Political Quotes

“I rise to question these agreements, reluctant in support, not because my interest in expanding international commerce has waned over the years, but reluctant because of this Administration's consistent refusal to support a balanced, bipartisan trade policy. Like most of its foreign policy, the Administration's guiding principle is not moderation, but arrogance. It pursues go-it-alone, one-on-one trade deals like these instead of reforming the structure that would promote more multilateral world trade. These agreements perhaps represent a perfect fit for this Administration, whose approach toward environmental protection and worker rights ranges from conscious indifference to open hostility, an Administration that apparently views a few attacks on health and safety laws by a foreign multinational investor trading partner as more of a help than a hindrance. All the hullabaloo that we heard this morning about these agreements is more symbolic than it is real. The economic impact of these agreements is minuscule: less than one-hundredth percent of our gross domestic product for Singapore and less than five-hundredths for Chile. Not much to crow about for an Administration whose trade policy has followed rather crooked twists and turns. Its enthusiasm for giant subsidies to giant agribusiness corporations impedes and distorts our efforts to expand world commerce.”