Nancy Pelosi stuffed another critical piece of legislation in her purse – this time damaging both American interests and those of an important ally in the process.  Last week she strong armed the Democrat caucus into voting with her to indefinitely block a free trade agreement with Columbia that has been years in the making.  This is the same Pelosi and Democrat Party who have no problem making nice with the jihadists from Syria, the Castro brothers from Cuba, Ahmadinejad from Iran, or Hugo Chavez from Venezuela – but, when a crucial friend like Columbia and her reform minded President Álvaro Uribe extend a hand of hope, the Democrats give them a scorpion. 

It takes a lot for a Democrat to get blasted on the editorial pages of some of the most liberal papers in America, but Pelosi managed to accomplish just that. When she earned the reproach of both the NY Times and LA Times, one wonders just what constituency still supports her feeble “leadership.” Read below:

Los Angeles Times: Pelosi plays politics – “Pelosi’s partisan considerations should not override her national duty. She should schedule a vote on the agreement, and Congress should approve it.”  

New York Times: Time for the Colombian Trade Pact – “This deal would benefit the American economy and further the nation’s broader interests in Latin America.”

Pelosi pretended that her arrogant actions were to somehow protect America’s teetering economy. However, even the Los Angeles Times, predictable supporters of anything with a “D” attached to it, threw a fit. “Nonsense,” the LA Times editorialized about Pelosi’s shallow claims. “The economy is teetering because of a meltdown in the housing market, a credit squeeze that hampers business growth and a pullback by consumers that weakens retailers. Increasing exports of beef and frozen French fries to Bogota will not drive more sub-prime borrowers into foreclosure in Boise.”

Pelosi completely caved in to the unreasonable demands from the labor unions — who categorically oppose free trade agreements due to their supposed concern for deplorable working conditions in foreign countries. Yet, it was union organizers in Columbia who supported the FTA and Uribe– even coming to Washington to urge passage – because he had improved worker conditions and safety.

As the LA Times editorialized,  “Halting the vote wasn’t about the U.S. economy and it wasn’t about Colombia. It was politics.”

Everything with Pelosi is. 

Back in February, Pelosi buried the Senate passed FISA reauthorization, refusing to even allow the House to extend needed wiretap capabilities for American intelligence agencies to track Islamic terrorists.

The Constitution provides for the Speaker of the House to follow the Vice-President in succession to the Presidency. Someone needs to tell Pelosi that both Bush and Cheney are still on the job, and she ought to just focus on doing the work of the House, not the Executive branch, too.