Super delegates will be supporting Clark because
he can beat Bush, and Sharpton will back Clark. That
gives Clark the nomination. It all comes down to the
math.


Dean only enjoys a top tear level candidacy because he
is known as the anti-bush candidate and the anti-war
candidate. Clark is both and can beat Bush. I already
know many Dean supporters that will bail on Dean for
Clark because they want to beat Bush more than
anything else.

Donovan J Arnold



 



>From: Tim Lohrmann 

>To: Donovan Arnold 

>CC: vision2020@moscow.com 

>Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Politicians Taking Heat on
Trade Laws in NC 

>Date: Tue, 26 Aug 2003 10:17:12 -0700 (PDT) 

> 

>Donovan, 

> I agree with you that Clark would be a strong 

>Demo. candidate. The only problem is that even though


>he COULD beat Bush he CAN'T win the nomination. 

> White Demo. primary voters, especially this year 

>are very anti-war and that translates directly, at 

>least for many of them, as anti-millitary. I
seriously 

>doubt that these voters will suddenly swoon at Dean's


>announcement. 

> Further, Black Demo. voters are not going to be 

>especially turned on by a Clark candidacy. Most Black


>leaders are either committed to Sharpton or are 

>leaning to one of the other candidates and won't give


>up at this late date. 

> Also, just as the name of Howard Dean barely 

>registers outside political junkiedom, Clark's name
is 

>hardly household. He will have a huge financial 

>struggle in the primary states just getting anyone to


>remember who he is. 

> I'm not saying it can't be done, just that it's 

>going to be a tough fight just for the nomination. 

>Then, you can't forget the 800 lb. gorilla hiding in 

>the closet watching all this---Hillary Clinton. 

>Hillary looks upon 2008 as her year. Nothing would 

>hurt her plans more than a sitting Demo. president. 

>Hillary wants a weak candidate this year so an open 

>election in '08 will be hers for the taking. Arkansas


>or not, she'll do everything she can, including 

>bringing Bill out to do his aw-shucks-and-jive show 

>for whoever can beat Clark but will have more trouble


>in the general. 

> On the other factors affecting the election, I'm 

>not arguing that the economy and many other factors 

>look bad for Bush at the moment. My only point is
that 

>it's way to early to say he's a dead duck. 

> Also, your analysis leaves out the impact of 

>several social issues. Gun control is a good example.


>Have you seen any Democrats coming out for more 

>restrictive gun control lately? Heck no. And that's 

>because if not for being on the wrong side of the gun


>control issue, Algore would be pres. right now. Gore 

>lost West Virginia (a state that had only voted GOP
in 

>Reagan's re-election against Mondale in recent past) 

>and his home state of Tenn. precisely because of the 

>gun issue. 

> Tim L. 

> 

>--- Donovan Arnold wrote: 

> 

>--------------------------------- 

> 

>Tim, 

> 

> 

>First off, I agree that if the Democrats nominate 

>Howard Dean they would not win. But they will not 

>nominate Dean. They will nominate Clark. Clark will 

>most likely choose another Southerner for the bottom 

>of the ticket. Most likely Breuex from Louisiana. Do 

>the math. 

> 

> 

>Assuming that the 19 states plus DC that have voted 

>Democratic in every Presidential election for the
last 

>12 years, makes 260 electoral votes. Add Arkansas and


>Louisiana and that makes 275. That is not even 

>counting Florida and Missouri. 

> 

> 

>You are also forgetting two other important factors. 

>One, the combination of two southerners on a ticket 

>could strengthen the vote in the Northern part of 

>Florida. Clark is also Jewish, and Roman Catholic. In


>addition, Clark is military and will turn the
military 

>2-1 vote for the Republicans in the military around
to 

>a 1-1 ratio. 

> 

> 

>I honestly don't think that Bush can turn the economy


>around in 14 months. He is the only President since 

>Hoover to actually have a net loss in jobs. He needs 

>to add 3 million jobs to the economy in 14 months. I 

>don't think he can do that in all reality. Even if
the 

>jobs are created and people get the jobs, they still 

>will be new employees and not feel secure. It also 

>takes a good 4-6 months for the effects of any 

>economic recover to be felt. That gives him less than


>ten months. Do you think he can create 300,000 new 

>jobs a month for the next 10 months? I don't think
so. 

>The unemployment rate is up to 7% now. Very high. 

> 

> 

>Now, how about what is going on overseas. European 

>economy is really hurting. That means they will not
be 

>buying much from us anytime soon. Do you think that
is 

>going to help us? No, it will not. Nothing Bush can
do 

>about us losing jobs because nobody is buying US 

>products. Also, you have the war. An average of 40 

>soldiers are dying every month. In 14 months that
will 

>be, lets see, 560 more soldiers dead. For a total of 

>about 700 men and women. More than 75% of Americans 

>find that an intolerable loss. We will also have
spent 

>another $15 billion. That amount would have solved
the 

>budget problem in California. 

> 

> 

>Nothing can save old poor Bushy. He is dead in the 

>water. Even in the best of situations, we catch 

>Saddam, kill Osama, bring back the electricity in 

>Iraq, and the economy gets back to where it was when 

>he came into office, he is still in horrible shape
for 

>reelection. 

> 

> 

>In the next couple weeks Clark will announce his 

>candidacy for President. It will be a huge 

>announcement. Lots of cameras and press, and he will 

>be endorsed by many Governors, Senators, and 

>Congressional leaders. He will be immediately put in 

>second place in the runoff. After four months, many
of 

>the candidates will drop out and put Clark up against


>Dean. Clark will eventually win the nomination
because 

>of the South. 

> 

> 

>Clark and Bush will be in a good race for the 

>Presidency. Bush and Clark will be focusing in on 

>Florida, Missouri, Wisconsin, Oregon, Iowa, Nevada, 

>and New Mexico. If Clark wins just 6 electoral votes 

>from these states, he wins the election. Which pony 

>are you putting your money on? 

> 

> 

>Donovan J Arnold 

> 

> 

> 

> 

> 

> >From: Tim Lohrmann 

> 

> >To: Donovan Arnold 

> 

> >CC: vision2020@moscow.com 

> 

> >Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Politicians Taking Heat
on 

>Trade Laws in NC 

> 

> >Date: Mon, 25 Aug 2003 22:19:36 -0700 (PDT) 

> 

> > 

> 

> >Donovan, 

> 

> > Those are premature predictions, bubba. 

> 

> > We're a year from the elections--several political


> 

> >eons. 

> 

> > 

> 

> > Can't carry Fla. against whom? Howard Dean? I beg 

> 

> >to differ. 

> 

> > With the whole northern part of the state freaked 

> 

> >about gay marriage and other social issues that the


> 

> >GOP will raise and 93% of the Cuban-Americans in
the 

> 

> >Miami area block voting for W with a huge turnout,
I 

> 

> >believe W could win nicely. The same strategy could


>be 

> 

> >used against several possible Demo nominees. 

> 

> > What about a "bruising" Demo. primary season 

> 

> >leaving a whole heckuva lot of Demos PO'd and 

> 

> >unmotivated to work for the eventual nominee? 

> 

> > What if the Demos dis Sharpton and irritate the 

> 

> >heck out of a number of black leaders who in turn 

> 

> >advocate a black voter stay at home strategy on 

> 

> >election day? 

> 

> > What if the economy starts springing back around 

> 

> >just at the right time for ole W? 

> 

> > What if Cruz Bustamante wins the CA Gov. election 

> 

> >and things not only don't get better but
deteriorate 

> 

> >out there? Then the Demos might have to invest 

>heavily 

> 

> >just to carry CA, a state they're sunk 

> 

> >without--leaving other close states open for GOP 

> 

> >attack. 

> 

> > A bunch of "what-if's" I know, but if one of more 

> 

> >of them happen like they very well could, your 

> 

> >prediction could look pretty silly. 

> 

> > And those are just a few off the top of my head. 

> 

> >The point is anything can and will happen in 14 

> 

> >months. It's waaaay too early to write anyone off. 

> 

> >Especially not a sitting Pres. 

> 

> >Not when the Demos are still struggling to find 

>anyone 

> 

> >who is even interested in learning the names of
their 

> 

> 

> >candidates. 

> 

> > TL 

> 

> > 

> 

> > 

> 

> > 

> 

> > 

> 

> > 

> 

> >--- Donovan Arnold wrote: 

> 

> > > Bush Jr. is only a one term president. He is
gone. 

> 

> 

> > > There is no way he can 

> 

> > > win Florida again. He can't get 270 electoral 

>votes. 

> 

> > > 

> 

> > > Donovan J Arnold 

> 

> > > 

> 

> > > >From: Tim Lohrmann 

> 

> > > >To: vision2020@moscow.com 

> 

> > > >Subject: [Vision2020] Politicians Taking Heat
on 

> 

> > > Trade Laws in NC 

> 

> > > >Date: Mon, 25 Aug 2003 21:09:29 -0700 (PDT) 

> 

> > > > 

> 

> > > >Looks like GOP'ers and Demos alike are finally 

> 

> > > going 

> 

> > > >to face the music for this so-called "Free"
trade 

> 

> 

> > > >globaloney. 

> 

> > > >At least in the Carolinas. 

> 

> > > > TL 

> 

> > > > 

> 

> > > > 

> 

> > > > 

> 

> > > >CHARLOTTE OBSERVER.COM 

> 

> > > > > Posted on Mon, Aug. 25, 2003 

> 

> > > > > 

> 

> > > > > Politicians taking heat on trade laws 

> 

> > > > > Workers, execs criticize Bush, lawmakers
over 

> 

> > > loss 

> 

> > > > > of factory jobs 

> 

> > > > > JIM MORRILL & RONNIE GLASSBERG 

> 

> > > > > Staff Writers 

> 

> > > > > 

> 

> > > > > Days after the collapse of Pillowtex, 

>Republican 

> 

> > > > > U.S. Rep. Robin Hayes 

> 

> > > > > walked into a Kannapolis auditorium to meet 

>with 

> 

> > > > > former workers. 

> 

> > > > > 

> 

> > > > > "Thanks for sending the jobs overseas,
Robin!" 

> 

> 

> > > > > shouted Brenda Miller, a 

> 

> > > > > longtime worker at the textile giant's 

>Salisbury 

> 

> > > > > plant. 

> 

> > > > > 

> 

> > > > > Her taunt was part of a loud, growing
backlash 

> 

> 

> > > > > against politicians who 

> 

> > > > > supported trade policies largely blamed for 

>the 

> 

> > > loss 

> 

> > > > > of more than 

> 

> > > > > 180,000 Carolinas manufacturing jobs since 

> 

> > > January 

> 

> > > > > 2001, when President 

> 

> > > > > Bush took office. 

> 

> > > > > 

> 

> > > > > As unemployment rises in both states, newly 

> 

> > > militant 

> 

> > > > > executives are 

> 

> > > > > criticizing Bush and planning unprecedented 

> 

> > > > > education and voter drives, 

> 

> > > > > promising to make sure workers know who's on


> 

> > > their 

> 

> > > > > side and who's not. 

> 

> > > > > 

> 

> > > > > "We're seeing a new dynamic where the 

>executives 

> 

> > > and 

> 

> > > > > employees are both 

> 

> > > > > beginning to see a real threat to their 

> 

> > > interests," 

> 

> > > > > says Fred Reese, 

> 

> > > > > president of Western N.C. Industries, an 

> 

> > > employer 

> 

> > > > > association. "You're 

> 

> > > > > going to see people who traditionally voted 

> 

> > > > > Republican switch over." 

> 

> > > > > 

> 

> > > > > Jobs, or the lack of them, are an issue
across 

> 

> 

> > > the 

> 

> > > > > country. Democrats 

> 

> > > > > are hoping that 2004 becomes a repeat of
1992, 

> 

> 

> > > when 

> 

> > > > > Bill Clinton's 

> 

> > > > > intense focus on the sour economy helped 

>unseat 

> 

> > > the 

> 

> > > > > first President Bush. 

> 

> > > > > 

> 

> > > > > In 2000, the Carolinas were George W. Bush 

> 

> > > country: 

> 

> > > > > he won more than 56 

> 

> > > > > percent of the vote in each state. But 

>mounting 

> 

> > > job 

> 

> > > > > losses have taken 

> 

> > > > > their toll on the president, an unabashed 

> 

> > > > > free-trader, and threaten 

> 

> > > > > other trade supporters, particularly in the 

> 

> > > South. 

> 

> > > > > 

> 

> > > > > Andy Warlick, CEO of Parkdale Mills in
Gaston 

> 

> > > > > County, voted for Bush in 

> 

> > > > > 2000. Next year, he says, he doubts he will.


> 

> > > > > 

> 

> > > > > "He made a lot of promises and he hasn't 

> 

> > > delivered 

> 

> > > > > on any of them," 

> 

> > > > > Warlick says. "I've had some first-hand 

> 

> > > experience 

> 

> > > > > of him sending down 

> 

> > > > > trade and commerce officials ... but they're


> 

> > > just 

> 

> > > > > photo ops. ... It's 

> 

> > > > > empty rhetoric." 

> 

> > > > > 

> 

> > > > > One of the top reasons for the dismal 

>Carolinas 

> 

> > > > > economy: foreign trade. 

> 

> > > > > 

> 

> > > > > Since 1993, when Congress passed the 

> 

> > > Clinton-backed 

> 

> > > > > North American Free 

> 

> > > > > Trade Agreement, or NAFTA, jobs in many 

> 

> > > industries 

> 

> > > > > have fled overseas. 

> 

> > > > > For example, about half the textile and 

>apparel 

> 

> > > jobs 

> 

> > > > > that existed in 

> 

> > > > > 1994 are gone. Critics say "fast-track"
trade 

> 

> > > > > authority and other trade 

> 

> > > > > measures President Bush pushed through with 

> 

> > > Vietnam 

> 

> > > > > and other countries 

> 

> > > > > can potentially add to the losses. 

> 

> > > > > 

> 

> > > > > Experts say the end to quotas on Chinese 

> 

> > > imports, 

> 

> > > > > scheduled to expire at 

> 

> > > > > the end of 2004, could cost 127,000 more 

>textile 

> 

> > > > > jobs over the next 

> 

> > > > > three years in the Carolinas alone. 

> 

> > > > > 

> 

> > > > > "They're sending all our jobs overseas,"
says 

> 

> > > Leslie 

> 

> > > > > Barrett, one of 

> 

> > > > > nearly 5,000 Pillowtex workers who lost
their 

> 

> > > jobs 

> 

> > > > > in the state's 

> 

> > > > > largest layoff. "There are not enough jobs 

>here, 

> 

> > > and 

> 

> > > > > then there are all 

> 

> > > > > these foreign people here." 

> 

> > > > > 

> 

> > > > > Not satisfied 

> 

> > > > > 

> 

> > > > > In December 2001 Hayes, of Concord, cast the


> 

> > > > > tie-breaking vote for 

> 

> > > > > fast-track. At the time he said he won 

>promises 

> 

> > > from 

> 

> > > > > the Bush 

> 

> > > > > administration that it would more strictly 

> 

> > > enforce 

> 

> > > > > existing trade 

> 

> > > > > agreements and pressure foreign countries to


> 

> > > open 

> 

> > > > > their markets to U.S. 

> 

> > > > > textiles."Are we ... pleased with the way
they 

> 

> 

> > > > > responded? Absolutely," 

> 

> > > > > says Hayes. "Are we satisfied with where we 

>are? 

> 

> > > > > Absolutely not." 

> 

> > > > > 

> 

> > > > > In two years, U.S. Rep. Cass Ballenger's
10th 

> 

> > > > > District has lost nearly 

> 

> > > > > 40,000 jobs, primarily in the textile and 

> 

> > > furniture 

> 

> > > > > industries. The 

> 

> > > > > Hickory Republican voted for NAFTA and 

> 

> > > fast-track. 

> 

> > > > > 

> 

> > > > > "Certainly, there's a political cost to any 

> 

> > > > > controversial vote no matter 

> 

> > > > > which side you take," Ballenger says.
"People 

> 

> > > are 

> 

> > > > > casting stones, but 

> 

> > > > > we're trying to pick them up and build 

> 

> > > something. 

> 

> > > > > ... I don't spend much 

> 

> > > > > time thinking about an election that's more 

>than 

> 

> > > a 

> 

> > > > > year away. My focus 

> 

> > > > > is on helping the region recover." 

> 

> > > > > 

> 

> > > > > Hayes later voted against the final version
of 

> 

> 

> > > > > fast-track. He and 

> 

> > > > > Ballenger aren't the only ones who cast 

> 

> > > potentially 

> 

> > > > > unpopular votes. 

> 

> > > > > 

> 

> > > > > Rep. John Spratt, a York, S.C., Democrat, 

>voted 

> 

> > > for 

> 

> > > > > NAFTA. Republican 

> 

> > > > > U.S. Reps. Sue Myrick of Charlotte, Richard 

>Burr 

> 

> > > of 

> 

> > > > > Winston-Salem and 

> 

> > > > > Jim DeMint of Greenville, S.C., voted for 

> 

> > > > > fast-track. Both Burr and 

> 

> > > > > DeMint are running for the Senate. 

> 

> > > > > 

> 

> > > > > U.S. Sen. John Edwards, a Democrat from
North 

> 

> > > > > Carolina, voted against 

> 

> > > > > fast-track in 2002 after voting for an
earlier 

> 

> 

> > > > > version. In 2000 he voted 

> 

> > > > > for permanent normal trade relations with 

>China. 

> 

> > > > > 

> 

> > > > > Edwards, however, has since attacked Bush's 

> 

> > > trade 

> 

> > > > > policies and called 

> 

> > > > > for fairer trade measures. Burr recently 

> 

> > > threatened 

> 

> > > > > to introduce 

> 

> > > > > legislation to eliminate the office of U.S. 

> 

> > > trade 

> 

> > > > > representative. Hayes, 

> 

> > > > > like Ballenger, has worked hard to get 

>services 

> 

> > > to 

> 

> > > > > displaced workers and 

> 

> > > > > promote more development in his district. 

> 

> > > > > 

> 

> > > > > "Though he (Hayes) voted for fast-track, he
is 

> 

> 

> > > > > really concerned about 

> 

> > > > > the workers and their conditions in the
state 

>of 

> 

> > > > > North Carolina," says 

> 

> > > > > Robert Neal, vice president of the local 

>chapter 

> 

> > > of 

> 

> > > > > the Pillowtex 

> 

> > > > > workers' union. 

> 

> > > > > 

> 

> > > > > Jennifer Duffy, an analyst for the Cook 

> 

> > > Political 

> 

> > > > > Report, says 

> 

> > > > > "Republicans all went to the `Robin Hayes 

> 

> > > school' in 

> 

> > > > > terms of learning 

> 

> > > > > how to address those (trade) votes. 

> 

> > > > > 

> 

> > > > > "Republicans have kind of figured out that
for 

> 

> 

> > > every 

> 

> > > > > `bad' vote they 

> 

> > > > > cast there are others they would use to show


> 

> > > they 

> 

> > > > > are fighting for the 

> 

> > > > > state's industries." 

> 

> > > > > 

> 

> > > > > `A North Carolina problem' 

> 

> > > > > 

> 

> > > > > But Democrats already are pouncing. 

> 

> > > > > 

> 

> > > > > "A lot of these Republican candidates -- 

>Richard 

> 

> > > > > Burr in particular -- 

> 

> > > > > owe the White House and (political adviser) 

>Karl 

> 

> > > > > Rove for clearing the 

> 

> > > > > field for him (Burr)," says Brad Woodhouse,
a 

> 

> > > > > spokesman for the 

> 

> > > > > Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.
"And 

> 

> 

> > > he's 

> 

> > > > > (Burr) going to be 

> 

> > > > > expected to continue to support the 

>president." 

> 

> > > > > 

> 

> > > > > "It's unfortunate that the Democrats want to


> 

> > > start 

> 

> > > > > early pointing 

> 

> > > > > fingers and starting the traditional blame 

> 

> > > game," 

> 

> > > > > says Burr spokesman 

> 

> > > > > Paul Shumaker. "It's not a Democrat problem.


> 

> > > It's 

> 

> > > > > not a Republican 

> 

> > > > > problem. It's a North Carolina problem." 

> 

> > > > > 

> 

> > > > > Reese, of the employers association, is 

> 

> > > organizing 

> 

> > > > > 1,500 manufacturing 

> 

> > > > > companies across North Carolina in an effort


>to 

> 

> > > > > leverage what he calls a 

> 

> > > > > new voting bloc. In South Carolina, voter 

>drives 

> 

> > > are 

> 

> > > > > planned for the 

> 

> > > > > first time at Milliken & Co., which has
about 

>30 

> 

> > > > > plants in the state. 

> 

> > > > > Mount Vernon Mills of Greenville, S.C., is 

> 

> > > forming a 

> 

> > > > > political action 

> 

> > > > > committee. 

> 

> > > > > 

> 

> > > > > Company President Roger Chastain, a one-time


> 

> > > Bush 

> 

> > > > > voter, doesn't expect 

> 

> > > > > to support the president or Jim DeMint. 

> 

> > > > > 

> 

> > > > > "We're basically liquidating our whole
middle 

> 

> > > class, 

> 

> > > > > polarizing people 

> 

> > > > > on the two extremes, have and have-nots," he


> 

> > > says. 

> 

> > > > > "We'll be a Third 

> 

> > > > > World country." -- STAFF WRITER JAIME LEVY 

> 

> > > > > CONTRIBUTED. 

> 

> > > > > 

> 

> > > > > -- JIM MORRILL: (704) 358-5059; 

> 

> > > > > JMORRILL@CHARLOTTEOBSERVER.COM. 

> 

> > > > > 

> 

> > > > > 

> 

> > > > > 

> 

> > > > 

> 

> > > > 

> 

> > > >__________________________________ 

> 

> > > >Do you Yahoo!? 

> 

> > > >The New Yahoo! Search - Faster. Easier. Bingo. 

> 

> > > >http://search.yahoo.com 

> 

> > > > 

> 

> > > 

> 

> > 

>
>_____________________________________________________


> 

> 

> > > > List services made available by First Step 

> 

> > > Internet, 

> 

> > > > serving the communities of the Palouse since 

> 

> > > 1994. 

> 

> > > > http://www.fsr.net 

> 

> > > > mailto:Vision2020@moscow.com 

> 

> > > 

> 

> > 

>
>ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ


> 

> 

> > > 

> 

> > > 

> 

>
>_________________________________________________________________


> 

> 

> > > Get MSN 8 and enjoy automatic e-mail virus 

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> 

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