The horror, the horror! I just heard Cokie Roberts, National Public Radio's political analyst, tell listeners that the Democrats would suffer if they oppose President Bush's trade agenda, because they would be "on the wrong side of history." It would be great to be able to know the future course of history, but I question whether Ms. Roberts really has such knowledge. Has she looked into the out years of the 21st century and determined that the copyright and patent protection will become ever more stringent? Will the heirs of the Clinton-Bush trade agenda have our homes, offices, and public places thoroughly wired so that anyone using an unauthorized reproduction of copyrighted can be immediately apprehended and prosecuted? Will they have bathtub labs carefully policed so that anyone attempting to manufacture lifesaving drugs that are subject to patent protection will be harshly prosecuted for interferring with Pfizer and Merck's profits? That may be what the future holds, but I would like to think that it is still contested, not predetermined, as Ms. Roberts claims. Of course, those opposing this future would have a better chance if they didn't have to pay taxes so that "experts" like Ms. Roberts could tell the public that they have no chance.
--Dean Baker
