Political Quotes

“I rise today because I believe that some here in Washington are under the illusion about what would happen if we were to withdraw from the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA. Some people still, inexplicably, believe that this would be a good thing. They believe the relationship between the United States and Mexico and Canada is somehow a raw deal for Americans. Let's talk about Mexico for a while. In reality, Mexico spends 26 percent of its GDP in its purchasing of goods from the United States, while we spend less than 1 percent of our GDP--I think it is 0.2 percent--in our purchasing of goods from them. Again, for those who obsess over trade deficits with Mexico, Mexico spends 26 percent of its GDP in its purchasing of goods from the United States while we spend less than 1 percent of our GDP in our purchasing of goods from them. Prior to NAFTA, our total trade with Mexico was under $80 billion. Now that trade approaches $600 billion. That is a good thing. That is good for us, and it is good for Mexico. Trade is not a zero-sum game. These folks also seem to think that terminating NAFTA will have no lasting impact on this Nation or its economy. In reality, pulling out of NAFTA would have sweeping negative consequences for Americans all over the country. Let me briefly describe what America would look like without NAFTA. It would be an America with fewer jobs and higher unemployment.…”