Kerry, Edwards Refuse to Join Kucinich in Protecting U.S. Jobs [View All]

[The Sushi Bandit]

http://www.kucinich.us/pressreleases/pr_022604.php

Congressman Dennis Kucinich tonight challenged Senators John Edwards and John Kerry to save American jobs by joining him in his pledge to cancel the North American Free Trade Agreement. Both refused.

In a nationally televised debate on CNN, Kucinich said that because of NAFTA and the U.S.'s membership in the World Trade Organization, not only are American jobs being "outsourced" to foreign countries, but the U.S. is powerless to stop foreign nations from unfair competitive practices. Kucinich cited an occasion when Congress was unable to protect American steel jobs from foreign competition because the WTO overruled the legislation.

Kucinich renewed his pledge to cancel NAFTA and the WTO by executive order as his first act in office.

Neither Kerry nor Edwards would commit to canceling NAFTA. Kerry voted for NAFTA and has consistently voted for other comparable trade agreements. Kerry and Edwards both voted for the China trade agreement.

Kucinich has been consistent in his opposition to so-called free trade.

Edwards and Kerry both discussed plans to "fix" the trade agreements. The fact is they cannot be altered. Any proposed change can be overruled by the WTO.

Free trade agreements have resulted in the loss of millions of American manufacturing jobs. Internationally, they have failed to uphold workers rights and environmental standards.

A Kucinich administration would return to bilateral trade conditioned on workers rights, human rights, and environmental quality principles.