Kucinich: Withdraw from WTO
The following is a press release from November 11 by the Kucinich campaign
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Kucinich: Withdraw from WTO
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 11, 2003
Democratic presidential candidate Congressman Dennis J. Kucinich said:
"The World Trade Organization (WTO) has ruled against tariffs on which the U.S. steel industry depends. The WTO would similarly rule against modifications to NAFTA being proposed by various candidates for president. If the United States is to be free to negotiate fair trade agreements that protect jobs, the rights of workers, and the environment, then there is no alternative but to repeal NAFTA and withdraw from the WTO.
"If our agriculture, textiles, and other industries are going to be able to help pull the world up rather than being dragged down to the level of serfdom or exported abroad, we must put an end to the disaster known as NAFTA and the WTO. I call on every other Democratic candidate for president to join me in this plan, and in particular Congressman Gephardt who helped to create the WTO and can now help to dismantle it.
"NAFTA has helped us achieve a trade deficit of over $400 billion. We've lost nearly 3 million manufacturing jobs since July 2000. Modifying NAFTA is illegal under the WTO. We can talk all we want about modifying NAFTA to protect human rights and workers' rights, but the end result will be a ruling from the WTO like the recent one on steel telling us that we are not free, that global corporate trade agreements have the final say. We need a new start. We must begin from scratch with decent trade agreements between this country and each other country we trade with, agreements that are based from the start on the needs of people and communities.
"Since NAFTA was enacted 10 years ago, the U.S. trade deficit with Mexico and Canada has ballooned. Companies have used the threat of moving jobs to Mexico to place downward pressure on wages and benefits for American workers. A NAFTA case brought by a foreign owned steel fabrication company is trying to overturn 'Buy America' laws that require using American steel in highway projects. NAFTA allows foreign owned companies to challenge our Constitution, our Congress, and our rights to enact American laws.
"This month at a meeting in Florida, the architects of NAFTA and the WTO -- multinational corporations -- will push for the creation of the FTAA, an expansion of NAFTA to include nearly every country in the hemisphere. Now is the time for every Democratic candidate for President to take a stand against the FTAA, NAFTA, and the WTO. We know the Republicans' position. What will be the Democrats'?"
For more information: http://www.kucinich.us
For Rep. Kucinich's Schedule: http://www.kucinich.us/schedule.htm.
Contact: David Swanson 202-329-7847 swanson@kucinich.us
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