What the Candidates Think
Obama: President Obama wants to increase America’s ability to trade. Obama's website states that he “is working to double American exports over the next five years by promoting U.S. goods and removing trade barriers, expanding access to credit, and promoting strong growth.”
President Obama hopes to accomplish this goal by establishing trade equality between foreign companies and those in the U.S., combating the trade practices of China, and “[negotiating] a new, expanded Trans-Pacific Partnership to open up new markets in a region that totals 40 percent of global trade to more U.S. goods.”
Romney: Governor Romney hopes to reduce trade barriers and open new markets to American goods. Romney argues, “The fewer the barriers to cross-border commerce, the more economic growth we enjoy and the greater the number of American jobs brought into being.”
Governor Romney aims to increase America’s ability to trade by pursuing new trade agreements, creating the Reagan Economic Zone, reinstating the Trade Promotion Authority, and supporting the Trans-Pacific Partnership. He also stresses the need to confront China’s trade practices by “all unilateral actions within our power to ensure that the Chinese adhere to existing agreements.”
In 2011, American exports of goods and services ($2,103.1 billion) were the highest on record. (U.S. Census Bureau)
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World Trade Organization Statistics
