Ambassador Bruton:

I am not certain what the final tally will be in the US House of Representatives and Senate races. The Senate has more influence on foreign affairs because it must sanction all treaties the United States makes. The House, however, has more influence on finance and taxation, similar to the Lower House in the Oireachtas. There is a concern that the Democrats might be more protectionist because they represent many of the unionised workforces of plants which fear the outsourcing of their work to other parts of the world. That would make it more difficult for the US President to get the trade promotion authority he needs to negotiate treaties without those treaties being subject to detailed amendment. That in turn would make international negotiations impossible.

Ambassador Bruton:

I do not, however, share that view. I have talked to Republicans and many leading Democrats and while, like any opposition party, the Democrats will use whatever any argument they can to create difficulty for the Government of the day, faced with the choice of moving America towards protectionism or outwards to the world, they would be willing to engage in adequate trade negotiation and give their President authority to do so. The Democrats may lay greater emphasis than the Republicans on respect for International Labour Organisation standards in trade negotiations which may complicate the mandate of the World Trade Organisation. There are other changes a Democrat majority might effect but trade is the most important one with which I can deal.

Ambassador Bruton:

In regard to Iraq, I may engage in political punditry and speculation, which I am neither paid nor authorised to do, but I have never been unduly worried about.