For Immediate Release
December 28, 2007

For More Info: James Ploeser: (515) 494-4315
Lori Wallach: (202) 441-7369

*** Check Here to View Complied Candidate Statements. To receive the full candidate statements by email, contact iowafairtrade@gmail.com

Iowa Fair Trade Campaign Releases First-Ever Compilation of Candidates’ In-Depth Trade Positions Provided in Response to Campaign’s Letter of Principles

As Candidates Jack up Trade Rhetoric in Final Caucus Sprint, Coalition of Labor, Faith, Family Farm, other Iowa Groups Reveal Substance of Candidates’ Positions

Des Moines- As candidates increasingly sharpen their rhetoric on trade and offshoring in the final Caucus sprint, the Iowa Fair Trade Campaign released statements from all six Democratic candidates competing in the Iowa Democratic Caucus detailing their trade and globalization positions. These new statements, providing the most comprehensive view of the policy differences and similarities among the candidates, were provided by the campaigns in response to a letter sent by the Iowa Fair Trade Campaign and the Iowa AFL-CIO. The letter is signed by numerous Regional Labor Councils, the Iowa Farmers Union, and scores of faith, environmental, consumer and other labor and family farm groups.

“Because what the next president does on trade and globalization issues will greatly shape our nation’s future and the prospects for our families now, we thought it was critical to get past the rhetoric and generalities that had characterized most candidate’s approach to these issues,” said James Ploeser, organizer for the Iowa Fair Trade Campaign. “The detailed trade policies unveiled in these statements and in our compilation of responses by category allow prospective caucus goers to make educated decisions about the candidates based on what Iowa organizations laid out as important components for a new model for trade agreements and what constitutes ‘fair trade.’”

The 2008 Iowa Fair Trade Statement was sent to candidates with a cover letter requesting their views on the principles for an acceptable trade and globalization policy set forth by the major Iowa labor, family farm, faith and other signatory groups. The Iowa Fair Trade statement laid out principles on 5 key elements of trade and globalization policy:

• Replacing the Fast Track trade negotiating process;
• What must and must not be included in all future agreements;
• Reviewing and, as necessary, renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and other existing trade agreements;
• Changing course on the current Doha Round World Trade Organization (WTO) expansion negotiations;
• Combating the trade deficit/offshoring crisis, including by addressing currency manipulation, enforcing U.S. trade laws and taking other measures.

“As well as helping voters analyze candidates actual policy positions vs. the sometimes heated rhetoric, the candidates’ responses also provide the starting point for the policy changes each has committed to implementing if he or she is elected president,” said Ploeser.

The Iowa Fair Trade Campaign statement notes that “Current corporate-dominated trade policies have failed Iowa and the nation.” It describes briefly some of the damage now being wrought on jobs, wages, family farm incomes and product and food safety by current policies.

“After 13 years, we have seen that the NAFTA model doesn’t mean more jobs, higher wages, or a cleaner environment - in Iowa, Mexico, or anywhere elsewhere,” the statement continues. “To improve the lives of workers and the poor, not just the wealthy and the powerful - here and around the world - we need an entirely new set of rules and institutions.”

The negative effects of current trade and globalization policies has proved an election priority to Iowans and recent polling shows that economic concerns have now risen above Iraq as priority. During the 2006 election, 26 congressional NAFTA-CAFTA-supporting incumbents were defeated by fair trade challengers nationwide (See http://www.citizen.org/hot_issues/issue.cfm?ID=1471). In Iowa, two GOP House seats were taken by Democratic challengers who focused their campaigns on their opponents’ support for more-of-the-same trade policies and called for a new trade model. In Iowa’s First District open seat race following the retirement of Jim Nussle, Rep. Bruce Braley beat a GOP candidate whose support for NAFTA was so vocal that the GOP labeled the race a NAFTA rematch. In Iowa District 2, Rep. Dave Loebsack beat Rep. Jim Leach a long time consistent pro NAFTA-CAFTA-WTO supporter. A Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg poll of Iowa Democrats conducted in September found that by 42% to 33% they favored a candidate who believes trade pacts hurt the U.S. economy over one who believes they benefit the economy.

“Too often global trade policy is reduced into vague soundbites about protecting American jobs and enforcing U.S. laws,” said State Senator Joe Bolkcom, (D-Iowa City), who is also staff with Working Families Win-Iowa, one of the Fair Trade Statement signatories. “These candidate responses move beyond soundbites and hopefully allow citizens to understand whether candidates are serious about changing the NAFTA model that has done so much damage to Iowa.”

*** Check Here to View Complied Candidate Statements. To receive the full candidate statements by email, contact iowafairtrade@gmail.com

Visit www.iowafairtrade.org to see the candidates’ detailed positions and read the full text of the Iowa Fair Trade Campaign statement.

This is from Iowa Public TV:

Republican candidates:

Democratic candidates:

Date: November 19th, 2007

Situation: Town Hall in Fort Dodge, IA, at Iowa Central Community College - Public Question

Question: Bad trade deals have sent good jobs overseas. What will you do to support the American workers and restore the middle class?

Answer: Senator Obama said he would “remove tax incentives for US businesses that offshore jobs” and would instead “establish tax incentives for companies that create or keep good jobs here”. He went on to recommend that we put labor and environmental standards into all new trade deals and that we take measures to protect US consumers from lead paint in toys by establishing our inspectors in other countries before export, before entering onto US soil. He also said a new energy economy and investments in vital infrastructure would create good jobs.

Date: October 27th, 2007

Situation: Presidential Candidates Forum in Person – Rural Youth Summit – Ames, IA

Question: Senator Obama was asked about the changing face of rural America and what he would do to reform immigration laws so as to respect the contributions of immigrants and keep immigrant families together.

Answer: Senator Obama responded that he backed comprehensive immigration reform - the standard talking points – secure border, path to citizenship, new applicants at the end of the line - but also that people are coming to this country because agribusiness is pushing people off the land in other countries, and that we need to stand up to them as well.

Question: Trade agreements like NAFTA have hurt family farmers. What is your stance on further trade agreements?

Answer: Senator Obama responded that he wants to include strong labor and environmental standards in any new agreement, and that he would amend any past trade deals to include strong provisions. He also stated that he would revisit the NAFTA Chapter on Agriculture, which has been devastating for family farmers and caused millions of peasant farmers off the land in Mexico and the reason for influx of immigrants. He said the same principles would have to apply to any new agreements, like the several now pending, and that he would not initiate new agreements that did not include those standards and bring affected parties to the negotiating table.