Political Quotes

“I wish to share a few more thoughts with my colleagues. In 2014, net exports--net exports subtracted 1.5 percent from fourth- quarter GDP. That is a lot. GDP growth in the fourth quarter was subtracted by--excuse me, 1.15 percent. That is more than $500 billion. That is enough to fund a highway reauthorization program for a long time. The problem is that in the short run, Americans tend to be losing jobs as a result of trade agreements; whereas, long-term unemployed people have a difficult time finding work. I would say I believe in trade, but it is not a religion with me. I believe it is a religion when somebody says that you should enter into a trade agreement with anybody, opening your markets totally without demanding anything in return for that. I have to tell you, as I just read from others--it is clearly the policy of the Wall Street Journal--that is good policy, that you should enter into a trade agreement whether or not your partner will allow you to sell anything at all to them. I say good negotiations in a contract are, which a trade negotiation is, if we open our markets, our competitors ought to open theirs sufficiently. Too often we have the problems that arise from nontariff barriers that are impacting the ability of American businesses to sell products in their country. So even if they reduce their tariff, their ability to sell products is blocked by other nontariff matters, all of which I think we can discuss in the weeks to come.…”