Research

Just last week, President Obama praised the 2007 Peruvian Free Trade Agreement signed under President Bush for “creating jobs and prosperity” in both the United States and Peru. Unfortunately, you will not hear such talk today when President Obama’s Sec. of State Hillary Clinton visits Colombia’s capitol and President today.

Instead, Sec. Clinton will deliver more lip service and excuses to Colombian President Álvaro Uribe on why the Obama administration is refusing to move forward on an agreement that would “balance and normalize a trade relationship” and “strengthen bonds with an important ally in a volatile corner of South America.”  The truth is, as we know, the Obama administration would rather go “to bat” for union allies, as Obama’s own Trade Representative noted last year. Under this failed leadership, every Caterpillar truck sold in Colombia “is taxed more than $200,000,” and every bushel of American yellow corn faces a 15% tariff and that translates into jobs lost, not created for the American worker.

In Bogota, we hope the Obama administration will put the American economy first, pushing an agreement that will create jobs for the American worker. It seems all we can expect is more lip service.