America’s international economic policies threaten our prosperity and national security.  These policies have handicapped domestic manufacturing, service providers, farmers and workers leading to massive trade deficits, stagnant wages, the loss of millions of manufacturing jobs, a dangerous erosion of our industrial base, a long-term decline in our food and agriculture trade surplus, and the unprecedented transfer of trillions of dollars of American wealth offshore.

The trade deficit is a major cause of today’s financial crisis.  It undermines family-sustaining jobs and investment in productive assets, fostering a debt-driven economy dangerously dependent upon foreign borrowing.  Because U.S. policies have betrayed too many American workers and families by offshoring their jobs and destroying their communities, we are endangering the retirement security and health care of this generation of workers and squandering our children’s futures.  Without immediate fundamental change, America’s standard of living is at risk.

Fixing America’s international economic policy, therefore, must be the top priority for the next administration.  Smart action to boost production and reduce the trade deficit will create millions of new jobs, restore healthy growth, and strengthen national security.  This will require investing in America, creating incentives for corporations to keep jobs here and to bring others home, and reducing reliance on foreign sources for energy, critical inputs, capital, and even food.

For these reasons, we the undersigned, many of whom represent U.S. producers and workers from diverse sectors, seek commitments from candidates of all parties that they will:

➢    SUPPORT policies that promote American interests by requiring full reciprocity, fairness, and transparency in all U.S. trade agreements, including in such areas as labor and environmental standards.

➢    SUPPORT actions to combat the illegal, mercantilist practice of prolonged currency misalignment, including legislation to make it actionable under U.S. trade law.

➢    SUPPORT aggressive enforcement of U.S. laws to halt foreign illegal trade activities such as dumping, subsidies and intellectual property theft.  In addition, U.S. policy must ensure that all goods sold here meet U.S. food and product safety standards.

➢    SUPPORT the elimination of tax disadvantages which undermine the competitiveness of U.S. producers both at home and abroad or which discourage investment in America.

➢    SUPPORT a comprehensive strategy to reduce U.S. dependence on imported energy.
 

Signatories to this Joint Statement 

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