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Monthly naturalization swearing-in-ceremonies of new
citizens continue to occur at the U.S. District Court for the District
of Columbia. Over 80 applicants were sworn in by Judge Ricardo Urbana
this month. Judge Urbana advised the newly naturalized citizens that
"immigration is not something of the past, but something of the
future." He also indicated that 280 countries are represented in
the District of Columbia. The Women's Bar Association also welcomed
them. LWVDC HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN THIS CEREMONY FOR SOME TIME, by
collecting the completed voting registration forms from the new citizens
and submitting the forms to the Board of Elections and Ethics. Thanks to
Elinor Hart, Guy Coriden, Vinna Freeman, Minnie Fitzhugh and Ethel
Cooper for their continued support. The enthusiasm, relief and joy
expressed by the new citizens spoke volumes.
Planning for the upcoming election activity in the
fall, we will be arranging training soon for those interested in working
on DNet (Democracy Network), the League of Women Voters Electronic
Voters Guide. Interested? Please call the office and let us know.
Several of our LWV Units and individuals are
undertaking Fund Raising benefits on our behalf. Thanks to all
contributors to the LWVDC. We have met half of our goal so far and our
efforts are still underway.
Members of the Children-at-Risk Task Force, Joan
Wilson and Nancy Buchanan are making headway with this year's study of
homeless children. In a recent week, they: audited a meeting of
emergency shelter providers entreating city officials for more emergency
shelter space; met with the director of Valley View Apartments, a new
transitional housing facility; interviewed the director of shelter for
women and families at the Center for Creative Non-Violence; and, toured
the Community of Hope Belmont facility to observe a tutoring program of
DCPS. See next month's Voter for more information. — E. Patricia
Hallman President
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DON'T MISS
BROWN BAG DIALOGUE SERIES
11:30 a.m.
Monday, February 25, 2002
1730 M STREET, NW SUITE 1000
TOPIC: "Understanding DC Budget"
Speaker: Ed Lazere
(See below for more
information)
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Unit Meetings in February and March will be replaced
by a General Meeting on the proposed Trade Position Concurrence on
Tuesday, February 12 and by a General Meeting on the United Nations on
Friday, March 15. For details see IR Committee report.
As its contribution to our fundraising efforts, the
Northwest Evening Unit is sponsoring a fundraising wine and cheese party
on Friday, February 8, while the Upper 16th Street Unit will sell brown
bag lunches to those attending the March 15 meeting. A reservation form
for the lunch can be found on page 8. Both are interesting ways to
introduce your friends to the League! — Sheila Keeny, Unit Director
(966-1692)
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With sorrow we report the death of Beulah R. Foster
and extend our sincere sympathy to her family and friends. Welcome New
Members: Joining the local DC League: Judith J. Canning, John T.
Mathison. Joining the National League who reside in our area: Robert L.
Borlick, Alfreda Brewer, Norman Frumkin, Linda Heaney, Hugh M. Jenkins,
Hester C. Lewis, Priscilla Mason, Bernadette Odyniec & Herb Ettel,
William Meadows, Robert A. Pratt, Marion Pryde, Juanita C. Ritch, Susan
U. Spaulding, and William L. Turner. Contributions: Bonnie Barhyte, Hope
C. Bogorad, Barbara J. Bramble, Janet W. Brown, Patricia J. Elli, Sylvia
Fesler, Elizabeth Fox, Elizabeth Hobby, Anne D. Hull, Julie B. Johnstone,
Lloyd Leonard & Elizabeth Wiener; Frances Lewine, Joanne London,
Ruth Nadel, Marguerite E. Nolan, Kathryn Ray, Lillian K. Rubin, Carl F.
Seastrum, Joy R. Simonson, Dr. Harriet J. Smith.
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VOTER SERVICES: Thank You to Washington Gas
Many thanks to Washington Gas for its contribution of
$500 for the League's DCPS Youth Services Learning Project put together
by Elinor Hart and Elaine Melmed. The focus is on civic education aimed
at high school students to improve voting participation in this year's
elections. We are grateful to Washington Gas and Stephen Jumper,
Director, Public Affairs, for their support last year and again this
year for our school based efforts.
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EDUCATION COMMITTEE
THE NEW FEDERAL EDUCATION LAW: No Child Left Behind Act of 2001
On January 8, 2002, President Bush signed a new law
that changes the involvement of the federal government in public
education. This law authorizes $26.5 billion for K-12 education
spending, requires annual tests for every child in grades 3 through 8,
and requires students to-make sure that all teachers are qualified in
their subject areas. The law does not provide vouchers to attend private
or religious schools, but it does provide aid to build new charter
schools.
Some teachers claim that schools will be forced to
spend more time preparing students for taking standardized tests leaving
less time to teach subjects such as music and art. The League Education
Committee plans a full study of the law and its impact on DC Public
Schools. Interested members are invited to join the Education Committee
to begin this study at its next meeting on Wednesday, February 13 at 10
am in the League Office. — Constance Tate (882-0387) & Gladys Weaver
(554-3055), Co-chairs
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Remember you can get your DC license plate with
"Taxation without Representation" for just $10. It is a good
reminder as you drive here in the District, and it is one of the best
means to educate outside Washington. To get your plates you must present
your current ones with your valid driver's license and a valid insurance
card at 301 C Street, NW.
To keep the issue alive, DC Vote has teddy bears,
mugs, Tshirts, sweatshirts, caps, and flags. for sale. Some are
available from 1500 U Street and all are available on the web site, www.dcvote.org.
Each includes the phrase "Taxation without
Representation."
Again this year DC Vote will sponsor an event on
Income Tax Return Day, April 15. Save the date to help us publicize our
voteless plight.
On the federal level, committee assignments have
yet to be made on the Norton and Lieberman bills (H. R. 1193/S603).
League members can encourage their friends and family who have voting
representation in Congress to contact their Congressional
Representatives to urge action on these bills. — Kathy Schmidt, DC
VOTE Liaison (237-5550)
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On January 16, 2002, public hearings were held
regarding a resolution for the District to accept the DC General
Hospital property from GSA.
The DC Office of Planning is putting together a
master plan for the use of this property to submit to the City Council
by March 13, 2002 and will begin to have public hearings starting the
week of January 21st. As of this printing, dates and locations of
hearings have not been announced. Interested members should check the
website www.planning.dc.gov
or call their office at 202 4427600 to get
information on the hearings.
Non-profit CareFirst Blue Cross/Blue Shield has
accepted a purchase bid from WellPoint Health Network of California. The
resulting corporation, if approved by Delaware, the District, and
Maryland health regulators, would convert the area's largest health
insurer to a for-profit corporation. The DC League has joined
"National Capital Area CareFirst Watch," a coalition of
community groups designed to watchdog the conversion process (See
related article this page). Whereas some members of the coalition have
stated opposition to the conversion, others have taken a wait-and-see
approach.
The Healthcare Committee will meet Tuesday, February 26 at 10.30 am at the LWVDC Office.
— Natalie
Howard (882-8762), Chair
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As many of you know, CareFirst, the non-profit Blue
Cross Blue Shield Company operating in DC, Maryland and Delaware, has
recently filed an application to convert from a non-profit to a
for-profit corporation, and to subsequently be acquired by Wellpoint, a
California-based for-profit provider of health insurance. Anticipating
this application, the National Capital Area CareFirst Watch coalition
was formed several months ago through the leadership of the DC Appleseed
Center. The DC LWV is a member of this coalition and one of more than 15
organizations represented on its steering committee. Similar coalitions
have been formed in Maryland and Delaware, and our sister Leagues are
much involved.
As a not-for-profit provider, CareFirst is mandated
to insure those unable to otherwise obtain health insurance and thus it
enjoys special tax and other preferential treatment by relevant
governments. Consequently, assets accrued by CareFirst must, if the
conversion occurs, be used to benefit the communities it serves.
"Advocacy efforts in recent
years by public organizations on behalf of communities have been
extremely successful in protecting public assets when conversions of
this nature have occurred in other parts of the country. The National
Capital Area CareFirst Watch Coalition, paying particular attention to
the impact of this proposal in the District of Columbia and surrounding
suburbs, plans to ensure that
- The proposed conversion will be scrutinized closely by regulators,
and not approved if it is harmful to the public interest; and if the
conversion and acquisition go forward, that
- CareFirst is fairly valued;
- The public receives the maximum funds to which they are entitled;
and
- The funds accrued through the sale are used to serve public health
care needs in the most efficient and effective way possible."
Those of you with access to the web will find the
above and much more on the coalition's website ( www.carefirstwatch.org).
If you have questions and/or would like to be involved in this vital
effort, please call Naomi Glass, 202-686-0124
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"UNDERSTANDING THE
D.C. BUDGET"
Ed Lazere, Executive Director, DC Fiscal Policy Institute
FEBRUARY 25, 2002 -11:30 AM-1:30 PM AT 1730 M St., NW, Suite 1000
Is there anything more important ...more useful
...for DC local affairs activists to understand than the DC budget and
its implications? The speaker for our February Brown Bag Lunch, Ed
Lazere, will try to help us aspiring activists do just that!
Ed Lazere is the Executive Director of the DC Fiscal
Policy Institute, an organization established "to engage in
research and public education on the fiscal and economic health of the
District of Columbia." Check www.dcfpi.org
for additional
information about Ed Lazere and the Institute.
Ed will talk with us about the DC budget structure,
the FY2002 budget recently passed by Congress and the FY2003 budget that
will be sent to Council in early March. The FY2003 revenue forecast is
due by the end of January, so we will have a useful context for
discussion and analysis.
As usual, the Brown Bag lunch-discussion will be held
at the LWVUS offices, 1730 M Street NW, Suite 1000 at 11:30 am. Call
Naomi Glass (202-686-0124) if you have questions. — Anna Marsh, Brown Bag
Dialogue Coordinator.
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Committee To Sponsor General Meeting on Trade
Position Concurrence: Senator John D. Rockefeller IV in an op-ed in the
Washington Post on January 8, argued for "temporary tariffs on
steel imports to give the U.S. industry breathing room to
restructure." Pakistani journalist Zubeida Mustafa, also in the
Post on January 6, argued against loans, "which make a supplicant
out of Pakistan", proposing instead that America "work toward
opening up its markets for our goods. Trade will bring prosperity. And
prosperity will bring stability ...the best insurance against
terrorism". Are the two arguments in conflict? What has happened to
"globalization" since 9/11?
Members who have been following the trade concurrence
process have had much to learn over the past year and a half since LWVUS
Convention 2000. It was then delegates agreed to review the LWVUS
position on trade because of perceived conflicts between a liberal trade
policy and human rights/labor/environmental goals. Leaguers who have
read their December/January National Voter realize that the time has now
come for each of us to react to the concurrence statement drawn up by a
LWVUS Task Force on Trade and printed on pages 9 and 10. Page 10 also
contains a tear-off for individual member responses to be returned to
LWVUS, in this instance a new procedure for reaching member agreement.
General Membership Meeting on LWVUS Trade Position
Concurrence: Before you consider filling out the tear-off, however, the
IR Committee urges you to attend a General Meeting on Trade Position
Concurrence, Tuesday February 12, noon to 2PM, at the Sumner School,
when the proposed new position will be reviewed in detail in a
freewheeling discussion led by Task Force and IR Committee member Janet
Burmester (see insert - New Trade Position Addresses Complex
Globalization Issues).
This is your opportunity to analyze and discuss some
of the issues to which we have been sensitized over the past months,
i.e., free vs. fair trade, the role of subsidies, "fast track"
authority for the President, and many others. Bring your tear-offs from
the National Voter; following the giveand-take of the discussion,
members will be urged to fill out the tear-offs. Bring your brown bag
lunch at noon - the meeting will end promptly at 2PM.
Great Decisions - February Meetings The first meeting
of the League's Great Decisions group, when we discussed the roots of
terrorism while pondering why "they" hate us, was held on
January 25. Our meetings in February will look at Korean security issues
(Friday, February 8) and the elusive quest for peace in the Middle East
(Friday, February 22). For information on the prescribed readings and
their authors, see flyer distributed with January DCVoter. The meetings
will be held from 10 am noon in the Rosalie Goodman Room of the LWVUS
office, 1730 M St., NW. (Metro Station: Farragut North). In all there
will be eight sessions, ending in May. Call Hope Marindin, Great
Decisions facilitator, at 9666367 for information or to order a Great
Decisions briefing book. It is never too late to join the group.
Looking ahead The IR Committee plans a General
Meeting on the United Nations on Friday, March 15, noon - 2 pm at the
Sumner School, with a panel of experts moderated by Andrew Rice,
President of the United Nations Association of the National Capital
Area. See enclosed flyer to order your box lunch now; more program
details in March DCVoter. The Upper 16th Unit will prepare brown bag
lunches as a League Fundraiser for $5. See the reservation form on page
8. — Sheila Keeny (966-1692) Co-Chair
Don't forget to read and bring the paper New Trade
Position Addresses Complex Globalization Issues (insert) and your
December/January National Voter with you to the February 12th
General Meeting at Sumner School (noon - 2 pm) on LWVUS Trade
Concurrence.
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In January the DC Council passed The Housing Act of
2001, the city's first significant housing legislation in two decades.
And it was League members, most notably Elinor Hart and Janet Brown,
along with other active community groups and individuals that made it
happen. Mayor Williams' proposal to strengthen the Housing Production
Trust Fund was the centerpiece for League action. Through visits to
Council members we urged Coucilmembers Patterson and Fenty to introduce
two amendments that focused the dollars in the Trust on the people most
in need. The Housing Trust Fund monies are intended for rehabilitation
or construction of housing for the use of citizens at various income
levels.
As the debate continued Mrs. Linda Cropp, Council
Chair, noted that it had been a long time since all members of the
Council had been so involved in an issue. Mrs. Patterson and Mr. Fenty
introduced the amendment that requires 50 percent of the funds to be
used for rental housing. In proposing the amendment she noted that
16,000 rental units have been lost in the past ten years. Mr. Chavous
stated that with this addition, the policy is all-inclusive. Ms. Allen
concurred, saying, "a choice should be left
on the table. The amendment passed with two "no" votes from
Councilmembers Catania and Brazil.
Mr. Fenty, along with co-sponsors Schwartz, Graham,
Chavous, Ambrose and Mendelson, proposed that 40 percent of the Trust
Funds be used for those families of four with incomes below $26,000 and
another 40 percent be used for those with incomes from $26,000 to
$43,000 for a family of four. The remaining 20 percent would be for
families with incomes up to $68,000. "This is the crux of the
debate," stated Mr. Evans. Mrs. Ambrose asserted that this is a
"good compromise and ... a new kind of commitment. It will hold the
executive feet to the fire." Now citizens from all income levels
are served from the Housing Trust Fund. This amendment passed with one
dissenting vote by Councilmember Brazil.
The League met with The Washington Post Editorial
Board in an effort to get editorial support. On January 6, The Post came
out in support of focusing the housing trust funds on the
"neediest, using public resources to help those for whom the
private market is least likely to provide." Several Councilmembers
cited the editorial in their arguments for passage of the two
amendments. The Post also came out in support of developing better
information about the city's housing needs - the next issue your
Affordable Housing Committee will be addressing. — Liz Martin & Julia
Cuniberti, co-chairs.
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DR. ALICE RIVLIN SPEAKS TO FULL
HOUSE ON THE DISTRICT'S FUTURE
[Editorial Note: Dr.
Rivlin's address was made in her capacity as Co-Director of the Greater
Washington Research Program at Brookings and derives from her June 2001
report with Carol O'Cleireacain, "Envisioning a Future
Washington." The report below is shared by D.C. Leaguer, Janet
Brown, a Board member of the Washington Regional Network (WRN) who led
the subject meeting.]
Dr. Alice Rivlin, speaking before a full house at
WRN's November Forum at the Sumner School, addressed the question,
"What kind of city do we want Washington to be?" She led off
her remarks by observing that the fiscal crisis of the 1990's is behind
us, the attitude of Congress about the city has improved a little, and
the population is increasing once again. A recession, terrorism and fear
of change create anxiety all over the city. But D.C. is better off than
most cities. On the other hand, we have a badly deteriorating
infrastructure and a badly divided city. She said, however, that what we
all want is diversity, safe streets, affordable housing, stores,
services, good transportation and schools -- a city with more community and less poverty, and less
concentration of poverty.
To compensate for population loss since the 1970's,
Dr. RivIin said we need to grow the population that will support
businesses and create jobs. While some people will move in from the
suburbs, she said, our main hope for adding 100,000 residents in ten
years is to retain the young people who come to the city every year.
Adding adults, old and young, is the easiest and
least expensive way to do that. This is happening already, but it won't
necessarily commit to the city for the long run, and it could further
divide the city between rich and poor. Attracting and keeping families
with children is a more difficult and more expensive proposition
(primarily because of the cost of education), but clearly is the healthy
way to go to secure a greater commitment to the city.
Since revitalization of a neighborhood requires that
everything be done at once, Dr. Rivlin suggests that it is important to
choose neighborhoods that are close in, near Metro stations and have a
combination of elements: hope, active community organizations, an anchor
institution that's a major employer with whom to partner (mostly
universities and hospitals in D.C.), some good housing stock, schools
that are ready to be improved, a health center, recreational facilities,
etc. Care must be taken not to push people out of their communities, so
some of the easiest places to build new housing and add to the tax base
will be parts of the city where there aren't established populations,
e.g., the waterfront, north of Massachusetts Avenue, downtown, and St.
Elizabeth's. Partnerships must be sought with major governmental and
non-governmental institutions.
Renters, said Rivlin, need extra provisions to
protect them. To start, we have to have an increased supply of lowand
moderate-income rental housing. And she suggested that there are things the city can do that have been done elsewhere and not
yet tried here, like requiring a mix of incomes in all new developments,
or capturing the rising values in 'a rapidly "gentrifying"
neighborhood and returning this in some fashion to the particularly
affected neighborhood to protect long-time residents. And, Rivlin
emphasized, we have to get federal money on a regular basis since
restrictions are placed on our tax base (e.g., we cannot tax commuters
nor federal land and instrumentalities let alone compensating for
services we render to the federal government.)
Dr. Rivlin concluded that she hoped the on-going
Brookings Institution's research program would stimulate serious
dialogue about the choices and strategies before the city. Such dialogue
was started immediately with more than twenty questions from the
audience, including representatives of the press. Among suggestions
coming from the audience were proposals to alter the tax structure
(specifically by taxing higher incomes more); by restructuring mortgages
(among other things, by offering location-efficient mortgages); by
adding a surcharge to large mortgage transactions; through a community
land trust; by raising building-height limitations north of Florida
Avenue and on the periphery of the city. Several times the conversation
came back to the need to tax income, one way or another, earned in the
city by workers who do not live here. The statement that brought the
most applause was Alice Rivlin's assertion that the city's development
priorities should not be distorted by hosting the Olympics, nor should
we build any more stadiums. — Janet Welsh Brown (332-0789
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Nelson Rimensnyder, a D.C. League member and
historian, attended the meeting to discuss a 1979 study on the history
of Federal-D.C. relations, including a historic review of the Federal
Payment. At risk are some 90 boxes of papers relating to the study, now
in Rimensnyder's garage. He would appreciate the League's support in his
effort to persuade the Brookings Institution to provide a two-year chair
to catalogue the papers . . . this is the only existing such study. He
asked that the League write to Alice Rivlin of Brookings regarding the
matter. The Board voted to support this effort and have Rimensnyder
draft the letter from the League to Rivlin/Brookings.
Joan Wilson described the workshops and educational
activities of the Fair Budget Coalition (of the District of Columbia),
which is sponsored by the Free Legal Clinic for the Homeless, and
provides budgetary information and assistance to D. C. citizens and
community group. The Board voted to accept her recommendation that LWVDC
join the Fair Budget Coalition.
Reggie Yancey showed a LAPEL pin with the message
VOTE. She proposed that LWVDC purchase a supply of the pins and sell
them. not only to our members. but also to voters who participate in our
private elections. The Board voted to adopt this recommendation. Yancey
said volunteers are needed to assist in Private Elections on Monday,
March 25 and Thursday, March 28.
Natalie Howard proposed that LWVDC send a letter to
Lawrence Mirel, D.C. Insurance Commissioner, urging him to scrutinize
carefully the proposed conversion of BCBS/CareFirst from nonprofit to
for-profit status. The Board deferred final action on the letter for
further consideration.
Sheila Keeny, for the IR Committee, urged all members
to attend the general meeting on Trade to be held Tuesday February 12.
Anne Porowski spoke about the upcoming general meeting on the UN, giving
a broad perspective, plus the specialized agencies. Anne will ask all
speakers to talk about how the United Nations affects our daily lives.
— Frances Gemmill
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- Assist Yancey with the objective conduct of
Private Elections (March 25 & 28)
- Plan to join DC Vote and other
voteless citizens for the annual protest on Tax Day (April 15)
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U.N. UPDATE REPORT (Elissa Kramer): Two UN articles
are planned for The National Voter. The first -- well written by Barbara
Crossette, a long time UN correspondent for the New York Times -- is in
the Dec/Jan issue. The second article is for the March/April issue. The
UN task force had a successful fall meeting. Members are now working on
the issues discussed at that meeting: peacekeeping, international
criminal court, human rights, expansion of the Security Council, and
more. No other UN task force meeting is scheduled. A UN listserv is
active, but with few participants. To sign up, go to the Members Only
section -Password is "Iwv" and Username is "carriecatt."
After more members sign on and the discussions get going, Michelle
Benjamin will post resource materials to the listserv. The League will
also launch a website for the UN update, similar to that for the trade
update. PLEASE SIGN UP. We are depending upon members to become more
involved with the study and to start exchanging views and questions. The
presence of peacekeeping troops in Afghanistan and the issue of the AI
Qaeda prisoners testify to the relevance of the UN update study.
D.C. FINANCES (Elinor Hart): Letters to Sen. Mary
Landrieu and Rep. Connie Morella in support of HR 2995, the District of
Columbia Fiscal Integrity Act of 2001, had been drafted for LWVUS. To
help our local Leagues support the bill, Elinor has sent them sample
letters for their U.S. Representatives and Senators.
REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION STUDY: The Transportation
Committee has finalized plans for the March NCA General Meeting.
Entitled "The Future of Transportation Planning in the Washington
Metropolitan Area," it will be held in Washington, D.C. on
Saturday, March 2, from 9:30 to noon, at the headquarters of the
Councill of Governments (COG), 777 North Capitol Street, N.E. (Union
Station Metro stop). The speaker will be John Mason, mayor of the City
of Fairfax, immediate past chairman of COG's Transportation Planning
Board and representative to the federal Metropolitan Planning
Organization. The meeting will be held in the COG Training Room on the
ground floor and will focus on the findings from the LWV local League
meetings held throughout the NCA area in the fall of 2001.
NCA ANNUAL MEETING: When? Saturday, May 18, 9:30
a.m., at the Marriott Metro Center. Make sure it's on your calendar.
Details later. Planning: Member Leagues wishing to provide input on
traditional annual-meeting business should make their suggestions to the
appropriate committee chairs, as follows:
Nominations: Elizabeth Martin,
202-537-3043; elizmmartin@worldnet.att.net
Budget or By-laws: Forest Williams, 301-552-1681; forestwill@aol.com
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PREPARED LUNCH AVAILABLE FOR MARCH 15 GENERAL MEETING
For $5, the Upper Sixteenth Street Unit will prepare brown bag lunches for
those attending the March 15 General Meeting about the United Nations (See pg. 4). The lunch will include a
choice of Turkey or Corned Beef sandwich on roll, coleslaw, fruit, drink and dessert. To order your
lunch, fill out this reservation form and return with your check
(made payable to LWVDC). Reservations must be received by March 11. — Reggie Yancey (726-1929)
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| SUNDAY |
MONDAY |
TUESDAY |
WEDNESDAY |
THURSDAY |
FRIDAY |
SATURDAY |
| |
|
|
|
|
1 |
2 |
| 3 |
4 |
5 |
6 10 AM,
LWVDC Board Meeting |
7 |
8 10 am
Great Decisions #2
6-8 pm, Wine and Cheese Party |
9 |
| 10 |
11 |
12 12
noon-2 p.m., General Meeting Trade Concurrence
Deadline for March DC Voter |
13 10 am,
Education Committee Mtg. |
14 |
15 |
16 |
| 17 |
18 |
19 |
20 |
21 |
22 10 am,
Great Decisions Discussion #3
March Voter mailed |
23 |
| 24 |
25 11:30
am, Brown Bag Dialogue, DC Budget |
26 10:30
am, HealthCare Comm. Mtg. |
27 |
28 12:30-4
p.m., Card Party & Luncheon |
|
|
Plan Ahead: Save These Dates: Sat., Mar. 2, NCA Gen. Mtg. on Regional
Transportation Study; Thur., Mar. 15, General Meeting on the United
Nations (Andrew Rice, guest speaker); Thur., Apr. 25, Annual Dinner
Meeting.
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NEW TRADE POSITION ADDRESSES COMPLEX GLOBALIZATION ISSUES
The proposed update of the League's trade position
reaffirms the League's longstanding advocacy of trade liberalization,
meaning that the League supports efforts to reduce trade barriers, such
as tariffs and quotas, and trade distorting practices such as-export
subsidies. Even critics of Globalization admit that reducing trade
barriers and trade distorting subsidies fosters growth that can improve
living standards both at home and abroad. Most of their criticism
focuses on the failure to distribute the fruits of Globalization
equitably and on possible negative environmental impact.
The proposed new position then reaches beyond the
League's traditional liberal-trade policy goal by linking the pursuit of
liberal trade to other League policy goals, including environmental
stewardship, labor and human rights, development assistance for poor
countries and improvements in our domestic social safety net. There is,
however, no mandate that any one of these goals "trump" any
other.
Linking these policy goals without prioritizing them
will leave considerable discretion to LWVUS board members. Board members
and national staff will have to maintain considerable substantive depth
in all of the linked policy areas weighing the consequences of pending
legislation and policy initiatives in each area so as to identify the
specific combination of policies that would best serve the public
interest. Undoubtedly, they have already been doing so but the
requirement to do so would hereafter be explicit. .
The proposed new trade position endorses US
participation in a global trade organization -- meaning the World Trade
Organization (WTO) while not identifying it by name. This unnamed global
trade organization should have power to hold member countries
accountable for their multilateral trade treaty commitments. The WTO
already has such power. It tan impose financial penalties on guilty
countries although it cannot force them to comply if they prefer to
"pay" rather than "comply."
This agency (WTO) ought to recognize the
"legitimacy" of environmental, labor and human rights
treaties. Critics believe that multilateral environmental treaties' (MEAs')
trade-sanction provisions (for enforcement purposes) could be overturned
by WTO dispute settlement panels although WTO appeals panels have so far
bent over backwards to give full weight to environmental needs when
reaching final decisions in trade disputes. Countries are allowed to
prohibit imports of products produced with slave and prison labor under
current WTO rules but child labor is not addressed.
WTO proceedings should be open to public scrutiny,
i.e., made more transparent than at present, and NGOs ought to be
allowed to present "friend-of-the-court" briefs. WTO documents
and proceedings are frequently concealed because developing countries,
in particular, fear public disclosure and even the US finds certain
matters embarrassing. this is an uphill battle but the WTO has begun to
accept "friend-of-the-court" briefs.
The new trade position asserts that countries must be
allowed to have health, environmental, labor and human rights standards
higher than those of their trading partners without fear of challenge at
the WTO. WTO rules, specifically GATT Article 20, already protect such
rights provided that any resulting restrictions on trade are applied in
an even-handed manner to domestic and foreign firms alike.
The revised trade position includes a lukewarm
endorsement for bilateral and regional trade arrangements, such as NAFTA
and the proposed hemispheric trade pact (FTAA). Regional tirade pacts
may serve as useful steppingstones toward major new global trade pacts,
such as the Millennium Round initiated at the November 2001 WTO
Ministerial meeting in Qatar, but they are an inferior way to go about reducing trade barriers
globally. The League's new trade position explicitly states that trade
agreements should be negotiated in the broadest possible international
forum, meaning the WTO.
The new position endorsed "fast-track" or
"trade-promotion authority" (TPA) for the President. When
Congress grants "fast-track" negotiating authority to the
President, both houses of Congress agree to vote the resulting trade
pact up or down without any possibility of amendment. This is necessary
to assure other countries that Congress will not alter a carefully
crafted deal after it is signed.
Critics claim that this strips Congress of its
Constitutional responsibility to regulate trade with foreign powers. The
League Task Force found that Congress has, in the past, failed to pay
proper attention to its role in negotiations. It has failed to send
Congressional representatives to negotiations as provided for in earlier
"fast-track" deals. Congress may need a Congressional Trade
Office similar to the Congressional Budget Office to provide expertise
and oversight.
The new position takes a clear stand against direct
and indirect subsidies, such as support for the fishing industry,
because they are both economically and environmentally harmful. Fishing
subsidies, for example, lower the price of fish concealing the real cost
of fish, thereby encouraging excessive fishing that depletes fish stocks
while diverting investment to fish production-investment that might
otherwise be used more efficiently elsewhere in either the domestic or
the global economy. The League would be breaking new ground in taking a
stand against subsidies.
This new trade position endorses private as well as
public measures to further our policy goals. Ecolabeling of products by
non-governmental entities such as Underwriters Labs, codes of conduct
for business, international sanctions to end egregious human rights
violations and monitoring of countries' practices and performance in
environmental and labor matters so as to permit consumers to choose
which products to buy are all endorsed.
The revised trade position endorses special measures
to aid poor countries including priority elimination of tariffs and
other restrictions on term and agricultural products imp"
developing countries. Special measures are needed to assure their access
to costly essential medicines. WTO rules do provide for special
exemptions from the normal rules. For example, patent protections for
drugs may be suspended during a national emergency. AIDS is such an
emergency and progress to assure provision of AIDS drugs in poor
countries was made at the November WTO meeting in Qatar.
Finally, the new position advocates an improved
social safety net for dislocated workers without requiring that their
dislocation be clearly linked to an influx of imports. This has major
budget implications.
Temporary assistance for trade-affected industries is
also endorsed. This latter provision means that the League would support
temporary, i.e., Section 201 of the Trade Act of 1974, assistance for
trade-affected industries such as steel. Under WTO rules, Section 201
protection is limited to a. maximum of eight years and the US government
must begin compensating injured foreign suppliers after the first three
years. Our own consumers, of course, pay to shield affected domestic
industries through higher prices. For example, if we invoke Section 201
to protect the US steel industry, we will all pay more for cars and
washing machines.
Janet
F. Burmester Member of the LWVDC International Relations Committee,
Member of the LWVUS Trade-Update Task Force
January 6, 2002
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Date: Thursday, Feb. 28, 2002
Time: 12:30–4:00 p.m.
Beat those "winter blahs!"
Join in the fun and help the League.
$25 per person (includes lunch)
Your contribution is tax deductible.
Bridge
Canasta
Other card games
And for those who don't play cards — Scrabble
For Questions, contact LWVDC at 202-347-3020
Iona House
4225 Albemarle St., NW
Parking on street or use Tenleytown Metro stop.
Reservation Form: Print and return with check made payable to LWVDC-EF
for receipt on Monday, Feb. 25.
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$12/person
Friday, February 8, 2002
Time: 6-8 P.M.
A fundraising event to support the League of Women Voters of the
District of Columbia
Celebrate the League with Wine and Cheese. Bring friends and family
to tasste various wines and cheeses and make money for the League!
4000 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Apt. 1510
RSVP: 362-2605
Street parking available
NW, 4, 6, 8 buses stop at apartment
N7 bus stops at corner
This fundraiser sponsored by the Northwest Evening Unit. |
