Rx for Trade Policy

Beginning of article

Byline: William Krist, SPECIAL TO THE WASHINGTON TIMES

It is time for a new approach to trade policy - or more accurately, to return to bipartisanship, the approach that worked so well from the end of World War II until the mid-'90s.

Trade legislation once passed Congress with overwhelming majorities. The Tokyo Round agreement passed the House in 1979 by a 395-7 vote. As recent as 1994, the Uruguay Round Trade Agreement passed by 288-146. Contrast that with this year, when the House passed the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) by the narrowest of margins (217-215) on July 27.

To get that razor-thin victory, enormous effort was required by the administration, and a number of questionable deals were needed to get the votes. In addition to agreeing to amend the CAFTA agreement to further limit textile …