Lynn C. Woolsey: “America must build relationships with our neighbors, relationships that benefit both our future and theirs. But CAFTA is…”

“America must build relationships with our neighbors, relationships that benefit both our future and theirs. But CAFTA is one more example of the White House agenda that does neither. It benefits multinational corporations while it devalues workers and communities, putting corporations on equal footing with democratically elected governments. What is this about? Trade agreements should reflect our national values and our character. CAFTA fails on both measures. Labor and environmental standards must be an integral part of any trade and negotiation, and CAFTA fails. By failing to protect minimum labor rights, including protection for female workers against discrimination, and failing to enforce environmental standards, CAFTA not only benefits the multinational corporations against our communities, our families, and our environment, but it also works against our trading partners. We know that this is wrong. We must get CAFTA back on track. We must scrap this version, and we must start over. Trade agreements that promise jobs in the U.S. as well as advancing the economies of our neighbors, that is how we must go. Vote against this dog today. ____________________”