Gary Locke: Militant (and Misguided) Free Trader

[Robbien]

It is frequently suggested that the Democratic Party, once fairly divided on the issue of trade policy, has moved in recent years toward the fair-trade camp. As such, while most Republicans continue to preach the free-trade orthodoxy of the 1990s with all the associated fantasia about a coming boom for U.S. manufacturers and farmers, relief of global poverty and the certain spread of democracy, Democrats are supposed to be the realists who recognize the failure of the North American Free Trade Agreement, granting permanent Most-Favored Nation status to China and other trade-related missteps of the Clinton years.

But for the critical position of Secretary of Commerce, which has a significant role in both the framing and advancement of trade policies, Obama has nominated former Washington Governor Gary Locke.

Obama says that Locke will be "a trusted voice in my Cabinet" on economic issues, while Locke says he'll make the Commerce Department -- which has traditionally been the corporate bastion in Democratic and Republican administrations -- an "active and integral partner" in shaping and promoting Obama's economic agenda.

Unfortunately, to the extent that Obama has expressed a desire to develop trade policies that are more responsive to Main Street than Wall Street, there is little reason to believe that the Commerce nominee is on board.

Locke has long been one of the Democratic Party's most ardent advocates for free trade agreements that get high marks from multinational corporations but are condemned by human rights groups and labor, farm and environmental organizations.

http://www.thenation.com/blogs/state_of_change/411955/gary_locke_militant_and_misguided_free_trader


There are way too many pro-business people in the new WH cabinet.

[elleng]

1. What about some CHANGE:

Pro-business does not mean anti-people.

[kurt_cagle]

2. Respectfully Disagree

I lived in Olympia, Washington when Gary Locke was Governor there, and we would regularly see and talk with him and his family, so I may be a bit biased, but overall, Locke struck me as intelligent, principled, and fully aware of balancing business development with social improvement. He was also the Governor of a state that had extensive trade both with Canada and with China, and as such, it's not surprising that he has a trade-oriented resume there. I can think of few people, not just politicians, that have as high a sense of integrity as Locke does, and Locke has long been considered to be one of the best governors that the state of Washington has had in a long time.

[Aristus]

3. I agree. Gary Locke was a pretty appealing Governor,

and not just because Mona Lee Locke is gorgeous!

The man has some game...

[Robbien]

4. Another article also points out how aggressive Locke is as a pro-business politico

Locke, who was known for his budget-cutting, his incrementalism, and his pandering to big business. It was Locke who negotiated a multi-billion dollar taxpayer giveaway to Boeing that set a new bar for extortionate demands as the price of doing business in Washington state.

As King County executive, Locke was known for streamlining the development process which helped to drive more growth and sprawl into the region. And it was Gov. Locke who declared a public "emergency" so that multi-billionaire Paul Allen could get a vote on building a new Seahawks stadium. Saving the Seahawks was deemed crucial to the "immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety." Too bad the Sonics didn't have Locke in office, he could have made their departure seem like the second-coming of Krakatoa.

Locke's view of government has been that of a wonkish efficiency expert who spent too much time fussing over paper-clip budgets and cutting FTEs in Olympia. He infuriated liberals who took to calling him "spineless." He may be qualified for Commerce secretary, he may even be qualified as head of the Chamber of Commerce, but he's not particularly imaginative.

No wonder Republican Dino Rossi has praised the pick as "positive" (does that give any Seattle liberals cause for pause?) The Washington congressional delegation is also excited. Rep. Norm Dicks enthuses: "In our state you've got Boeing, you've got Microsoft...you've got Starbucks. He's had a good working relationship with the business community, which I think should be a big consideration here." Locke, pal of corporate brand names; yes, we remember that Gary. Obama wants entrepreneurial innovation, but not in his own cabinet.

http://crosscut.com/2009/02/25/politics-government/18874/

Every single GOPer and Chamber of Commerce type has great words to say about Locke.

It appears more FTAs are in our future and job outsourcing will be a growth industry.

[Taverner]

5. Boeing's there, and does worldwide trade, so it doesn't surprise me

And it doesn't bother me...he was looking out for his State