Washington, Tuesday.
PRESIDENT Clinton launched his campaign for the North American Free
Trade Association treaty today with the help of three former presidents
and a clutch of other officials. It will be an uphill battle.
The United States and Canada have shared a free trade area for several
years. President George Bush and the Mexican leader, President Salinas,
extended it to Mexico. The treaty was signed last year, but it will be
exceedingly difficult to have it ratified by Congress.
Many, perhaps a majority, of Democrats in the House of Representatives
oppose the Nafta treaty because their constituents fear that it will
cost them their jobs. For years there has been a steady attrition of
highly-paid industrial jobs in the United States as firms move
manufacturing plant to cheap-labour countries in Asia and Latin America.
They fear that Nafta will accelerate this.
The Mexicans have already opened their market to American imports.
President Salinas has privatised the banking system, sold off many
state-owned firms, and permitted American-owned factories to open in
Mexico. The result has been a dramatic expansion of the Mexican economy.
Supporters of Nafta claim that Mexican prosperity means more American
jobs, as Mexico increases its imports from the US. The figures confirm
the argument, but there is no denying that many American jobs have moved
south of the border, and more will follow if Nafta is passed.
Ross Perot, who ran as an independent in the 1992 presidential
election and won 20% of the vote, has been leading the campaign against
Nafta. He won many cheers last year by saying ''If Nafta is passed,
there will be a loud sucking sound as American jobs are sucked south.''
As the final version of the treaty was signed today at the White
House, the president spelled out the advantages of Nafta and let former
presidents George Bush, Jimmy Carter, and Gerald Ford say their pieces
in its favour. Mr Carter won the loudest cheers by denouncing Mr Perot.
''Unfortunately, we have in this country a demagogue,'' he said, ''who
has unlimited financial resources and is extremely careless with the
truth.'' He said Mr Perot's campaign might influence Congress unless it
was met by people of courage.
It was a good speech, and a surprising occasion. Former presidents do
not often visit the White House, let alone make public speeches there.
This was the first time Mr Carter has had such an audience since he left
office. He and his wife, Rosalyn, and George Bush had attended the
Middle East signings yesterday and stayed on at the White House.
Mr Carter's speech was preceded by former president Bush and followed
by former president Ford, who spoke equally warmly of Nafta. Only the
deepest sceptics would note that all three were one-term presidents
defeated in bids for re-election.
Opponents of Nafta have denounced it for the past year, and it is
rather late for its supporters to spring into action.
Richard Gephardt, the third-ranking Democrat in the House, is a
sceptic and probably a majority of Democrats in that house oppose the
treaty. Lloyd Bentsen, secretary of the treasury, is reported to be
deeply unhappy at the lack of effort the president has put into pushing
Nafta.
It will need Republican support to pass, and Republican leaders were
in the White House to hear their former leaders and show support. It
will however be difficult for some to resist the chance to humiliate
President Clinton.
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