Presidential campaign issues: Trade- Clinton, McCain, Obama

[Breeze54]

Presidential campaign issues: Trade

Posted by Elizabeth Auster/ Washington Bureau February 25, 2008 18:37PM

http://blog.cleveland.com/openers/2008/02/presidential_issues_trade.html

Washington --

snip-->

The ferocity of their fighting masks a truth, however, that both campaigns acknowledge: When it comes to their actual positions on trade, there is little substantive difference between the two candidates. During the time both have been in the Senate, Obama and Clinton repeatedly have voted the same way on trade deals, and both have expressed the same concerns about pacts the Bush administration has negotiated with South Korea, Colombia, and Panama.

Both Obama and Clinton have a nuanced approach to trade that sets them apart not only from Arizona Sen. John McCain, the likely GOP nominee who has been a consistent supporter of trade deals, but also from longtime Democratic trade critics like Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown.

Unlike Brown, who advocates a sharp break from the past, both Obama and Clinton joined McCain in endorsing a recent trade deal with Peru that included stronger environmental and labor provisions than previous agreements had. They also joined McCain in voting for a trade pact with Oman in 2006 that Brown opposed.

Unlike McCain, however, both Clinton and Obama opposed a Central American pact in 2005.

More......

Record on trade:

Clinton: Opposed the CAFTA deal with Caribbean nations in 2005 but supported recent trade deals with Peru and Oman.
Voted in 2002 against giving President Bush fast-track authority to negotiate new trade deals.

Obama: Opposed the CAFTA deal with Caribbean nations in 2005 but supported trade deals with Peru and Oman.
(Wasn't serving in Senate during fast-track vote.)

McCain: Has consistent longtime record of supporting trade agreements, including CAFTA, Peru and Oman.
Voted for giving President Bush fast-track authority in 2002 to negotiate new trade deals.

--------------------------

Future trade deals:

Clinton: Would take a "time out" from pursuing new trade pacts in the early months of her administration
to review existing ones. Would insist new deals include tough labor and environmental standards.

Obama: Would insist new deals include tough labor and environmental standards.
Questions how long Clinton's "time out" would last.

McCain: Would vigorously seek to negotiate new trade agreements with other countries
to eliminate barriers to U.S. exports.

-------------------------------

New ideas:

Clinton: Would require regular reviews of all U.S. trade agreements to see if they are performing as expected.
Would appoint a special trade prosecutor and increase enforcement staff.

Obama: Would provide new tax breaks to reward companies that keep jobs in the U.S.
and offer their workers good wages and benefits.

McCain: Would overhaul unemployment insurance and job training programs to emphasize
quick retraining and other aid for workers who have lost jobs.