With the rollout of their new “A Better Deal” agenda, congressional Democrats have a chance for a reset with American voters. And nowhere do they need a reset more than on trade.
Unfortunately, with their recent announcement of “A Better Deal on Trade and Jobs,” Democrats missed a key opportunity to offer a balanced trade plan that backs both stronger enforcement and trade’s constructive role in supporting millions of good jobs.
In launching their new trade agenda, Washington Democrats doubled down on the hard-edged protectionist rhetoric heard from both parties in 2016 — rhetoric that casts trade as a threat and focuses largely on traditional manufacturing and the decade of undeniable economic damage caused by Chinese competition. It’s hardly surprising, then, that the “Better Deal” trade program is mostly an exercise in limiting global trade and investment.
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