Here's the analysis of the House vote from George Becker: To: All Steelworkers From: George Becker Subject: A Message From Pittsburgh
Vote on PNTR For China in heavy Steelworker Districts. Congresspersons representing districts with the most Steelworkers voted by a large margin against PNTR for China. Of the Congresspersons in the top 10 Congressional Districts as measured by number of members and retirees, 8 voted against PNTR for China. The 2 exceptions: Republicans Regula of Ohio and English of Pennsylvania. In the next 10 biggest Steelworker districts 6 voted with us and 4 against. The 4 that voted against us were Democrats Sawyer (OH), Bachus (AL) and Roemer (IN) and Republican Oxley (OH). The third tier of 10 was also 6-4 in our favor. Those who voted against us in this tier were Republicans Gillmor (OH), Pitts (PA) and Gekas (PA) and Democrat Lucas (KY).
Money in Politics. The Business Roundtable, a DC based lobby coalition that includes some of the nation's largest corporations, spent $10 million in advertising alone in passing PNTR for China. But that's just the tip of the iceberg. In all, the 200 members of the Business Roundtable have accounted for more than $58 million in soft money, PAC and individual contributions to federal parties and candidates this election cycle,
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Doug Henwood wrote:
> [The China as devil thing doesn't play too well in Peoria. From
> Gallup's weekly update.]
>
> * China Trade Bill Moves To Senate
> The China trade bill, which gives the world's largest country permanent
> normal trading relations with the U.S., has been passed by the House in one
> of the most closely watched votes in years, and now moves to the Senate.
> The U.S. public ended up favoring the bill in a Gallup poll conducted the
> weekend before the vote, by almost a 20-point margin, 56% to 37%. That
> doesn't mean that Americans are oblivious to the critics of the bill, and
> their allegations regarding serious human rights abuses in China. In a
> Gallup Poll conducted this past weekend, 67% of Americans rated the job the
> Chinese government does in respecting the human rights of its citizens as
> bad, while only 18% rated it good. These numbers are essentially unchanged
> from previous polls in 1999 and 1997. One clue to the public's vote comes
> form responses to a question in the latest poll, which asks Americans which
> is more important: Taking a stand on human rights in China, or maintaining
> good relations with China. The public favors maintaining good relations by
> a 54% to 34% margin.
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