Political Quotes

“as the previous speaker, I rise to speak on the Central American Free Trade Agreement. I have thought long and hard about this agreement, and I come to the floor predisposed to support free trade. In the end, I believe that expanding trade and breaking down barriers between countries is good for our economy and for our security, for American consumers and American workers. On the margins, I recognize that CAFTA, although a relatively modest trade agreement by the standards of the U.S. economy, would benefit farmers in Illinois as well as agricultural and manufacturing interests across the country. The language in the agreement is also optimal with respect to intellectual property and telecommunications, issues that are of particular interest when it comes to trade with other countries, such as China. Unfortunately, CAFTA falls short, as a matter of process and substance, in protecting workers' rights and interests. My colleague, Senator Bingaman, mentioned some of those concerns. I recognize that we should not kid ourselves into believing that voting against free-trade agreements will stop globalization, especially agreements like CAFTA, where the countries involved have combined economies one-sixth the size of the State of Illinois. Globalization is not someone's political agenda. It is a technological revolution that is fundamentally changing the world's economy, producing winners and losers along the way.…”