THAT'LL DISTRACT THE LIBERTARIANS FROM MIERS:

US to make "ambitious" farm subsidy offer - source (Doug Palmer and Sophie Walker, 10/09/05, Reuters)

The United States will tell key trading partners on Monday it is prepared to make "ambitious" domestic farm subsidy cuts if other countries make similar concessions on tough farm trade issues that stand in the way of a new global trade deal, an industry official said.

The expected U.S. offer follows weeks of consultations between U.S. Trade Representative Rob Portman and key lawmakers, including the chairmen of the House of Representatives and Senate agriculture committees who have given the chief U.S. negotiator detailed instructions on what must be in a deal to win congressional approval.

Portman is carrying the fruits of those discussions to a U.S.-hosted meeting of top trade officials from the European Union, Brazil, India and a dozen other key World Trade Organization members in Zurich. He is expected to outline broad details at a news conference on Monday in the Swiss city.