Research

Last night, President Obama told Fox News he wanted to get the South Korea Free Trade Agreement done, despite opposing it as a Senator. We’ve heard this line from President Obama before.  In June, he told Colombian President Alvaro Uribe he had instructed his team to look at “how we can proceed on a free trade agreement.” Where has that agreement gone? Nowhere.

Unfortunately, politics is more important than improving the economy for this President.  As The Washington Post notes, “The White House has delayed pushing for free trade agreements to avoid alienating political allies while it pursues healthcare reform and other domestic priorities.”  Why is Obama shelving free trade agreements that would benefit American workers and our economy at a time when unemployment is at 10.2%? Even some Democrats seem stumped on that question.  Senator Max Baucus (D-MT), for example, recently said, "The United States has lacked a comprehensive trade agenda and that absence is palpable.”

So sorry South Korea, sorry Colombia, and most importantly, sorry American workers: President Obama is “going to bat” for unions, not for trade accords that will help our economy.