The proposed South Korea trade deal is the largest NAFTA-style trade agreement proposed in 15 years. Some people in Washington, including President Obama, support this agreement. Congress should not. Most importantly, this ``NAFTA''-Korea deal will result in more job loss across countless communities in our country. The U.S. International Trade Commission studied this agreement and determined that it will be a net job loser for our country, just like the NAFTA deal was, just like the China deal was, just like all the failed nonreciprocal trade deals our Nation has negotiated over the last 25 years. Yes, a handful of companies will come out ahead, and they have a lot of power in Washington, but, as a whole, our country loses. We have heard a lot about deficits lately. This deal with the Koreans will only put us deeper in the hole. Why would Congress do this again to the American people and to the American economy? Last year, the United States ran up another half-trillion-dollar trade deficit with the world, and this past quarter, one of the largest in history. Both American and Korean estimates predict that this deal will only add to our deficit. These NAFTA-type trade deals translate into net job loss. Even the President doesn't claim that the deal will create new jobs. That is because it won't. In fact, it will cost jobs. America needs trade reciprocity. We need balance, at a minimum, where our exports balance our imports and more hopefully exceed our imports.
Editor's note · Context
Kaptur is addressing concerns about the proposed South Korea trade deal and its potential negative impact on jobs and the economy.
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