Buchanan For American Workers First

Pat Buchanan is very different from all of the other major party presidential candidates in that Bu chanan -- standing alone -- says that it's time that the United States adopts what he calls "a trade policy that puts America and Americans first." Buchanan believes in protecting American workers and industry through effective trade policies rather than pursuing the all-out "free trade" policies endorsed by Ventura, George W. Bush, John McCain, Al Gore, Bill Bradley etc. Here's an official statement by Buchanan on trade policy issued by his presidential campaign headquarters.

The elitist architects of GATT and NAFTA have locked arms with their corporate cohorts to support a trade policy that is neither fair nor free. This year we will incur a $300 billion trade deficit. A fourth of our steel, a third of our autos, half our machine tools, two-thirds of our textiles will be imported. America, once the world's great est creditor nation, will once again be its greatest debtor. The bulls run wild on Wall Street, corporate profits boom, and CEOs ring up record salaries. But in Middle America, our industrial base is eroding, factories are closing, and manufacturing jobs are moving overseas. America's working men and wo men are being sacrificed to the Global Economy, and though our leaders seem deaf to their distress, their con cerns are valid.

American workers have watched their wages shrink to 1973 levels. Manufacturing jobs comprise the smallest share of the labor force in 100 years. More mothers and wives are in the labor force than ever before in our history, but median family income still lags $1,000 below where it was when Ronald Reagan left office.

As our industrial capacity slips, and America sacrifices her self- sufficiency, we become increasingly vulnerable to incompetence and corruption beyond our shores. In a Global Economy just one default from disaster, financial blunders from Mexico to Asia shake U.S. markets, put our nation's financial stability at risk, and lead to endless bailouts of our "trading partners."

As our independence falters, our sovereignty erodes. In 1994, for the first time, the U.S. joined a global institution, the World Trade Organization, where America has no veto power and the one-nation, one-vote rule applies. For America to continue down this road to global interdependence is a betrayal of our history and our heritage of liberty.

The time has come to wake up and realize that other nations do not believe in our brand of free trade. While we merrily open our markets, predatory partners like China and Japan each run up $60 billion surpluses at America's expense.

As President, I will:

• Use the trade laws of this country and the power of my office to protect the jobs of our workers, the standard of living of America's families, the independence of our country and the sovereignty of the United States.

• Impose tariffs on cheap foreign imports -- the same taxes imposed on goods made in the U.S.A. -- and use the revenue to slash income taxes for all Americans.

• Prioritize the American Economy before the Global Economy by withdrawing from international organizations that imperil our financial stability and economic independence.

• Open foreign markets to American products by requiring reciprocal trade policies.

• Protect vital American industries by passing tough anti-dumping legislation.