A Timeline Of Hillary Clinton's Evolution On Trade

[cali]

<snip>

As President Obama seeks fast-track authority for a 12-country Pacific trade deal and Congress inches toward giving it to him, Clinton is hedging on a deal she once strongly backed.

"She will be watching closely to see what is being done to crack down on currency manipulation, improve labor rights, protect the environment and health, promote transparency and open new opportunities for our small businesses to export overseas," an aide said in a statement Friday. Additionally, any trade deal would need to pass two tests for Clinton to support it, the campaign said: (1) Protect U.S. workers and raise wages, and (2) strengthen national security.

Yet, previously as secretary of state, Clinton called the Trans-Pacific Partnership the "gold standard in trade agreements." In her second memoir, Hard Choices, released in 2014, Clinton lauded the deal, saying it "would link markets throughout Asia and the Americas, lowering trade barriers while raising standards on labor, the environment, and intellectual property." She even said it was "important for American workers, who would benefit from competing on a more level playing field." She also called it "a strategic initiative that would strengthen the position of the United States in Asia."

That kind of apparent contradiction has been especially glaring during the rollout of her second presidential campaign, as she has tried to pacify the liberal base with talk of constitutional amendments to get undisclosed money out of politics and has launched with a video that noted how "the deck is still stacked in favor of those at the top."

It also highlights Clinton's complicated history with trade. Her husband brokered and passed the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA, in 1993. The move irked labor unions, which are key to organizational efforts in Democratic campaigns. As first lady, in 1996, Clinton trumpeted NAFTA as "proving its worth."

<snip>

timeline and lots of quotes:

http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2015/04/21/401123124/a-timeline-of-hillary-clintons-evolution-on-trade

[misterhighwasted]

1. LOL cali

[cali]

2. yes?

[RiverLover]

3. Thanks for posting!

K&R!

[JaneyVee]

4. We should keep tearing down our only viable candidate...

Until a Republican president rides that wave into the White House, then we can all finally celebrate!

[cali]

7. we should unquestioning accept HRC and not look at her record or examine her rhetoric

sorry, but nothing said here is going to make a difference in the larger picture. Running an effective campaign and winning over voters is the job of the candidate and her campaign.

How is this article "tearing down" HRC?

How is this promoting a repuke?

If she's the nominee and she loses to a repuke, that will lie squarely at her feet.

According to her supporters here, she has massive dem support. Polls indicate that as well. If she loses support, that's her fault.

[reddread]

5. Does anything outshine MFN for post-Tiananmen China?

a very important decision that Wal-Mart made excellent use of.

[nationalize the fed]

6. in 1996, Clinton trumpeted NAFTA as "proving its worth."

Yet, in 2007, she said - to a packed AFL - CIO (Remember them?) Debate in Chicago: "NAFTA was a Mistake"

Skip to 18:18

This was not the first or last Hillary quote on NAFTA. There are plenty of quotes from the 2007/8 debates. A compilation video would be fascinating.

And of course there are these:

Not sure "Evolution" is the proper word.

[cali]

8. thank you so much for posting the vids. I'm going to watch that debate in its

entirety.

Evolution is a kind word. Opportunistic may be more to the point. Contrast her fluctuations in opinion on trade with, say, Bernie Sanders' position.

Why should I trust her on this issue? Why would anyone? Nevermind the latter question. People believe what they want to believe and many of her supporters just trust her.

I have a suspicious mind when it comes to politicians.

[nationalize the fed]

11. Thank you for posting what you do

I have a suspicious mind when it comes to politicians

The founders would be proud of you. We aren't SUPPOSED to "trust" politicians. That's what 3 branches of Gov is for.

Here are some other debates that are worth checking out- all are on Youtube either in full or parts:

November 15, 2007 - CNN - Las Vegas, Nevada

December 13, 2007 – Johnston, Iowa
Obama said "NAFTA needs to be amended"

January 21, 2008 - CNN Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Obama: "you see the textile mills... nafta was a mistake"

February 26, 2008 - MSNBC Cleveland, Ohio, Cleveland State University
Obama: "Clinton hasn't always opposed NAFTA"

[MisterP]

12. "I criticize NAFTA, so you can tell I'm being on the up-and-up when I say TPP's GREAT!"

[tularetom]

9. That statement about the "level playing field" is so ludicrous it's a joke

The only way the playing field can be leveled is for American workers' wages and working conditions to be lowered until it conforms to those of the parties to the agreement, because I can guarantee that nobody is proposing to improve wages and conditions in all the other countries.

[Autumn]

10. Thanks for posting this cali.

Interesting read.