This is what I've been waiting for from Senator Obama, a stand on FTA's during this campaign.
Hillary Rodham Clinton's doubts about big foreign trade deals came only in the heat of the presidential campaign, Democratic rival Barack Obama said Tuesday, addressing labor leaders who strongly oppose many of the agreements. [snip]
"So, when a candidate rails against NAFTA today, it's fair to ask her where she was with NAFTA 20 years ago," said Obama. "You don't just suddenly wake up and say NAFTA is a terrible thing when you were for it before."
Obama made his case at a regional convention of the United Auto Workers just a day after Clinton used the same forum to call for a "time out" on new trade deals while their impact on American jobs is assessed.
Time out? Over 20 million jobs sold down the river by the "people's party" under a Democratic administration and you all of a sudden want a "time out"?!?!? Those millions of jobs replaced by much lesser paying jobs, resulting in increases in poverty in America, and you all of a sudden want a "time out"?!?!? What a crock.
I think I can fit in another excerpt under fair use rules:
In her speech, Clinton said she would be cautious on new trade agreements, but she carries the baggage of her husband's presidency during which NAFTA was negotiated and approved.
[snip]
"I've been consistent. You can't say that about the other two major candidates," said Obama. "When a candidate says he opposes right-to-work laws or trade rules that hurt workers today, ask him where he's been before. Because America needs a president who will fight for you when it's hard, and not when it's politically convenient."
Link.
Free trade and NAFTA in particular, which was enacted with heavy pressure from Bill Clinton in 1993, is Bill and Hillary's Achilles' heel: the selling down the river of American jobs, including technical jobs, which has national security implications, is inexcusable. Bill and Hillary did it for their multinational political donors then and they'll do it again now.
They did it for their corporate donors then and they'll do it again now.
They did it for the people that fund Hillary's "centrist" DLC friend's careers, the people that have corrupted the political "Establishment" to such an extent that Republicans and Democrats in DC are roughly identical on economic issues, and they'll do it again now.
DLC, DINO Democrats, the "old" Democrats, are in effect one and the same as Republicans and social divisions had been quite simply used to perpetuate the illusion that there is a difference between the two parties.
Talk is cheap Senator Obama, especially in this age of complicity with Republicans, but your record is clean on FTA's and now your rhetoric matches that clean record: my ears are perking up.
Update I plead ignorance on the Peru FTA Senator Obama's support thereof. I do indeed hope to hear some clarification from Senator Obama on this apparent discrepancy.....