Clinton urged to help 'sell' global trade Political leaders fear opponents have gained upper hand
Thursday, September 30, 1999
By MICHAEL PAULSON SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT
WASHINGTON -- Concerned that critics of the World Trade Organization have taken over the debate and may eventually take over the streets, political leaders in Seattle and Washington, D.C., are expressing growing consternation that the Clinton administration isn't doing an adequate job defending global trade.
Several Democratic officials in Washington state, including Sen. Patty Murray, King County Executive Ron Sims and Rep. Adam Smith, are critical of the administration for allegedly failing to reach out to Democratic allies in the environmental and labor movements who are critical of the WTO.
And at a Senate hearing yesterday to discuss preparations for the World Trade Organization meeting that begins in Seattle Nov. 30, several top administration officials and senators agreed that U.S. public opinion has turned against unfettered global trade.
"To be frank with you, this has not been an easy sell," Commerce Secretary William Daley said. "Many people see only layoffs. They don't see the payoffs of this open trading system."
Clinton administration officials promise high-ranking Cabinet members will visit Seattle soon to outline the case in favor of global trade. They boast that, at the insistence of the United States, the WTO has agreed to devote the day before the ministerial meeting in Seattle to listening to the concerns of critics. They also promise that President Clinton will speak out in defense of free trade, and even yesterday Clinton spoke briefly about his plans for Seattle, saying that he hopes to use the WTO meeting "to raise working conditions for all."
But state Democrats, who generally are in lockstep with the Clinton administration on trade policy, say they have two sets of concerns: that the mainstream environmental and labor groups planning peaceful protests are raising legitimate criticisms that are not getting adequate attention from the administration, and that the more radicalized protesters planning disruptive activities will sully Seattle's reputation in the eyes of the world.
The hand wringing from Seattle began two months ago, when Murray called on Clinton to meet with labor, environmental and consumer groups in an effort to "lessen the chance of disruptive confrontations." In a letter to the Clinton, Murray expressed "deep concern" about the planned protests, warned that Seattle companies are wary of supporting the WTO because of fear of repercussions, and told the president "a public defense from you is warranted and necessary."
In an interview yesterday, Murray said her concerns have eased since August, but she remains concerned that disruptive protests could harm Seattle's image.
"The labor community is going to have a demonstration, and that's great, the environmentalists will do the same, and that's a good way to express opinion, but what I don't want the outside world to see is burning of cars or something that presents the wrong image," she said. "I am worried that extreme outside groups may come in and give a flavor that isn't reflective of who we are to the outside world."
Sims, who serves on an advisory panel to the U.S. Trade Representative's Office, said he has been holding a series of meetings with White House officials in recent weeks demanding more attention to the concerns of WTO critics. Many of the critics argue that the organization is inattentive to environmental and labor concerns, and that the United States is surrendering its values in order to open markets for multinational companies.
"These are not just global discussions, they're local discussions," Sims said. "What are they going to do to engage labor and environmentalists more fully than they have? Who's going to do it, and when are they going to do it?"
Sims called on protesters not to interfere with the WTO proceedings, saying many of the rules to be negotiated are important to Seattle-area companies. But he said the trade ministers also need to heed the protesters. "The issues of human rights should not be ignored," he said. "The issue of what's happening to the environment, and our demand that other countries not denude their forests, those are legitimate issues. You can't ignore them."
Smith yesterday met with other centrist Democrats to begin planning for what he said will be a meeting with U.S. trade officials to seek greater attention to the concerns of WTO critics. Smith last year refused to back the Clinton administration on a key trade vote, saying that labor and environmental concerns were not adequately addressed.
Like Murray and Sims, Smith said he welcomed "a lively debate," saying "it would be bad if everybody just showed up and said trade is great, so let's have a weeklong cheerleading exhibition." But he said he worries that the administration is not adequately separating isolationists, who he thinks are not helpful to the debate, from those who support global trade but have concerns about the WTO.
"The U.S. trade representative could be doing a much better job at listening and trying to understand what some of the protests are about," Smith said. "Yes, some of these people (protesters) are just off the map and want to go back to the sixth century, but the bulk of them have legitimate concerns that the U.S. trade representative would be well-served doing a better job of addressing."
The concern got unusual support at yesterday's Senate hearing. Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman said "out there amongst the average people there is a tremendous distrust and fear and negative feeling" about global trade, while Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan, D-N.Y., said, "We have lost the support for trade liberalization in this country."
Senate Finance Committee Chairman William Roth, R-Del., called for a stronger defense of free trade: "Protectionism is once again on the rise in both political parties. . . . If there ever was a time to call those who believe in free markets to the ramparts, now is the time."
U.S. Trade Representative Charlene Barshefsky defended the WTO, saying that it "has fully proven its value to Americans and to the world."
But she also took steps to address concerns, announcing that representatives of many organizations will be allowed to speak directly to the trade ministers the day before the formal meeting opens.
"We will be looking for ways to deliver the message ourselves, and to help other people deliver the message as well," said Barshefsky's spokesman, Tom Tripp.
"Everybody understands that it's important to make the connections for people about what trade means to them every day," Tripp said. "Those messages can and will be delivered by the president and his administration, but they also need to be delivered at every level of the economy, right down to the shop floor."
Barshefsky's office also employs a full-time liaison to non-governmental organizations, such as labor and environmental groups, and a top labor movement official acknowledged that the Clinton administration is attentive.
"The Clinton administration has been responsive to labor concerns . . . but we face enormous obstacles at the WTO in making progress with worker rights issues," said Thea Lee, assistant director of public policy for the AFL-CIO. "Are we making enough forward progress? No, and our prospects for making progress in Seattle are dim."
Some local officials are unfazed by the debate.
"People in my view are a little bit overreacting to this," said Rep. Jim McDermott, D-Wash. "I lived through the Vietnam era, so I don't get panicked when people say they're going to make their wishes known."
Rep. Jennifer Dunn, R-Wash., is also not particularly worried about the protesters, and suggested the news media should do the same.
"We have to hope the local media doesn't spend all its time talking about protests," she said.
But Dunn also said that in a meeting last week with top officials of The Boeing Co., she urged the company to do more to communicate with its employees about the value of trade.
Mayor Paul Schell says he plans to welcome the protesters, saying "that's the American way.
"We're trying to get people to see the positive side of this debate," he said. "Being the center of ideas only enriches our lives."
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P-I reporter Michael Paulson
can be reached at 202-943-9229 or michaelpaulson at seattle-pi.com