'We ate their lunch': How Pelosi got to 'yes' on Trump's trade deal

[brooklynite]

Politico

On Tuesday, top trade officials from the U.S., Mexico and Canada finalized a sweeping agreement to update the old NAFTA trade deal in an unusual alliance that won the backing of the powerful AFL-CIO labor federation, President Donald Trump and House Democrats. The pact appears to have widespread support in the House and Senate, giving Trump a major domestic policy victory and moderate Democrats something to sell back home as Washington is consumed by impeachment.

The deal didn’t come easy — and it was on the brink of death multiple times over the past year. Getting to yes required negotiations with an ideologically diverse coalition that included congressional Democrats, organized labor and Mexico's private sector, Canadian ministers and Trump’s hard-charging U.S. trade representative, Robert Lighthizer.

As recently as late October, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka said he saw no reason to hurry. "What's the magic about this year?" Trumka told reporters.

Even as Trumka was saying that, though, a turning point had been reached. Pelosi's demand to the Mexican officials in September had pushed labor demands to the forefront and unified Democrats behind a possible deal.

[Wellstone ruled]

1. Darn if the Speaker did not eat

Moscow Mitch's lunch once again.

[Gothmog]

2. Labor has endorsed this treaty

Link to tweet