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John Edwards on Trade and Economics
This candidate has withdrawn from the election
I think we've had a failed trade policy in America. It has not been good for American workers.
2007 Democratic primary debate on "This Week" Aug 19, 2007
I didn't vote for NAFTA. I campaigned against NAFTA. I voted against the Chilean trade agreement, against the Caribbean trade agreement, against the Singapore trade agreement, against final passage of fast track for this president.
Democratic 2004 Presidential Primary Debate in Iowa Jan 4, 2004
I supported the tariffs as the time. I think they were important, given the surge of steel that had come into the US. I think it was the right thing to do. I supported it at the time. We've just gotten a new report, which we're examining right now. My initial reaction is it may be time to ease off on the tariffs.
Debate at Pace University in Lower Manhattan Sep 25, 2003
Voted NO on establishing free trade between US & Singapore
Bill S.1417/HR 2739 ; vote number 2003-318 on Jul 31, 2003
NO on establishing free trade between the US and Chile
Bill S.1416/HR 2738 ; vote number 2003-319 on Jul 31, 2003
Voted YES on extending free trade to Andean nations
Bill HR.3009 ; vote number 2002-130 on May 23, 2002
Voted YES on granting normal trade relations status to Vietnam
Bill HJRES51 ; vote number 2001-291 on Oct 3, 2001
"For far too long, presidents from both parties have entered into trade agreements, agreements like NAFTA, promising that they would create millions of new jobs and enrich communities," he said. "Instead, too many of these agreements have cost jobs and devastated towns and communities across this country."
"It's cost us a million jobs. We need environmental and labor standards."
2007 AFL-CIO Democratic primary forum Aug 7, 2007
"We need a trade policy that works, a trade policy that's fair to us and fair to the rest of the world. We have this great debate between fair trade and free trade; what we really need is smart trade. We need real standards in our trade agreements and our bilateral trade agreements, international labor standards, international environmental standards. They need to be standards that are achievable, but we need to have those standards."
2007 AFSCME Democratic primary debate in Carson City Nevada Feb 21, 2007
"I would use the Free Trade of the Americas agreement as a vehicle for renegotiating NAFTA. I think we do need to renegotiate it. The problem with NAFTA is these side agreements don't work. You have to put these labor/environmental protections in the text of the agreement."
Democratic 2004 primary debate at USC Feb 26, 2004
"I believe we need trade that works for America and the world, and have outlined a new approach to trade agreements that will protect American jobs and require labor and environmental standards in trade agreements."
Associated Press policy Q&A, "Trade" Jan 25, 2004
"Put enforceable provisions into our trade agreements for environmental protection, labor protection, prohibitions for child labor and forced labor. All of these would be aimed at helping level the playing field for American workers."
Concord Monitor / WashingtonPost.com on-line Q&A Nov 7, 2003
Edwards said he favors increasing the minimum wage to $7.50 an hour and banning the hiring of permanent replacements for striking workers. He also backed making it easier for workers to unionize.
Associated Press, 9/4/06
"I think [the minimum wage] ought to be at least $7.50/hour. I think it's virtually impossible to live on $7.50/hour."
Increase minimum wage at state level, since feds won't do it. Because Republicans in Washington have not increased the minimum wage in over a decade, we are taking on the fight ourselves. The One America Committee is working with grassroots coalitions in Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, Ohio, Montana and Missouri to organize and pass minimum wage ballot initiatives in 2006.
PAC website, www.OneAmericaCommittee.com, "Action" Nov 17, 2006
What increases, if any, do you favor in the $5.15 an hour federal minimum wage? EDWARDS: I believe that low-income working people deserve better and support an increase in the minimum wage of at least $1.50.
Associated Press policy Q&A, "Minimum Wage" Jan 25, 2004
Edwards believes America's workers deserve fair pay for their hard work. Today, the minimum wage, in real dollars, is worth less than it was in 1968. That is why Edwards has consistently voted for increasing the minimum wage and believes we need to increase it again, which is why he is currently cosponsoring a Senate bill to increase the minimum wage in the Senate.
Campaign website, johnedwards2004.com, "Key Issues" Jul 17, 2003
Labor has been a powerful force for good in this country and across the globe, and Edwards supports tougher penalties and stronger enforcement to protect workers' rights to organize and collectively bargain.
Campaign website, johnedwards2004.com, "Key Issues" Jul 17, 2003
"I've been running a poverty center at the University of North Carolina for the last couple of years. The most important anti-poverty movement in American history is the organized labor movement. We need to make it easier for workers to organize themselves into unions. It's nothing but democracy. It's what we believe in."
2007 AFSCME Democratic primary debate in Carson City Nevada Feb 21, 2007
"We don't believe it's right that a man or woman could be fired from the job for trying to organize a union in the workplace, so that working people actually have a voice. And this is something I take very personally. My mother and father have health care today because of the unions. My younger brother is a card-carrying member of IBEW; he and his family have health care today because of the union. We need real labor law reform in this country."
2005 Take Back America Conference Jun 2, 2005
"We need to make it easier for workers to organize themselves into unions. By protecting a worker's right to join a union, we give more Americans the opportunity to lift themselves out of poverty and into the middle class."
"My belief is we have to stand by our farmers. It's been a huge issue in my state of North Carolina. I have specifically proposed that we stop subsidies for millionaire farmers. I don't think we should do that, and I don't think we need to be doing that."
Debate at Pace University in Lower Manhattan
"There is no more important relationship that America has than our relationship with China."
In 2000, voted for the U.S.-China Trade Relations Act.