President Bush said he will Tuesday send Congress a controversial trade agreement with Colombia, setting up a high-stakes legislative showdown that is likely to keep trade at the center of political debate for months…. Democrats say Colombia hasn't done enough to stem widespread anti-union violence, which has resulted in the murders of more than 2,500 labor activists since 1986. Most of the killings have gone unpunished, though the Colombian government in 2007 created a special unit to pursue such cases. Last year, 26 unionists were killed. Already this year, 17 more have died. (USA Today, Tuesday)
How about real free trade?
FEE Timely Classic
Why Managed Trade Is Not Free Trade by Robert Batemarco