CAFTA op-eds

Sebastian Mallaby and Andres Oppenheimer both had columns this weekend on the importance of passing CAFTA.

Mallaby references this op-ed from Sherrod Brown, in which he lays out a brief case against CAFTA. While I disagree with Brown's view on CAFTA, I agreed with his writing about how CAFTA's opponents have been demonized by the Republicans. There are people on both sides of this debate with good intentions and ideals, and demonizing your opponents is a sure way to prevent compromise.

I'll be looking for more good op-eds, editorials or blog entries on both sides of the CAFTA debate. E-mail me or add them in the comments below and I'll update this post later tonight.

UPDATE: OK, here's an update. I'll continue updating as they come in. I'm looking for op-eds and editorials that were actually published, try to make a legitimate case and don't attack the opposition party. So if it's a shrill rant about Democrats moving left or evil corporate Republicans, I'm not including it. Also added a "For Cafta, except..." category for articles that are for CAFTA, but still criticize parts of it.

If I find time, I'll add blog entries, but considering the amount of material out there, I may have to quit my day job. However, feel free to link to them in the comments section.

FOR CAFTA:
Rob Portman (WSJ)
Robert Zoellick (Washington Post)
Washington Times editorial.
Two economists (Washington Post, pro-free trade in general)
Donald Rumsfeld (Miami Herald)

AGAINST CAFTA:
Rahul Rajkumar (Boston Globe)
Ruth M. Heifetz (San Diego Union-Tribune)
Rep. Barbara Lee and Hilary Shelton (The Hill)
Herold Meyerson (Washington Post)
Barack Obama (Chicago Tribune)
John Sweeny (Boston Globe)

FOR CAFTA, EXCEPT...
Washington Post editorial