From the Wall Street Journal’s Washington Wire blog, February 26, reporting on North Dakota Sen. Byron Dorgan’s endorsement of Barack Obama for president:
[Dorgan] has been one of the fiercest Senate critics of free trade, including the North American Free Trade Agreement. He said the fact that Obama “has always opposed Nafta” was a major factor in his endorsement.
From The Bismarck Tribune, February 26:
North Dakota ranked top in the nation for export growth in 2007, according to U.S. Commercial Service reports.The state’s exports totaled $2 billion in 2007, up 34 percent from its $1.5 billion in exports in 2006; nationally, export growth was 12 percent more than the previous year.
Among the top export destinations were Canada, which represented 49 percent of the market, Mexico, Belgium, Germany, Russia, Ukraine and Australia.
March 1st, 2008 on 12:52 am
At 1,700 pages long, NAFTA legislation wasn’t about free trade. It was more about government control and regulation of trade.
If they really wanted to say, “free trade between nations without restrictions”, only one page would have been necessary.
February 29th, 2008 on 8:27 am
What’s good for most Americans is to have other countries buy our stuff. We cannot survive selling in our own market alone. Isolationism doesn’t work, nor does trying to block imports and expecting other countries not to block our exports. The EU shows that they understand the importance of free trade, it’s baffling that many Americans still think we can be isolationist and survive.
February 29th, 2008 on 12:31 am
Oh yeah and NAFTA has just been so wonderful for Canada, we haven’t lost any jobs at all right? I hope the agreement gets torn up. I had to give my head a shake when one of our politicians actually grew some balls and said that if the agreement was renegotiated we’d actually protect our resources (i.e. oil) rather than let the US just plunder us at will. What good is an agreement if the parties don’t abide by it? The US has lost numerous decisions with regards to not adhering to NAFTA in it’s dealings with Canada (specifically softwood lumber trade) and it just ignores these decisions. The US needs our resources more than we need anything from them, hopefully this happens and Canada will concentrate on trading with Europe rather than the States.
February 28th, 2008 on 5:12 pm
typical – Republicans once again get excited about a policy that takes hard working American jobs and sends them over the border – but, ‘hey – we’re making money so all is good, right?’
what a load – they’d sell the rope to hang themselves if they could make a buck off it. shows they could care less about America – it’s all about the bottom line – explain that to your grand kids as they work to pay off our debts to China!
At least Dorgan knows what’s right for all Americans, not just our Corporate Overlords. wish I could move to ND just to vote for him!
February 28th, 2008 on 3:57 pm
As usual, a Democratic politician doesn not care what actually works … but only what sounds good, or sounds like it’s AGAINST those evil conservatives.
Since conservatives pushed NAFTA through, it does not matter to him if it’s helped or worked. He’s against it.
Stupid partisan politician. And I bet he gets re-elected.