John Tierney: “A vote for permanent normal trade relations with China gives up favorable United States Trade Agreement enforcement…”

“A vote for permanent normal trade relations with China gives up favorable United States Trade Agreement enforcement rights, it relinquishes forever any ability to use as leverage our existing periodic review process to, at least, try to effect universally acknowledged violations of human rights, including worker rights, religious intolerance, the spreading of technological and other information for dangerous weaponry, environmental degradation, and a long history of noncompliance with virtually every bilateral agreement negotiated between the United States and China in recent generations. It does so despite the fact that it will have an adverse effect on the jobs of many who are the least prepared to deal with such a loss, and that is mostly because we have failed in advance of expanding ever-open market initiatives, to put in place effective transition assistance and worker training and re-training and health care for those who are unable to afford it through the unexpected job loss. And all of this is done unnecessarily. Contrary to those who misinform us with claims that granting PNTR to China benefits the United States, that is inaccurate.”