Bill Clinton: “First of all, if they continue to move high-wage-- those good plants to Mexico for the purpose--in other words--there's…”

“First of all, if they continue to move high-wage-- those good plants to Mexico for the purpose--in other words--there's a difference. I want to make a clear distinction here, because I don't want to mislead anybody. If an American corporation wants to invest in Mexico City, to hire Mexicans to produce for the Mexican market, I don't think we should be against that. I think we should support that because that would create more middle-class Mexicans that will buy more American products. That's what the Mexicans get out of this deal. A lot of Americans say to me all the time, they say, ``Mr. President, if this is such a hot deal for us, why do the Mexicans want it? What do they get out of it?'' Of course, the whole idea of trade is that both sides win, that there are win-win agreements in this world. What they get out of it is investment in their country to develop their country to produce products and services for their people. Now, they will, in turn, buy more of our services. To go back to your point, if I ever become convinced this is a bad deal for America, I'll just give notice and leave, if it's a bad deal for America. If certain companies are clearly abusing this agreement-- well, let me back up and say there is no possibility they could do that. Let me tell you why. Put yourself in their position. This agreement does not prohibit what has been not only permitted but encouraged for years by our Government, which is setting up plants along the Mexican border with the United States to sell back into America. Now, if that continues unabated in a way that's bad for America, I think we ought to take note who's doing it, try to jawbone them out of it, and ask also if there's something we can do to help keep these companies operating in America, just the way I did when I was the Governor in my State. I think we'll be able to keep more jobs here if this passes than if it doesn't. On the other hand, let me pitch it to you another way: If NAFTA doesn't pass, what possible leverage do I have over these folks? I lose a lot of leverage. Now, again, I'm not saying nobody will ever do this, but the point that we have to drive home to the American people is that the present system makes it relatively more attractive to do this than Mexico after NAFTA will. There was a man here last week from a fifth-generation Philadelphia, Pennsylvania-based furniture manufacturer, who talked about how he said, ``They tried to get me to move to the South for years. Then the people tried to get me to move to Mexico. I wouldn't move anywhere; I'm staying in Pennsylvania. But I am going to sell more products and hire more people if you pass this deal.'' I think there will be more examples of that than there will be people who shut down and move. I think the President, however, should discourage and jawbone people from doing it, regardless.”