Buckeye State Blog - Labor Releases Memo on HRC Trade Faux Pas - Comments

Um, 3 unions do not = "Labor"

Dan Rad — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 15:06:55 -0700

3 unions do not "Labor " make...If BO only gets their members then he is in big trouble. But I have no problems with people challenging them both (HC & BO) on their stands. I see no real difference between them at this point, and for all Hillary's "support" of an achievement of her husband's administration I weigh it the same as 4 years of similar acquiescence on her opponent's part in the same opinion. NAFTA for better or worse is the law and national policy and it must be altered within the framework or else the consequences of the breach of a solemn treaty must be faced. "I told you so's" and carping are neither productive nor helpful. It(NAFTA) must be modified (without hysterical claims of evil superhighways a la Dobbs) and we need the toughest negotiator to do that. Not the nicest. Which is why I feel Hillary better here. I view her husband's affiliation with NAFTA's origination as a plus not a minus for its alteration. And after all, who knew or could credit that the past 8 years would be headed by so moronically weak a defense of our national interests by the national administration to allow NAFTA to assume its current metastasis into the one sacred cow of the government. We only suspected it back then-grin! Daniel I. Radakovich [Um BTW through March 2000 I was the only one of 4 in my D race @the time[with Ted, Rich and Marvin] to say A) we were in a tech stock bubble and the eco was not as rosy as folks thought, & B) that we needed to stress fair(er) trade not phoney "free" trade...I have not changed my mind. I also warned re. foreign interventionism and wrongful polarization of foreign policy. Ain't changed my mind on that stuff either. But like I said, "I told you so's" are not only futile, but puerile exercises. We must move on].

Sigh...

modernesquire — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 14:31:24 -0700

So because a union pushes the same misleading Newsday quote, that makes it credible?

Look both Obama and Clinton have said that they want to mend NAFTA, not end it and that they want to make the same changes to it. Obama believes that NAFTA, if modified, can lead to positive economic development. Which is exactly what Clinton said in 2006.

Obama's "Patriot Employers Act" concerns tax changes that Hillary had already proposed making.

Labor Releases Memo on HRC Trade Faux Pas

Jerid — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 09:49:04 -0700

Hot off the presses, UNITED Here International Union, Transport Workers Union, and the United Association of Plumbers and Piperfitters have a few things to say about HRC's record on trade.

MEMO: SENATOR CLINTON’S VISIT TO THE BUCKEYE STATE

TO: Interested Reporters

FR: UNITE Here International Union General President Bruce Raynor

Transport Workers Union President James Little

General President United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters William P. Hite

RE: Senator Clinton’s visit to the Buckeye State

The Clinton campaign declared that Ohio is a must win state for Senator Clinton. But Senator Clinton will face a formidable opponent in Ohio: her record. Ohio voters will judge candidates based on whether they have been consistent in standing up to special interests, opposing tax breaks for corporations that shelter their profits offshore, and fighting against unfair trade deals that cost American workers thousands of jobs.

Today, Senator Clinton will visit the Mahoning Valley and witness some of the devastation that NAFTA, PNTR and other unfair trade agreements have caused putting thousands of American workers out of jobs. As late as September 2006, Senator Clinton touted the President Clinton’s support for NAFTA.

Ohio workers know the truth about NAFTA -- Ohio ranks 5th among all states in the number of jobs and opportunities lost due to the rising trade deficit with Canada and Mexico since the passage of NAFTA. Ohio lost nearly 50,000 jobs due to NAFTA alone. And they know that PNTR did not create leverage for the U.S. over China, it led the way to a massive trade deficit, unenforced trade laws, and more Americans looking for work.

Barack Obama believes NAFTA and PNTR were the wrong policies for America – and he has introduced legislation – the Patriot Employers Act – that would eliminate tax breaks for corporations that ship jobs overseas and provide incentives for corporations to invest in their U.S. workforce.

Senator Clinton has the opportunity to come clean with Ohio voters today once and for all – was it a mistake to support NAFTA and PNTR?

More, with citations, after the break.