On March 4, 2010, HR 4759 was introduced by a bipartisan group of 28 House members to repeal the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). And it's about time! The agreement, which removed tariffs and various trade restrictions among the United States, Canada and Mexico, took effect on January 1, 1994. A product of both the Bush and Clinton administrations, NAFTA has been a disaster for the United States. Rather than creating jobs in this country - as its proponents alleged would occur - the United States has lost more than 5 million positions as businesses have flocked to Mexico to open low-wage factories and manufacturing plants leaving devastated American communities in their wake.
"You'll see the American people rally behind this, in my humble opinion" stated North Carolina Republican House member Walter Jones. Notably, in 1993, just prior to the enactment of NAFTA, the United States actually held a small trade surplus with Mexico and a relatively modest trade deficit with Canada (approximately $24 billion). Currently, the total deficit with both countries is a staggering $190 billion.
Most, if not all, trade unionists strongly support repeal. International Brotherhood of Teamsters' leader Jimmy Hoffa applauded the House action stating "We were sold a bill of goods about NAFTA." Indeed, the head of the 1.4 million member organization further argued that "Nobody ever said the idea of NAFTA was for American corporations to move out of America, go across the Rio Grande and build a factory, exploit the Mexican workers and then ship cars and refrigerators back here to sell." Hoffa then concluded: "Now it's obvious to most people that that's what it was all about."
With unemployment in America hovering at an astounding 10% - and far worse in manufacturing states - the time is ripe to move for repeal. The legislation requires withdrawal from the agreement six months after passage. As GOP Rep. Jones argues: "The American people are suffering. NAFTA has resulted in significant U.S. job losses. One of the major reasons Americans are working for lower pay and fewer benefits is that free trade agreements like NAFTA have pushed millions of good paying jobs outside our borders. This just is not what the people of this country need or deserve. We need to bring jobs back to the American people." Amen!
Little mentioned - but nonetheless a significant problem - is NAFTA's affect on American health and safety standards. Mexico has been attempting to use its treaty export rights to permit its country's trucking fleet to transport goods into the United States despite the fact that most of its vehicles don't meet U.S. safety standards. Indeed, it's not enough that Mexico has taken millions of American jobs; it also wants to jeopardize the health and safety of this nation's citizens by placing dangerous vehicles on our roads.
All Americans should support repeal of this disastrous legislation. Currently, only one co-sponsor of this bill is from New York: Michael Arcuri. So please, call your House of Representative's member and tell him/her to support HR 4759. Remember: the job you save may be your own!
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