California snubs “Columbia” free trade

With unemployment over 12% and a budget deficit the size of its Central Valley, one might think that California would welcome new opportunities to open markets for its products.  Instead, the legislature passed a resolution condemning a proposed free-trade agreement with Colombia, even though the agreement would actually create reciprocity for American products in regards to the already-established open trade for Colombian exports.  As Investors Business Daily reports, the move demonstrates the grip of organized labor on California’s governing class:

After its legislature passed a resolution condemning free trade with Colombia, you have to wonder: Is California being led by rank simpletons or actual enemies of the state?

In an official document that in one place misspelled “Colombia,” California’s assembly voted 43-27 last week to urge the U.S. Congress to approve Joint Resolution 27, stating: “The Legislature of the State of California strongly urges the United States Congress to oppose a free trade agreement between the United States and Colombia.”

Given California’s high unemployment (12.3% in July, third highest in the nation) and lowly financial condition (the government is virtually bankrupt), the act borders on dereliction of duty. At the very least it reeks of special-interest politics, the work of a little cartel looking out for itself and no one else.

The subject heading for the initial hearing of the resolution reads “Columbia-U.S. free trade agreement,” although Colombia is spelled correctly throughout the rest of the document.  It’s also in the final version, emphasis mine:

WHEREAS, The Office of the Attorney General of Columbia does not attempt to investigate all outstanding unsolved murder cases, but rather only the subset of cases that have been previously presented to the International Labor Organization and new murder cases from 2006 onward; and …

It’s an easy mistake to make — I have made it myself in the past — but for an official communication, it should embarrass the legislature that intended to use this to scold Colombia.  More importantly, it should anger the people of California, who could create jobs through exports to Colombia in agriculture and high-tech manufacturing.  Political hacks in Sacramento may be more worried about pleasing their union cronies than working to repair California’s economy, but the voters will have different priorities in this election year.

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