There is no issue, none, more critical today than whether the U.S. Congress passes CAFTA. So much is at stake in the treaty that will show whether the U.S. includes Latin America in to its hopes and opportunity or coldly shuts it out. And don’t think Osama Bin Laden, Hugo Chavez and Robert Mugabe aren’t watching – they are. If CAFTA loses, every single one of them will be emboldened.

This prospect is unbelievably horrible, and Bush must pay any price, battle any battle, to get this treaty passed. It is that important. If there is a political cost to him, so be it. It must pass! Whatever it takes! And the same goes for every member of Congress. CAFTA must pass. If it doesn’t, the U.S. will have neither friends nor credibility left in the world.

I spent the day on the phone talking to members of Congress on this vote. They all say it will not only be close, it will be bruising and how it comes out is anyone’s guess. Many of the Congressmen who are currently saying ‘no’ are believed to be bluffing. Others, like Chris Dodd, were for it and now are on the fence, waiting for a cue about which way the wind is blowing, wanting to be on the winning side. So there are complications that may affect the outcome. We just don’t know. All we know is that it absolutely must pass.

Are the Democrats and Republicans who oppose this critical bill so deeply buried in the pockets of Big Sugar and Dinosaur Labor that they can’t see a thing? Have they stuck their heads in the sand of socialism? Or are they willing to listen to reason and extend America’s hand of friendship, prosperity and trade to its faithful friends in this hemisphere? For America, this is the equivalent of France’s referendum test. It is terrifying. It is critical. Tomorrow, the U.S. Senate is expected to approve the treaty for a full vote in the Senate. After that, the House will follow. If this bill doesn’t pass, we will face dire consequences.

Here is a news roundup:

News:

INVESTOR’S BUSINESS DAILY warns Congress to vote for CAFTA or prepare for war, because Central America is a region engulfed in potential trouble. And because these are tiny states, anything could be tinder. The only way to kill it all dead is CAFTA.

CHICAGO TRIBUNE has an essay by William Daley of JP Morgan warning that U.S. national security is at stake if CAFTA does not pass and that the region cannot become prosperous without it. Trade is the only way out of poverty. This is a powerful essay.

THE WASHINGTON TIMES: Pro-CAFTA, warns that the U.S. will lose influence in world trade bodies like Doha Round if it does not pass. Warns about the insidiousness of Big Sugar.

Revolutionary Blogs:

CLUB FOR GROWTH: It reports that 8 out of 10 major newspapers who’ve looked at the CAFTA treaty endorse it.

SMALL BUSINESS AND ENTERPRISE COUNCIL warns that CAFTA is more about politics than economics and that politics is old line protectionism.

CLUB FOR GROWTH also reports that National Taxpayer’s Union will be offering a CAFTA fact a day for this Big Week in the CAFTA showdown.