Obama and Hillary on trade

[jackson_dem]

Trade is an important issue to me and many Edwardians. One of the differences between him and the other two was his protectionist streak. I used Kerry and Kennedy to provide some context to these votes (something certain folks never did for Edwards' votes, but that is all in the past now :( ).

Both Hillary and Obama did not vote on the Peru bill but both supported it. They also supported South Korea trade. Edwards opposed both. In fact Edwards' trade record is slightly to the left of the liberal lion's because of Peru.

Obama

Date Bill Title Vote
12/04/2007 United States-Peru Trade Agreement NV
09/19/2006 U.S.-Oman Free Trade Agreement Implementation Y
06/29/2006 U.S. -Oman Free Trade Agreement Y
07/28/2005 CAFTA Implementation Bill N
06/30/2005 CAFTA Implementation Bill N

Hillary

Date Bill Title Vote
12/04/2007 United States-Peru Trade Agreement NV
09/19/2006 U.S.-Oman Free Trade Agreement Implementation Y
06/29/2006 U.S. -Oman Free Trade Agreement Y
07/28/2005 CAFTA Implementation Bill N
06/30/2005 CAFTA Implementation Bill N
07/07/2003 U.S.-Chile Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act Y
07/07/2003 U.S.-Singapore Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act Y
08/01/2002 Trade Act of 2002 N

Kerry

Date Bill Title Vote
12/04/2007 United States-Peru Trade Agreement Y
09/19/2006 U.S.-Oman Free Trade Agreement Implementation Y
06/29/2006 U.S. -Oman Free Trade Agreement Y
07/28/2005 CAFTA Implementation Bill N
06/30/2005 CAFTA Implementation Bill N
07/07/2003 U.S.-Chile Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act NV
07/07/2003 U.S.-Singapore Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act NV
08/01/2002 Trade Act of 2002 Y
09/19/2000 U.S.-China Relations Act of 2000 Y
09/13/2000 China Nonproliferation Act Y
05/11/2000 Africa Free Trade bill Y
11/03/1999 Africa Free Trade bill Y
07/17/1997 Most Favored Nation Repeal Amendment N

Kennedy

Date Bill Title Vote
12/04/2007 United States-Peru Trade Agreement Y
09/19/2006 U.S.-Oman Free Trade Agreement Implementation NV
06/29/2006 U.S. -Oman Free Trade Agreement N
07/28/2005 CAFTA Implementation Bill N
06/30/2005 CAFTA Implementation Bill N
07/07/2003 U.S.-Chile Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act N
07/07/2003 U.S.-Singapore Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act N
08/01/2002 Trade Act of 2002 N
09/19/2000 U.S.-China Relations Act of 2000 Y
09/13/2000 China Nonproliferation Act Y
05/11/2000 Africa Free Trade bill N
11/03/1999 Africa Free Trade bill NV
07/17/1997 Most Favored Nation Repeal Amendment N

[OHdem10]

1. Call Me a Liberal Lion of Peru. These trade deals are the

biggest threat to Democracy. Destroying the Middle Class.

An Eonomist from U. Chicago (hardly a bastian of liberal thought)
explained before one Sen. Schumer"s committees. These individual
Trade Deals do more harm than any. This is not free trade. First
of all there is no comparative advantage. We are a large wealthy???
country Peru small poor country. Their poor workers cannot afford
our products. So the trade is essentially one way. We will buy
many more of their products than they can ever afford of ours.
So we give up jobs( a way of life for our citizens) in order for
Business to have cheap labor and other advantages. The elites who
already create havoc in our party benefit --their stock prices
and payments go up.

No I am not a protectionist. Kerry knows and has admitted on
C_-Span that American Salaries must fall in order for trade
to work around the world. It is ok with the FreeTraders for
America lose the Middle Class. Lip Service does not count.

I am not saying Stop World , I want to get off. I am saying
I am sick of Politicians talking out of 4corners of their mouth.

Kerry is not studpid. He can figure this out.Right Now the
Wall Street Crowd has them in a Vice. Trade must go on. They
are spine challenged and owe their sould to Wall Street.

When the medium income is 20,000 annually and that is not
going to be far down the road, will you then be willing to
say Edwards was right.

[jackson_dem]

3. Edwards was right

Unfortunately we are stuck with two candidates who will continue the "free" trade regime starting by Bush 41. I posted this thread in the hope a supporter of either would shed some light on their candidate's position and that maybe one would prove to be superior on this issue. Apparently there isn't a dime's worth of differences between them on trade. No wonder the corporatists were hellbent to drive Edwards out of the race.

[Bread and Circus]

2. Edwards votes from the same site

If Edwards is the ultimate standard, it is fair to include his record too (just for reference). This is not to heap disrespect on Edwards, I just want a little perspective here.

Trade Issues
(Back to top)

Date Bill Title Vote
07/07/2003 U.S.-Chile Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act N
07/07/2003 U.S.-Singapore Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act N
08/01/2002 Trade Act of 2002 N

09/19/2000 U.S.-China Relations Act of 2000 Y

Project Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill to extend permanent normal trade relations to China.

09/13/2000 China Nonproliferation Act Y

Project Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to table (kill) an amendment that requires the U.S. to place sanctions on countries, including China, if they are selling weapons of mass destruction (WMDs).

05/11/2000 Africa Free Trade bill N
11/03/1999 Africa Free Trade bill N

[jackson_dem]

4. Edwards' voting record is identical to Ted Kennedy's

The only difference between them is Peru, which Edwards opposed. You didn't post the whole record. Edwards opposed CAFTA, Peru, South Korea, and presumably also Oman, although I have not heard a statement from him on it. He railed against NAFTA. He opposed every trade bill to come down the pike during his career except one which Kennedy, Leahy, and other progressives voted for (although some voted against it. The point is it did not look as bad at the time as it does in hindsight) and a Democratic president pushed and signed.

Edwards is not the ultimate standard but he is the most protectionist any viable presidential candidate can be.

I already included Kerry, a free trader, and Kennedy, the greatest champion of working folk alive today, for perspective.

Nice snark. This is why many Edwardians will have trouble getting behind Obama. It was Obamites who attacked him constantly in the blogosphere, not Hillarites. Did you show us who else voted for that amendment? Kennedy and Kerry also voted the same way as Edwards on that. Why don't you tell us why they did? What was the legislative history, context, and arguments pro and con? If Kennedy voted for it one must think there was a good reason for it.

Edwards is gone. The need to swiftboat him no longer exists. Go clink your wine glasses because you guys were wildly successful in swiftboating him.

[Hippo_Tron]

5. I care less about how they vote on trade deals and more on how they will negotiate them as President

I support open trade in principle but I don't agree with a lot of the provisions in some of these trade deals. With Fast Track Authority the President gets to negotiate trade deals and submit them to congress for an up or down vote with no amendments.

Whether someone voted Yea or Nea on the trade agreement doesn't tell me all that much about their position on trade, unless they explain specifically why they voted Yea or Nea.

[jackson_dem]

6. They have the same approach to trade so they will likely negotiate them the same way

Although we will never know for sure since, obviously, only one will be president over the next 4 or 8 years.

[Hippo_Tron]

7. As I said, voting is very different from writing trade deals

Presidents get to edit the individual provisions of the deals and that is what I care about. Congresspeople only get to vote YEA or NEA. I want the President to send Congress good trade deals and for Congress to vote YEA on them.

[jackson_dem]

8. Look at their statements on trade

They have the same outlook on trade.