FREE TRADE AND COLOMBIA:

Fresh off a tour of Colombia, Rep. Jim Matheson says a free trade agreement with that South American country could boost its strength as a U.S. ally, a point President Bush also stressed Tuesday.

Matheson, a Utah Democrat, spent three days in Colombia this weekend with several other members of Congress, Labor Secretary Elaine Chao and Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez. They met with President Alvaro Uribe and toured parts of the nation that Matheson says even police would not dare to visit just a few years ago. . . . Matheson says a fair trade agreement with Colombia – the U.S. already has an agreement with Central American countries as well as Mexico and Canada – would help augment the relationship between the U.S. and Colombia and boost the economics of both as well.

It’s hard to believe that anyone would oppose that, but some people do. Here’s more on Colombia and free trade, from Investor’s Business Daily.