William Eldridge "Bill" Frenzel died last Monday, November 17. He was 86, and in those eighty-six years he packaged a distinguished Congressional career, enormous contributions to American democracy and global trade, and thousands of friendships. The Global Business Dialogue and those who work with it were among the beneficiaries of his insights and generosity, for he was a friend of GBD who served on both the First and Second (current) GBD Board of Advisers.
Public policy is always a cooperative effort, but with any major achievement, certain men and women stand out. For the North American Free Trade Agreement, for NAFTA, Bill was one of those. So too was former Secretary of Commerce Bill Daley. In recognition of their contributions to making NAFTA a reality, both men were honored recently with the
Order of the Aztec Eagle, the highest award the Government of Mexico can bestow on a foreign national. The October 20 ceremony was held at the Mexican Cultural Institute in Washington.
Though not many knew it, Bill Frenzel was already very sick. Still, he stood up and gave a remarkable acceptance speech. It was the source of today's quote, and we offer it here in its entirety.
On Receiving The Order of the Aztec Eagle
at the Mexican Cultural Institute in Washington, DC
By Bill Frenzel
For me this is a Great day! I have so many people to thank that I don't know where to begin.
Well, that's not quite accurate, because in our family everything begins with Ruthy. May I first then introduce my Queen, my Advisor, and my Love of 65 years. Ruthy Frenzel!
Then let's start with Ambassador Eduardo Medina-Mora, and the Government and people of Mexico. How appropriate to honor one of the world's great Trade Treaties on its 20th Anniversary! Thank Heavens they did not forget. And how especially thoughtful of them to present this bi-partisan tribute to a minor-league parliamentarian and equate him to a Cabinet level all-star like Bill Daley.
And another big thanks is due to Bill Clinton and his Trade Team, Mickey [Kantor] and Bill [Daley] and the others, for giving me one more chance to participate in NAFTA, which is every day proving that it was, and is, a premier Trade Treaty. I had tried to work closely with Carla and the Bush Trade Team, when it all began, and it was a real thrill to be invited back to help with the ratification. All those players were giants and all treated me just as though I knew what was going on.
And how sweet it is to remember that the work led to success. Like Gene Tunney, Bill and I were able to retire undefeated from the treaty ratifying business. It was a perfect relationship. We didn't bother each other. The job got done. Like Cincinnatus, we went home and picked up our plows. We, of course, are just symbols for this Anniversary. The Star is NAFTA!
From the very beginning, for me, NAFTA was as much an exercise in Foreign Policy and regional comity as it was in Trade Policy. I pray that it has, and will continue to draw our countries closer together in all respects. As we continue various Trade negotiations, especially the big ones in the Pacific and Atlantic, we need NAFTA to remind us that we do better working together than separately.
And I don't forget that NAFTA took three to tango. Each country had important constituencies to protect, and each had to concede more than it wanted to. I thank all those dedicated negotiators, in Mexico, in Canada, and in the US. Unless one is a negotiator, it is hard to understand how difficult those decisions are. Negotiators must press for their own goals. They can get impatient. They get mad. But they must also respect the positions of their counterparts as well.
I hope NAFTA also reminds us that Trade Treaties are made by majorities, but they affect everyone. The majorities that make them cannot ignore the wants and needs of those who object to them. Majorities can act, but they should not bully. We are all in this together.
Nor can I forget that NAFTA worked its way through two U.S. Administrations. Bless those old days when we could recognize, on a bi-partisan basis that we had achievable, common goals. They were not consensus. They were not perfect. Many were temporary. But, even when it was a difficult, or uneasy compromise, we could achieve a majority. Here in the USA, we desperately need to recapture that old spirit.
And a final special thanks to all of you who came today. You have brightened my day, week and year, and renewed my belief that there is a personal reward for public service. Mr. Ambassador, your beautiful Aztec Eagle is its symbol, but, if we occasionally get it right, the real pay-off is in a better living for us, our hemispheric neighbors, and the world.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you all. NAFTA! OLÉ!
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Editor's Note. We were not among those who attended this event, but
Meredith Broadbent, Chairman of the U.S. International Trade Commission, was. She could see that Bill had written remarks and asked him for a copy. He gave her his text, and she has kindly shared it with us. We thank her for that. We also thank her for the doodle below.