Free Trade Hurts American Workers, AFL-CIO Director Says

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/business/jan-june07/globalization_02-14.html

Free Trade Hurts American Workers, AFL-CIO Director Says

As the U.S. trade deficit hits a record $800 billion a year and manufacturing jobs continue to flow overseas, AFL-CIO policy director Thea Lee discusses free trade's impact on U.S. jobs.

GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States: I would suggest moving back, because I'm about to crank this sucker up.

PAUL SOLMAN, NewsHour Economics Correspondent: The president was visiting a Caterpillar plant in Illinois recently, trying to drum up support for accelerating free trade by having Congress grant him so-called fast-track authority to negotiate new tariff reductions.

GEORGE W. BUSH: It's a topic of hot debate. The temptation is to say, "Well, trade may not be worth it. Let's isolate ourselves. Let's protect ourselves."

PAUL SOLMAN: The president is talking about a growing tide of opposition from the Democratic Congress and new members, like Betty Sutton of Ohio, whose district is hemorrhaging manufacturing jobs.

THEA LEE, AFL-CIO: This is not hypothetical any more, 200,000 jobs lost since NAFTA.

PAUL SOLMAN: Urging Sutton to crack free trade down was Thea Lee, policy director of the AFL-CIO.

THEA LEE: We represent American workers, and that's always going to be our top concern, is looking after their jobs, their wages, their benefits.

Check out thge full stroy and the video at the link.

[Deja Q]

1. Isolationism and protectionism? Isn't that, like, national security?

How is the economy, which the world is tied to us on, separate?

Holy confusion, Batman!

[BayCityProgressive]

2. so then

hopefully they aren't stupid enough to endorse a free trade Democrat again. I am sick of unions and interest groups blindly endorsing dems without even making any demands. The Dem Party would be NOTHING without the union vote. Labor should DEMAND substantial change or withhold their endorsement.

[OhioChick]

3. You're absolutely right. n/t

[POAS]

4. Wow, talk about stating the obvious!