Free trade?

We all know President Bush is a free-trader, at least until he bows before lobby groups, like on softwood lumber:

"A powerful U.S. lumber lobbying group, the Washington-based Coalition for Fair Lumber Imports, accused the ECC committee under NAFTA of ignoring its duty to take corrective action to protect the U.S. lumber market, not just uphold or deny prior NAFTA rulings.

'As in every prior case, the NAFTA committee failed to take corrective action,' said coalition chairman Steve Swanson. 'But the U.S. lumber industry will not allow U.S. sawmills, mill worker and family timberland owners to be crushed by unfair imports.'" [emphasis added]

Last time I checked, NAFTA bodies are not supposed to protect domestic industries, but ensure free and fair trade between the partners. The ECC is doing its duty, and just because U.S. lumber interests don't like its decision, doesn't mean the government should follow their policy suggestions.