Most Popular Choices
Share on Facebook 29 Printer Friendly Page More Sharing
OpEdNews Op Eds    H2'ed 7/21/16

Is Trump Changing His Tune On Trade?

By       (Page 1 of 2 pages)   3 comments
Follow Me on Twitter     Message Dave Johnson
Become a Fan
  (12 fans)

Reprinted from Campaign For America's Future

Trump Declaring How He Will Stop the TPP

Is Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump changing his tune on trade, or was he just making it up all along?

This year, working-class voters are high-intensity opposed to trade deals like the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), and Trump figured that out early. Trump dominated the primaries in part because of his vocal opposition to the TPP and previous trade deals. (Trump calls TPP "ObamaTrade.")

Thursday's Morning Trade hints that Trump is "softening his position" on trade:

"[A] pair of Trump economic advisers told POLITICO that Trump is softening his position on trade. 'My only point is that I think we're moving him a little bit more in a free and fair trade direction,' Stephen Moore, a visiting fellow at The Heritage Foundation ... said during a discussion with POLITICO's Ben White at the Republican convention in Cleveland.

"As one example, Moore said it has been a while since Trump has actually talked about imposing a 45 percent tariff on Chinese goods. Another Trump adviser, CNBC host Larry Kudlow, echoed that point. 'I think Mr. Trump does not want to see a wall of tariffs. He's actually pushed that rhetoric aside in recent months,' he said."

Trump has ultra-free-traders Stephen Moore and Larry Kudlow as "advisers," yet he claims to represent the interests of working people on trade and finance issues? Really?

Polls Say Voters Hate TPP And Past Trade Deals

The thing is, this is a big deal. Past "free trade" policies and agreements have seriously hurt America's middle and working classes, driving wages by moving good-paying jobs out of the country. Entire regions of the country have been hurt by policies of sending jobs to low-wage countries. Our manufacturing ecosystem has suffered. Our manufacturing trade deficit was over $800 billion last year.

And voters have seriously figured this out. There are still a lot of post-primary voters who have no opinion, but a recent Democracy Corps poll done for Public Citizen found that just talking to voters about past trade deals and TPP causes them to "shift dramatically" against them and against politicians who support them...

"When trade arguments are married to the public's anger with corporations and big money influence over government and politicians who no longer work for ordinary citizens, voters shift dramatically to oppose past trade pacts and the TPP.

"... When voters hear this message, they become far more critical of past trade agreements, shift dramatically from support to opposition on TPP, and become intent on holding political leaders accountable should they vote to pass the new trade agreement. This big shift occurs after voters are exposed to a balanced contest of messages and arguments from both sides of the TPP debate. The opposition message and arguments are just much stronger."

Scan the numbers in that poll; the voter shift toward opposition is dramatic.

Trump understood this and used it to propel himself to the nomination. But now that he has secured the nomination, he is snuggling up to the very establishment and Wall Street elites he pretended to be running against.

Meanwhile Clinton Continues Opposition To TPP

Next Page  1  |  2

(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).

Must Read 1   Valuable 1  
Rate It | View Ratings

Dave Johnson Social Media Pages: Facebook page url on login Profile not filled in       Twitter page url on login Profile not filled in       Linkedin page url on login Profile not filled in       Instagram page url on login Profile not filled in

Dave has more than 20 years of technology industry experience. His earlier career included technical positions, including video game design at Atari and Imagic. He was a pioneer in design and development of productivity and educational (more...)
 

Go To Commenting
The views expressed herein are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this website or its editors.
Follow Me on Twitter     Writers Guidelines

 
Contact AuthorContact Author Contact EditorContact Editor Author PageView Authors' Articles
Support OpEdNews

OpEdNews depends upon can't survive without your help.

If you value this article and the work of OpEdNews, please either Donate or Purchase a premium membership.

STAY IN THE KNOW
If you've enjoyed this, sign up for our daily or weekly newsletter to get lots of great progressive content.
Daily Weekly     OpEd News Newsletter
Name
Email
   (Opens new browser window)
 

Most Popular Articles by this Author:     (View All Most Popular Articles by this Author)

Three Charts To Email To Your Right-Wing Brother-In-Law

Upcoming Trans-Pacific Partnership Looks Like Corporate Takeover

Actually, "the Rich" Don't "Create Jobs," We Do

Now We Know Why Huge TPP Trade Deal Is Kept Secret From The Public

Does Clinton Really Oppose TPP? There Is A Test For That

Will TPP Kill The Post Office?

To View Comments or Join the Conversation:

Tell A Friend