Reply #5: Kerry on trade

[Feanorcurufinwe]

(2) STRONG ENFORCEABLE TRADE THAT WORKS FOR AMERICA. The Bush Administration has not cracked down on countries that are avoiding trade laws or manipulating currency. President Bush has supported cutting funds for trade enforcement, despite the fact that we need more enforcement of trade laws to stop the manufacturing job drain. Some Democrats pretend that we can close our doors to the global economy. John Kerry believes we need strong leadership to assure that the global economy works for America.

• Assure Trading Partners Play by the Rules. Some nations have consistently violated agreements by the World Trade Organization. They have taken unfair actions to block U.S auto companies from selling in their markets. Many products from China are counterfeit or don’t meet industry standards. While this Administration has not used the remedies available under the World Trade Organization to crack down on these violations and help U.S industries, John Kerry would.

• Stop Countries from Manipulating Currency. China, Japan and other nations have purposely kept their currency undervalued relative to the U.S. dollar to promote exports in the United States and undermine U.S. products abroad. John Kerry believes we must use the full force of the World Trade Organization to take on countries that are manipulating their currency to undermine U.S. exports.

• Enforce and Strengthen Intellectual Property Protections. In the 21st economy, the U.S. relies more heavily on international partnerships and joint ventures. Intellectual property protections are essential in this environment so that companies can share their technology without losing control of it.

• Break Down Barriers in Key Export Markets. This Administration has done little to open key export markets in places like Japan and Korea. Some countries use non-tariff barriers, such as making it difficult to access finance or have obscure investment requirements, to undermine U.S. exports. For example, auto exports to Japan are still essentially blocked by complicated rules. John Kerry would use all the available tools, including Section 301 of the 1974 Trade Act, WTO remedies, and diplomatic measures to open these markets.

• Review Existing Trade Agreements. John Kerry will also order an immediate 120 day review of all existing trade agreements to ensure that our trade partners are living up to their labor and environment obligations and that trade agreements are enforceable and are balanced for America’s workers. He will consider necessary steps if they are not. And John Kerry will not sign any new trade agreements until the review is complete and its recommendations put in place. He believes all new trade agreements must have strong labor and environmental standards.
http://www.johnkerry.com/news/releases/pr_2003_0922b.html



Protect a Clean Environment in Trade Agreements: John Kerry believes that free trade agreements should include provisions to protect the labor and environmental standards so that international agreements do not undermine our clean air and water. He would negotiate agreements that grow the economy and create jobs but do not open a backdoor attack on our environmental standards.
http://www.johnkerry.com/issues/environment_position.html


As President, I’ll take on the countries that are manipulating their currency to undermine American exports. These countries are supposed to be playing by the same rules as we do and they’ll feel the full force of our trade laws if they don’t. I will open markets in key export areas for manufacturing – like Japan and China. I will make sure that if we have to lower our tariffs, our competitors have to do the same. We don’t need idle talk – we need action – and we need it now.

I’ll order an immediate 120 day review of all existing trade agreements to ensure our trading partners are living up to their labor and environmental obligations – to make sure these agreements are enforceable and to put us on a level playing field. And I will not sign any new trade agreements until the review is done and its recommendations are in place.

And I will appoint a U.S. Trade Representative who is an American patriot and who will put American jobs first.

But here’s what I won’t do, I won’t pander and claim that America can retreat from the global economy. We can’t. Unfortunately, some in my party – like Howard Dean and Dick Gephardt – are telling people just that. Anyone who tells voters they’re going to build a fence high enough to keep out foreign competition isn’t offering an economic strategy – he’s selling a bill of goods.

Governor Dean has said repeatedly that America should not trade with countries that haven’t reached our own environmental and labor standards. I will assure strong labor and environmental standards, but his approach would mean we couldn’t sell a single car anywhere in the developing world. One hundred years ago this month, Henry Ford sold his first car overseas – to a businessman in South Africa. And it wouldn’t make much sense if America could trade with Africa in 1903, but not in 2003. Those markets mean American jobs.

The unfortunate thing is that Howard Dean knows that what he’s proposing is just not possible and that it would send our economy into a tailspin. Manufacturing workers are right to be worried about their jobs and it is wrong to play on their fears instead of offering them hope for a brighter future. Anger and attacks are all well and good, but when it comes to our jobs we need a President who can build a barn and not just kick it down. Give American workers a level playing field and they can beat workers anywhere else in the world everyday of the week and twice on Sunday. As President, I’m going to give them that chance.
http://www.johnkerry.com/news/speeches/spc_2003_0922.html