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The battle over legislation to grant China Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) with the U.S. was perhaps the costliest political fight ever waged on Capitol Hill. The corporate campaign had to overcome the 79% of the U.S. public which opposed enhancing U.S.-China trade terms absent addressing human rights, religious freedom and labor conditions. In a stunning exhibit in the case regarding the corrosive effect of money on the American political system, Congress passed PNTR over this broad public opposition after an unprecedented corporate deluge of campaign cash, lobbying and paid advertising. |