Elections Give Big Boost to Trade Reform

by James Parks, Nov 10, 2008

U.S. workers opposed CAFTA because it would destroy good jobs here and in Central America.

Working people delivered a clear and decisive message in the Nov. 4 election: We want our political leaders to overhaul the nation’s failed trade policies and put creating good jobs at the center of a new coherent global economic strategy. 

Not only did voters elect a new president who favors trade reform, but workers across the country sent dozens of new members to Congress who vowed to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) model of free trade.

Says United Steelworkers (USW) President Leo Gerard:

An overwhelming majority of the public understands that unregulated global trade, combined with unregulated financial and employment markets, has created an economic catastrophe for workers. Our members are committed to working with fair trade leaders in the House and Senate to fight to put workers first in a new trade regime.

At least 34 new House member and five new senators ran on platforms calling for major changes in trade policy, according to Public Citizen’s Global Trade Watch. Click here to read the full Trade Watch report.

Among those incumbents who lost seats because of their trade stances are Reps. Phil English (R-Pa.) and Robin Hayes (R-N.C.), both of whom provided the two final votes passing the controversial Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA). Democrat Kathy Dahlkemper beat English, a senior member of the House Ways and Means Committee, who voted against CAFTA twice in committee, but supported it on the floor. Former textile worker Larry Kissell, a Democrat, defeated incumbent Hayes, who had committed to oppose both CAFTA and Fast Track in 2001 but instead became the passing vote in favor of each. 

Typical of the new lawmakers is Sen.-elect Jeff Merkley of Oregon, who, the day after the election, told PBS:

We’ve been shipping our jobs overseas by subsidizing the construction operation of foreign factories; that makes no sense.

And I think we have to approach our economy as one that we build by having strong families. Strong families, the foundation is a living wage job.

These victories, which follow an influx of trade reformers elected to Congress in 2006, provide the strongest opportunity to fundamentally change the nation’s trade policies.

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