Almost nothing the President proposes next week will be enacted into law because it's his last year in office, because politicians' minds are on next November's elections, and because the public isn't feeling any great urgency for Washington to do much of anything. In fact, only one item on the President's list will cause a major uproar. And ironically, it's supported by most Republicans, but will drive a deep wedge through the heart of the Democratic party. This is the administration's proposal to grant China permanent normal trade relations, as a necessary step toward China's membership in the World Trade Organization. Big business is ready to mount a huge lobbying campaign in favor, and the White House has already been coordinating its strategy with Washington's business lobbies.
Organized labor is ready to pour everything it has into stopping it.
The battle promises to be ferocious, and it will use up almost every bit of political capital the President has left. The first great battle of the Clinton Administration was the fight over ratification of the North American Free Trade Act. The White House ultimately won that battle, but at a heavy price. Reselling, reprinting, or redistribution for compensation of any kind without prior written permission from the author is prohibited. .