Senator Obama on Trade

Barack Obama will give American workers the attention and relief that they deserve.
Barack Obama will give American workers the attention and relief that they deserve.

George Bush's administration has brought the United States into a recession, and created the highest trade deficit ever.  Barack Obama will work to undo the damage done by the Republicans.  Barack Obama wants to give American businesses protection and access to foreign markets, instead of working for multi-national corporations, as the past administration has done. 

Barack Obama will strive to bring high labor standards and fair trade agreements to the American people.  In the past few years the economy has changed drastically, and American trade policies should have changed with it.  The United States’ trade policies need to be improved to help the American worker who has been negatively affected by the current economic downturn.  The North American Free Trade Agreement needs to be improved in order to help United States citizens as much as it helps workers living in Mexico and Canada . 

Barack Obama will work to fix NAFTA so that it is helpful to American workers.  Barack Obama does not support CAFTA because he feels that it does not do enough for American workers.  Obama is a friend to working families and will fight to help Americans have more access to foreign markets and to ensure that American trade abroad is protected and improved. 

 

Barack Obama will fight for fair trade, open foreign markets and better trade agreements.  Obama will fight for the American people and against high tariffs on US exports and unfair government subsidies for foreign exporters. 

 

Obama will strive to ease the plight of the working American family, but will not support Acts that allow corporations to control the economy while workers are ignored.   

Obama voted against CAFTA but for the Oman Free Trade Agreement. (H.R. 3045, 7/28/05; S. 3569, 6/29/06)

"I wish I could vote in favor of CAFTA. In the end, I believe that expanding trade and breaking down barriers between countries is good for our economy and for our security, for American consumers and American workers.…I meet these workers all across Illinois, workers whose jobs moved to Mexico or China and are now competing with their own children for jobs that pay 7 bucks an hour. In town meetings and union halls, I've tried to tell these workers the truth—that these jobs aren't coming back, that globalization is here to stay and that they will have to train more and learn more to get the new jobs of tomorrow. But when they wonder how they will get this training and this education, when they ask what they will do about their health care bills and their lower wages and the general sense of financial insecurity that seems to grow with each passing day, I cannot look them in the eyes and tell them that their government is doing a single thing about these problems. That is why I won't vote for CAFTA." (Press release, 6/30/05), 6/19/07)

 

Click below for more information on Barack Obama's trade policy.

Obama wants NAFTA amended - United Press International

Obama seeks to square circle on globalisation - Financial Times

Why I Oppose CAFTA - By Barack Obama

Click to download the AFL-CIO's fact flier: Barack Obama Would Fight for FAIR Trade