Kucinich on China Trade Bill...and How the candidates voted

[slipslidingaway]

Links here
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x1777600


http://www.epi.org/content.cfm/bp188

"The U.S. trade deficit with China has increased from $50 billion in 1997 to $235 billion in 2006, an increase of $185 billion, as shown in Table 1. Between 1997 and 2001, prior to China's entry into the WTO, the deficit increased $9 billion per year on average. Between 2001 and 2006, after China entered the WTO, the deficit increased $38 billion per year on average."


http://kucinich.house.gov/Issues/Issue/?IssueID=1466#Other%20trade%20issues:%20Permanent%20MFN%20status%20for%20China

"...Furthermore, giving China permanent MFN will be harmful to the U.S. economy, since the record trade deficit with China (and attendant problems such as loss of U.S. jobs, and lower average wages in the U.S.) will worsen. For 2000, the trade deficit was nearly $84 billion. Now that China has been awarded permanent MFN and is close to WTO membership, the trade deficit will worsen. In a September 30, 1999 report, the U.S. International Trade Commission concluded that China's accession to the WTO would cause "an increase in the U.S. trade deficit with China".

Conclusion -- There was no legal requirement to award China permanent MFN. Permanent MFN will be a drag on the U.S. economy and has cost us the best leverage we have to promote justice in China and throughout the world."

[burrowowl]

1. K&R

[Freddie Stubbs]

2. Kucinich isn't the only anti-free trade candidate

Edwards is also opposing free trade.

[slipslidingaway]

6. Look at the votes. Kucinich No, Edwards Yes and read

the statement by Kucinich at the time and now look at the jobs lost and growing deficit with China.

http://kucinich.house.gov/Issues/Issue/?IssueID=1466#Other%20trade%20issues:%20Permanent%20MFN%20status%20for%20China

"...Furthermore, giving China permanent MFN will be harmful to the U.S. economy, since the record trade deficit with China (and attendant problems such as loss of U.S. jobs, and lower average wages in the U.S.) will worsen...

Conclusion -- There was no legal requirement to award China permanent MFN. Permanent MFN will be a drag on the U.S. economy and has cost us the best leverage we have to promote justice in China and throughout the world."


Edwards voted to open up our trade with China in 2000, now in 2007 Edwards is saying what Kucinich said in 2000!

http://johnedwards.com/news/speeches/20070806-trade/

"Last year, our current account deficit was more than $850 billion, which is a staggering 6.5 percent of our nation's entire GDP, and our trade deficit with China alone was $233 billion. That means that we are consuming billions of dollars more in imported goods than we produce - and we are borrowing heavily to pay for them.

Behind all these numbers and statistics are the faces of millions of Americans forgotten in our trade deals. Well, I can tell you that I will never forget them. I saw what happened when the mill that my dad worked in all his life,

[Freddie Stubbs]

10. Sure, but his posotion has 'evolved' on that issue

Just like Kucinich's position on abortion has.

[slipslidingaway]

11. Very different issues, abortion vs. trade policy. I can understand

how someone who was raised in a certain atmosphere has evolved on the issue of abortion more than someone who has evolved on trade policy with China.


Dennis Kucinich on Abortion in America
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x50778

[LWolf]

17. This short little clip

really highlights the profound difference between Dennis Kucinich and the mainstream politician.

Recognizing the interconnectedness of the world, and of every issue we are faced with moving forward; recognizing and seeking to heal polarization, rather than exploit it...

What a president this man would make!

[Greyhound]

12. I would accept his "change of heart" if he backed it up with actions

like Congressman Kucinich has, unfortunately John Edwards is talking like a progressive but still doesn't make the definitive statements on the issues. Health care is another excellent example, his last plan required people to do business with insurance companies and guaranteed their profits, yet required nothing from them other than some vague "coverage" in exchange for billions more.

Considering how piss-poor most of the current HMO's care is, more of the same for everybody is hardly an improvement.

I really want to like John Edwards, but I just don't trust him. Of course I know that I'll hate what HRH Clinton will do and I think Senator Obama is about as two-faced as they come, so if Dennis drops out, Edwards will probably get my vote.

[AdHocSolver]

19. Edwards is the most likely to successfully push through health care reform.

Edwards had a successful career litigating in court on behalf of the "little guy" against the large corporations. He was successfull in medical malpractice and product liability lawsuits on behalf of the plaintiffs. Since his success depended on his ability to convince "ordinary" people on a jury to "vote" for his cause, I trust Edward's instincts to be successful in implementing some useful health care reform. Kucinich has the best plan for health care, a single payer system, but first you have to be elected President and then you have to convince the country and Congress to go along with your plan. I believe Edwards is our best chance on both counts.

Kucinich has good policy positions. Unfortunately, he couldn't get elected president in this country.

Clinton is not serious about health care reform. Beside the fact that, in reality, she would not likely win the presidency against any Republican, should she become the nominee, her stated promise to implement health care reform by the end of her SECOND term, tells me that there is NO health care reform on her agenda.

Whoever becomes president would have to push for reform in the first 100 days while they had political capital to spend on it. The next Congress is going to have a slim Democratic majority. No one knows who would be elected President in 2012, and no one knows which party would have a majority after 2012. So Clinton's assuming that she would be President after the 2012 election AND have a Democratic majority in Congress tells me that she possesses extreme hubris and may be delusional. In any case, she is not serious about health care reform, whatever the "merits" of her plan.

[Romulox]

9. I can't find a repudiation of free trade anywhere on John Edward's website...

And I've seen him on TV defending NAFTA and MFN for China recently. Edwards is promising job training for those laid off and the like, but his is essentially a free trader.

"Today, John Edwards proposed "smart trade" policies: insisting on pro-worker provisions in new deals, holding trade partners to their commitments, investing more in dislocated workers and communities, and ensuring that imports are safe.
He believes that the U.S. should not enter any new trade deals that do not meet these tests."

http://johnedwards.com/issues/trade/

As to existing trade deals, John Edwards is suspiciously silent...

[Vidar]

3. Kucinich is right & ignored (not here) as always. Recommended.

[Adelante]

4. Canadidates' votes (from the link in OP)

YES

Biden
Dodd
Edwards

NO

Kucinich

[slipslidingaway]

7. I was lazy, thanks. Also still amazed at how the AFL-CIO Vote

2008 page selectively included or excluded the votes on this bill :(

[LWolf]

5. It's telling to see

what "justice" means to different people. To some, it means destroying a whole nation of people in the name of "democracy," where "democracy" means "our wealthy power holders can gain more wealth and power by exploiting more people." To others, it means justice for the people being exploited.

[slipslidingaway]

8. Yes :( n/t

[Greyhound]

13. Right on the money, as usual.

If only he would kow-tow to our masters...

















Oh, screw them. No more capitulation, no more blood for oil, no more bribery, no more, ever.


:kick: & R

[Cameron27]

14. K&R

Kucinch was right, again.

[slipslidingaway]

15. Thanks for the K&R's, Dennis covered some of the problems

with trade deals and the trade deficit on the Ed Schultz show.

links here
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x3514447

[antigop]

16. Kick n/t

[slipslidingaway]

18. Do we really need money from China?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxpnAhPXp04