President Bush indicated that the Columbia Free Trade Treaty is now “dead” and blamed House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for its demise. From the Washington Post:

President Bush said yesterday that a trade agreement with Colombia is “dead” unless House Democrats agree to hold a vote on the pact, effectively admitting defeat on a White House priority.

The President and Speaker engaged in a verbal volley over the free trade agreement:

After meeting with his Cabinet, Bush lashed out at House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) for putting off a vote on the free-trade pact, which the administration views as important for U.S. national security and the economy. “This free-trade agreement is in our national interests,” Bush said. “Yet that bill is dead unless the speaker schedules a definite vote.”

The Speaker returned the favor:

Pelosi fired back by accusing Bush of being “out of touch” with the “concerns of America’s working families.” She said the House will take no action on the Colombia pact until it considers other legislation aimed at aiding the U.S. economy

I do not remember a free trade agreement ever being defeated. Will the trade agenda of this country now change permanently, or is this simply election posturing by the Congress. Does a Democratic victory in November spell the end of NAFTA? Although the Columbia agreement is not a major pact financially it signals a huge change in perspective by the United States over trade, and has ramifications much larger than its financial impact. The displacement of unfettered free trade has become to difficult to politically just dismiss out of hand. Maybe those “embittered” folks are having some sway.