Trade policy emerges as vital in '08

Rep. Kevin Brady of The Woodlands is an unabashed free-trader. He believes that international commerce is good for America. He'd like to see new pacts negotiated to open more foreign markets to U.S. goods and services.

But the sixth-term Republican is concerned about the future of trade policy amid a public outcry over unfair foreign competition and unsafe imports.

"More Texans are worried about all the changes in the global economy," he said. "They're worried about China, the outsourcing of jobs to India, and (they) generally feel that other countries don't have to play by the same rules we do."

As he watches the 2008 presidential campaign unfold, Brady sees free trade under siege.
"It's just so tempting to be populist," he said.

The 2008 presidential candidates can see that voters are in a sour mood on trade. An NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll earlier this year found that 46 percent of adults thought that free trade agreements hurt the United States, 16 points more than in 1999. Protectionist sentiment seems to be growing fastest among Republicans. In a September NBC/Wall Street Journal poll, 59 percent of Republican primary voters said trade has been bad for America.

Many of this year's major presidential candidates — nearly all Democrats and Republican populist Mike Huckabee — have responded by promising tough trade negotiations to give American workers a break and raise standards worldwide.

"We need trade without tradeoffs for America," former Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C., said in a speech at an Iowa union hall on Aug. 6. He vows, if elected, to put "regular families" ahead of the interests of multinational corporations.

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