AboutJeff Coughlin Expertise I can answer any questions pertaining to the presidency, from the trivial to the sublime. I specialize in providing depth and perspective behind the motives and actions of the men who have occupied our nation's Chief Executive office.
Experience I have studied the American presidency extensively for more than thirty years. I've digested the eminent biographies of each man who has held the presidency, as well as those of several who came close. I've taught and lectured on this subject extensively.
Organizations National Information Officer's Association; International Association of FireFighters
Education/Credentials My undergraduate work was done through the College of Wooster, in Wooster, Ohio, and through Miami University of Oxford, Ohio. My education in this field has continued unabated, albeit informally, ever since.
Expert: Jeff Coughlin Date: 4/13/2008 Subject: horse trading
Question QUESTION: what is horse trading? if i understand it correctly can it be done after something is passed? for example is the columbian fta gets passed, can it then be used for horse trading, or must the horse trading occur as an agreement before cfta is passed?
ANSWER: Horse trading is an informal phrase for "Let's make a deal!" There are no actual rules because it's not a formal process. I'm sure there are as many forms of "horse trading" as there are politicians.
The two forms you mentioned are, I'm sure the most common: either, "You support the bill I have in committee and I'll support cfta," or, "I'll support cfta now if you promise to sign onto the bill I'm going to bring out next month."
In any body of government (or, I'm sure, in any corporate boardroom), the real work is done before anyone sits down at the table. Politicians HATE surprises; they fear being embarrassed in public by appearing to not know what's going on. Therefore, the back room (smoke-filled room, cloakroom, closeted chamber -- take your pick) is where the horse trading goes on.
Clear as mud? That's exactly the way they want it to be. Who do you think invented the foreign language known as "legalese?"
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QUESTION: Thanks a lot for your help! What I want to know is can horse trading be done AFTER something has been passed, or rather does it ever happen. If the Columbian FTA already passes, would anyone then ever horse trade?
Answer It's difficult to picture that scenario.
Consider this: your wife wants you to paint the fence; you want her to make your favorite meal. Now, you can make a deal. The problem is, you painted the fence two weeks ago, without her asking or without you expecting anything in return. So now, when you ask her to make that meal, she says, "What will you do for me in return?"
You can try to make the argument that you painted the fence for her weeks ago. You can say that she owes you one. Whether she sees it that way or not, though, is entirely up to her. That's not a trade, it's a chit.
