Presidential Candidates Get Specific on Trade

For Immediate Release
Contact: Arthur Stamoulis, 503-736-9777

Presidential Candidates Get Specific on Trade
Senators Clinton and Obama Detail Their Views for the Oregon Fair Trade 
Campaign

PORTLAND, OR -- Presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama 
detailed their views on trade policy in questionnaire responses released 
today by the Oregon Fair Trade Campaign.  According to their responses,
both 
believe that the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) has done more

to hurt than to help the U.S. economy, and that United States needs to 
change the way it conducts international trade.  The Democratic candidates

both voiced support for renegotiating NAFTA and expressed opinions on the 
different provisions of existing trade pacts.

"The unprecedented amount of attention presidential candidates are
devoting 
to trade policy reflects the broad public perception that existing trade 
agreements are not benefiting ordinary Americans," said Arthur Stamoulis, 
director of the Oregon Fair Trade Campaign.  "The increased focus on trade

in the current election has shifted the political debate from whether past

trade policies were sound to what new policy changes are required."

In addition to voicing support for new labor and environmental standards
in 
trade agreements, both Senators Clinton and Obama expressed support for:

-Eliminating corporate tax breaks that act as an incentive for offshoring 
U.S. jobs;
-Eliminating trade provisions that grant foreign investors greater rights 
than U.S. citizens;
-Insisting that new trade agreements require imported products to meet
U.S. 
safety standards; and
-Allowing developing countries to protect themselves from agricultural 
dumping.

Senator Obama also expressed support for renegotiating existing trade 
agreements to allow for "Buy America" and "Buy Local" procurement
policies, 
while Senator Clinton expressed support for prioritizing American global 
warming policies over existing trade agreement obligations.

National polling results released May 1 by the Pew Research Center found, 
"There is now broad agreement that free trade negatively affects wages,
jobs 
and economic growth in America.  By greater than six-to-one, the public
says 
free trade agreements result in job losses rather than in new jobs."  More

so, a greater majority of independent voters had a negative view of the 
impact of free trade than registered Democrats.

"The fact that so many independent voters are unhappy with the direction
of 
U.S. trade policy suggests that trade will continue to be a major election

issue through November," said Stamoulis.

Senator John McCain refused to respond to the questionnaire.  Congressman 
Ron Paul failed to answer the specific questions posed in the
questionnaire, 
but did provide a statement available on the Oregon Fair Trade Campaign's 
website.  Dr. Paul's statement and the full questionnaire responses of 
Senators Clinton and Obama are available online at:
www.oregonfairtrade.org

The Oregon Fair Trade Campaign is a statewide coalition of more than
twenty 
labor, environmental and human rights organizations that advocates for
trade 
policies that prioritize quality jobs in communities across Oregon; create

markets for Oregon products by raising living standards in neighboring 
countries; enforce consistent standards for labor and the environment
across 
borders; and allow local producers to compete on a level playing field.

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Hillary Clinton's Completed Questionnaire (PDF)
http://www.citizenstrade.org/pdf2/ClintonResponse.pdf

Barack Obama's Completed Questionnaire (PDF)
http://www.citizenstrade.org/pdf2/ObamaResponse.pdf

Ron Paul's Response (PDF)
http://www.citizenstrade.org/pdf2/PaulResponse.pdf