This last election period, the Republicans lost many seats in both the House and the Senate, not to mention the Presidency.
From the presidency to both chambers of Congress and from traditionally “free trade” Florida to Colorado and New York to New Mexico, successful candidates in 2008 election races ran on a platform of fundamental overhaul of U.S. trade and globalization policies including a growing number of Republicans, with a net increase in Congress of at least 30 fair trade supporters, according to the new report “Fair Trade Gets an Upgrade” by Public Citizen’s Global Trade Watch division. The number of fair-trade pick-ups in Congress may increase depending on the results of several races not yet called.
“The 2008 election was a veritable tipping point for fair-trade issues, which just reinforces what polls have increasingly shown: The public has had it with the current race-to-the-bottom trade and globalization model, and they voted against those who support it and for those who say they will replace it,” said Lori Wallach, director of Public Citizen’s Global Trade Watch division. “Public expectations after this trade-focused election create pressure to fix the existing trade agreements and policies while further marginalizing various Bush hangover proposals, such as an expansion of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) to Colombia, a bilateral investment treaty with China, and more financial service liberalization through the Korea Free Trade Agreement and the World Trade Organization (WTO) Doha Round.”
A total of 33 new fair-traders won seats in the House of Representatives, which represents a net change of 26. Four new fair-trade supporters won Senate seats, a net change of four. The report includes trade positions for candidates in over 130 competitive or open seat races. Public Citizen found that in 2008, campaigning on fair trade was not solely a Democratic tactic. More than a dozen incumbent and open-seat fair-trade Republicans beat back tough primary and general election challenges by campaigning on a fair-trade platform, including with paid ads. In a dozen competitive and open seat races, both the Republican and the Democrat competed in an “anti-NAFTA off,” battling to be the most critical of the status-quo trade model.
The election electoral gains for fair-traders mark the second phase (following a 37-seat net gain by fair-traders in 2006) of an unprecedented shift in the U.S. political landscape away from the disastrous trade and globalization policies of the past,” said Todd Tucker, research director of Public Citizen’s Global Trade Watch division. “The American public expects a serious debate around replacing the current model.”
The American Public is AGAINST so called Free-Trade. They want Fair-Trade.
Right now, neither the Democrat or Republican party is Championing the Protectionist Dogma.
However, as this past election shows, more Democrats are at least "saying" they are against NAFTA and all the Free-Trade Garbage. I don't know if they really mean it, but they are saying the right thing.
Some Republicans are starting to get on board the Protectionist, Fair-Trade Bus. Duncan Hunter and Tom Tancredo both blasted Free-Trade agreements during the Primary Election.
But we still have many "Free-Traders" in high positions in the Republican Party, i.e. John McCain.
However, Free-Trade is a LOSING ISSUE, not to mention a horrible policy that is sucking the lifeblood from our American Workers who have to compete against slave labor in China paying .40 cents/hr.
Here is what Republicans should do: Starting TODAY form a new Platform saying NO MORE NAFTA, NO MORE CAFTA, No more Free-Trade deals.
The Republican party needs to run on a MANUFACTURING theme in addition to a conservative social policy.
In my next blog I will reveal the main themes the Republican Party needs to Run on ASAP.
It is what I consider another Contract with America (although I would name it something different).
Jimbo
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