Obama Vows to Protect Workers from Unfair Trade Deals

New TV Ad “Enough” Highlights Obama’s Commitment to American Workers

U.S. Senator Barack Obama today discussed his commitment to fight for fair trade for America’s workers, reject trade agreements that weren’t in American workers’ best interest, and enforce the agreements we do have. The Obama Campaign also released a new television ad, Enough, in which Obama vows to end tax breaks for companies moving jobs overseas and reward companies that invest in America. To view “Enough”, click HERE.

The Bush Administration has done little to protect Americans whose livelihoods are being threatened by globalization and changes in technology. By failing to enforce U.S. trade agreements, overseas companies and workers have been given an unfair and sometimes illegal advantage over American workers.

“American workers deserve better. When I’m President, we’ll make sure our trading partners live up to their agreements,” Obama said. “We’ll have a trade representative who’s actually representing American workers. And we’ll do more to stop countries like China from acting unfairly when it comes to trade – because no country should get a free pass if they’re bending the rules.”

Obama will make enforcement the top priority of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Office, and he will increase resources for the USTR so it can carry out its responsibility to protect American interests. As President, Obama will only negotiate trade agreements that benefit American workers and have strong and enforceable labor and environmental standards in the body of the agreement. In addition, Obama will help workers hurt by the effects of globalization get back on their feet by strengthening training programs and providing assistance for health care costs.

“When I’m President, we’ll give you training before you lose your job if there’s a good chance it will get shipped overseas,” Obama said. “We’ll give you an education account that you can use to retrain. We’ll help ensure that losing your job doesn’t also mean losing your health care by giving you some extra money to pay for it. And we’ll make sure employers give you an additional month’s notice before letting you go – so you have 90 days’ notice, instead of just 60. We’re not going to be able to stop globalization in its tracks, but what we can do is have a President who’s standing up for American farmers and workers. That’s why I’m running for President.”

Below is the script of “Enough”:
B&W still of BO
BO VO:
I’m Barack Obama and I approve this message.
BO speaking to town hall sized crowd
BO Synch: Ordinary people all across the country are struggling from paycheck to paycheck.

If the plant moves to China, and you’ve been working there for 20, 30 years and suddenly you have the rug pulled out from under ya…

And you don’t have healthcare, and you don’t have a pension, you’re on your own.

We gotta stop giving tax breaks to companies that are moving overseas and give those tax breaks to companies that are investing right here in IA

In the United States of America.
Barack Obama for President
Iowa.barackobama.com

Approved by Barack Obama. Paid for by Obama for President.
Enough is enough.
For more information on Obama’s plan, click here: iowa.barackobama.com/TradeEnforcement