NAFTA Wars
It wouldn’t be Ohio if the candidates weren’t discussing NAFTA. Both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are “skeptical” of the trade agreement, and are promising “renegotiation” of the agreement with Canada and Mexico.
What is lost in the discussion of the 90’s-era free trade agreement is a broad, long-term plan and objective for what American trade policy will be in the 21st Century. Should we reengage in the Doha Round, and what should our approach be? Would we seek out additional free trade agreements with other countries and regions around the world? What should we do to remedy the trade imbalance? What plans do the candidates have to strengthen the dollar?
The NAFTA issue was addressed again tonight in the last Democratic debate before the March 4 primaries in Ohio and Texas, and trade is a clear issue to the many Ohioans who have lost employment as a result of free trade agreements. The candidates’ views are largely similar, though both are attempting to make it wedge issue in order to win Ohio. The battle will rage, until March 4 at least.