Candidates are listed in alphabetical order. Positions are categorized as Pro (Yes), Con (No), Not Clearly Pro or Con, or None Found.
Candidates who have withdrawn or who no longer meet our criteria are listed last.

Pro (Yes)

Con (No)

Clinton, Hillary (D) - Pro Hillary Clinton, U.S. Senator (D-NY), in the Nov. 15, 2007 Democratic Debate, hosted by CNN and held in Las Vegas, NV: "NAFTA [North American Free Trade Agreement] was a mistake to the extent that it did not deliver on what we had hoped it would, and that's why I call for trade timeout. When I am president, I'm going to evaluate every trade agreement. We do need to get back to enforcing the ones we have, which the Bush administration has not done. They have totally abdicated that. But I think we have to get broader than that. We've got to have enforceable labor and environmental standards. We've got the WTO [World Trade Organization] that enforces financial and corporate rights. We need the International Labor Organization and other mechanisms that will be there to enforce labor rights and environmental rights. And that's what I intend to do as president." Nov. 15, 2007 Hillary Clinton

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Gravel, Mike (Lib) - None Found ProCon.org emailed the Gravel campaign on Dec. 13, 2007 with this question. We had not received a reply or found a position as of Mar. 12, 2008.

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Keyes, Alan (Ind) - Not Clearly Pro or Con Alan Keyes, former Assistant U.S. Secretary of State, stated in the Oct. 12, 2004 "Alan Keyes and Barack Obama Debate," hosted by Illinois Radio Network: "Free trade is a myth--and those people who say it's a good thing are actually selling out the American people in favor of a handful of special interests who are outsourcing our jobs, allowing these despotisms in China and elsewhere to export goods into the United States when they refuse to pay the price in terms of what's needed to respect union rights and freedom of association and the decent conditions of work." Oct. 12, 2004 Alan Keyes

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McCain, John (R) - Not Clearly Pro or Con John McCain, U.S. Senator (R-AZ), stated in a June 20, 2007 article titled "Senator John McCain Address on Latin America to the Florida Association of Broadcasters" on his official candidate website: "Opening new and integrated world markets does not automatically translate into a higher quality life for everyone. Latin America's income inequality poses a threat to stability and free market democracy. As we pursue liberalized trade, we must work with Latin American governments to open up real opportunities for the millions of citizens in this hemisphere trapped in the underground informal economy, without access to credit, with no titles to their property, and no ability to harness their energies and work ethic in an entrepreneurial economy. The power of global capital markets dwarfs the importance of foreign assistance in financing economic expansion. Capital markets do not, however, automatically seek out those who have been left behind - and my administration would work to ensure that those marginalized have an opportunity for a better life." June 20, 2007 John McCain

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McKinney, Cynthia (Grn) - None Found     ProCon.org emailed the McKinney campaign on Mar. 26, 2008 with this question. We had not received a reply or found a position as of Apr. 11, 2008.

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McKinney, Cynthia (Grn) - Pro Cynthia McKinney, former U.S. House Representative (D-GA), stated in the Jan. 13, 2008 Green Presidential Debate in San Francisco, CA: "I would repeal NAFTA [North American Free Trade Agreement] and CAFTA [Central America Free Trade Agreement]. Because basically we have this issue of immigration because we have unfair practices in our economic policy, we have an unfair military policy, and an unfair foreign policy to those parts of the world from which these people are coming. And so I would want first to change our economic policy, our military policy, and our foreign policy to respect human rights, to respect the environment, force U.S. corporations to abide by the U.S. standard on environmnet and labor, and have a race to the top instead of a race to the bottom which now U.S. workers have joined." Jan. 13, 2008 Cynthia McKinney

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Nader, Ralph (Ind) - Pro Ralph Nader, attorney, author, and political activist, wrote in an artcile titled "The Real Strength of the Economy: A Labor Agenda for Workers," posted on The Progress Report website (accessed Apr. 9, 2008): "Labor Day 2000 should also mark a new resolve to end abuse of trade by corporations under the guise of 'free trade.' Free trade sloganeering has been a means to hide corporate efforts to evade labor and environmental standards and, with the support of dictatorial regimes, to exploit workers throughout the world. Trade policies should be based on 'pulling standards' up around the world, not on 'pulling down' our standards. Labor, joined by environmentalists and human rights advocates, should make clear the differences between the corporate managed trade and what is truly 'fair trade' that provides decent protections for workers and the environment." Apr. 9, 2008 Ralph Nader

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Obama, Barack (D) - Not Clearly Pro or Con

Barack Obama, U.S. Senator (D-IL), in a Nov. 13, 2007 article on his official candidate website titled "Remarks of Senator Barack Obama as Prepared for Delivery" at the United Auto Workers [UAW] Conference, stated: "We're not going to stop globalization in its tracks, but we shouldn't be standing idly by while American jobs are shipped overseas. It's time to put Main Street ahead of Wall Street when it comes to trade. The only trade agreements I believe in are ones that put workers first - because trade deals aren't good for the American people if they aren't good for working people. That's why I opposed CAFTA [Central American Free Trade Agreement]. That's why I oppose the South Korea Free Trade Agreement. That's why I voted to block Mexican trucks from entering this country. And that's why we need to amend NAFTA [North American Free Trade Agreement]." Nov. 13, 2007 Barack Obama

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Paul, Ron (R) - Con Ron Paul, U.S. Representative (R-TX), stated in a June 6, 2005 article titled "Dr. Paul's Writings: CAFTA- More Bureaucracy, Less Free Trade" on his campaign website: "CAFTA [Central American Free Trade Agreement] and other international trade agreements do not represent free trade. Free trade occurs in the absence of government interference in the flow of goods, while CAFTA represents more government in the form of an international body. It is incompatible with our Constitution and national sovereignty, and we don't need it to benefit from international trade... The quasi-judicial regime created under CAFTA will have the same power to coerce our cowardly legislature into changing American laws in the future. Labor and environmental rules are inherently associated with trade laws, and we can be sure that CAFTA will provide yet another avenue for globalists to impose the Kyoto Accord and similar agreements on the American people. CAFTA also imposes the International Labor Organization's [ILO] manifesto, which could have been written by Karl Marx, on American business. I encourage every conservative and libertarian who supports CAFTA to read the ILO declaration and consider whether they still believe the treaty will make America more free." June 6, 2005 Ron Paul

CANDIDATES WHO HAVE WITHDRAWN OR WHO NO LONGER MEET OUR CRITERIA      Biden, Joe (D) - None Found   Withdrew on Jan. 3, 2008; no position found as of that date Top      Brownback, Sam (R) - None Found   Withdrew on Oct. 19, 2007; no position found as of that date Top      Dodd, Chris (D) - None Found   Withdrew on Jan. 3, 2008; no position found as of that date Top    Edwards, John (D) - Pro John Edwards, former U.S. Senator (D-NC), offered the following in an article titled "Smarter Trade That Puts Workers First" on his official candidate website (accessed Jan. 9, 2008): "Demand Strong Labor Laws: Many overseas workers work 12 to 16 hours a day in dangerous conditions for poverty wages, without the right to form an independent union. Requiring our trade partners to adopt and enforce basic workers' rights will prevent a global race to the bottom and help build a global middle class. Edwards believes that all of our trade partners should be required to enforce at least the core labor rights defined by the International Labor Organization: the right to organize and bargain collectively and prohibitions against forced labor, child labor, and discrimination. Edwards will pursue these goals through linkage to U.S. trade preference programs, any new bilateral trade agreements, and future World Trade Organization negotiations." Jan. 9, 2008 John Edwards Top      Gilmore, Jim (R) - None Found   Withdrew on Aug. 14, 2007; no position found as of that date Top      Giuliani, Rudy (R) - Not Clearly Pro or Con Rudy Giuliani, former Mayor of New York City, offers the following in a July 11, 2007 press release titled "Expanding Our Involvement in the Global Economy" on his official candidate website: "Aggressively Advance Free Trade: Rudy will tear down the walls to free trade and create new markets for American-made products. He will protect America's innovations and intellectual property by enforcing our trade agreements aggressively. Reduce corporate tax rates and regulatory burden so that Americans can better compete in the global economy. Reform the excesses of Sarbanes-Oxley that are driving our corporations overseas to list on foreign exchanges. Reenact the Presidential Fast-Track Trade Promotion Authority and complete the Doha Development Round." July 11, 2007 Rudy Giuliani Top      Huckabee, Mike (R) - Not Clearly Pro or Con Mike Huckabee, former Governor of Arkansas, stated at the Sep. 17, 2007 Republican Values Voter Presidential Debate held in Fort Lauderdale, FL: "[Moderator]: Would you make future trade with China contingent on them measurably improving their record on religious freedom & human rights? Huckabee: Yes." Sep. 17, 2007 Mike Huckabee Top      Hunter, Duncan (R) - Not Clearly Pro or Con Duncan Hunter, U.S. Representative (R-CA), in an article titled "Fair & Equitable Trade" on his official campaign website (accessed Jan. 11, 2008), stated: "American workers are the most productive and innovative labor force in the world. Unfortunately, they are asked to compete in an unfair environment against other workers who make only a fraction of a living wage and are employed by companies that face few, if any, responsibilities to the environment or the long-term prospects of their employees. Our domestic manufacturers are forced to compete against foreign companies that benefit from their country's currency and regulatory regimes. Ominously, China is cheating on trade and using billions of American trade dollars to build ships, planes and missiles at an alarming rate while, at the same time, taking millions of American jobs. I will reverse this 'one-way street' with a new policy of fair trade for the American worker." Jan. 11, 2008 Duncan Hunter Top          Imperato, Daniel (3rd/I) - None Found ProCon.org emailed the Imperato campaign on Jan. 21, 2008 with this question. Mr. Imperato provided a response to this question and 26 others during a recorded 45-minute telephone interview with ProCon.org on Mar. 11, 2008. On Mar. 21, 2008 Mr. Imperato no longer met our eligibility criteria for inclusion on this site, and we stopped transcribing his verbal responses as of that date.   Top    Kubby, Steve (3rd/I) - Con Steve Kubby, a Libertarian candidate and founder of the American Medical Marijuana Association, stated in a Jan. 10, 2008 email to ProCon.org: "No. Free trade is free trade -- and free trade by its very nature enhances workers' abilities to protect their OWN rights far better than any government edict ever could. Free trade makes workers more prosperous and opens up new opportunities to them, giving them ever-increasing leverage with their employers, both as individuals and as members of labor groups. One need only look at the decline of American unions to see what government involvement does to labor solidarity. A union that can't survive and serve its members without government pulling strings for it was never a real union in the first place." Jan. 10, 2008 Steve Kubby Top    Kucinich, Dennis (D) - Pro Dennis Kucinich, U.S. Representative (D-OH), in a Jan. 8, 2004 BuzzFlash.com article titled "Congressman Dennis Kucinich, Candidate for the Democratic Presidential Nomination," stated: "I stand for global commerce, but global commerce that's based on morality, based on the rights of workers to organize, to bargain collectively, to strike, to have decent wages, to have a safe workplace, and to have a secure retirement. It's based on human rights, on protecting people from being exploited, on prohibitions on slave labor, child labor and prison labor. My trade policies will be based on protecting the environment, protecting the quality of our air and our water and our land. Until we cancel NAFTA [North American Free Trade Agreement] and the WTO [World Trade Organization], and return to bilateral trade, conditioned on workers' rights, human rights and environmental quality principles we'll never be able to reclaim the essence of morality in our commerce because global corporations are setting the rules. And they're setting the rules without regard to the interest of people or countries. And that's why my presidency will return to bilateral trade, where we'll set the conditions. And this way, we can elevate the cause of workers not only in this country but everywhere." Jan. 8, 2004 Dennis Kucinich Top          McEnulty, Frank (3rd/I) - Not Clearly Pro or Con Frank McEnulty, an Independent candidate and President of Our Castle Homes, in a Dec. 20, 2007 email to ProCon.org, stated: "If we are giving up things to allow these agreements to take place then we have the right to ask that they be included. In order to make free trade agreements fair, however, we must try and ensure that everyone is playing by the same rules, which means including labor rights provisions where necessary. In the real world, though, getting these provisions included is often much easier than actually having the foreign governments enforce those same provisions." Dec. 20, 2007 Frank McEnulty Top    Richardson, Bill (D) - Pro Bill Richardson, Governor of New Mexico, stated at the Aug. 7, 2007 American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) Democratic Presidential Forum held in Chicago, IL: "We should never have another trade agreement unless it enforces labor protection, environmental standards and job safety. What we need to do is say that from now on America will adhere to all international labor standards in any trade agreement. No child labor; no slave labor; freedom of association; collective bargaining, that is critically important; making sure that no wage disparity exists." Aug. 7, 2007 Bill Richardson Top      Romney, Mitt (R) - Not Clearly Pro or Con Mitt Romney, former Governor of Massachusetts, stated in an Oct. 23, 2007 press release titled "Romney Agenda: A New Vision to Open Markets and Help U.S. Workers to Succeed" on his official candidate website: "The Doha Round and free trade agreements can be huge opportunities for America if we ensure no unilateral disarmament on agriculture and demand that they provide strong benefits for U.S. farmers and goods and services producers... We need bold ideas to address the new global economy. Starting with a core of U.S. free trade agreement partners, Governor Romney would seek to bring together nations committed to open markets and playing by the rules in the largest ever Free Trade Area, and go beyond traditional trade to promote high standards in areas critical to U.S. competitiveness. The Reagan Zone Of Economic Freedom would act as an alliance working together internally, in the World Trade organization and elsewhere to push reforms and work cooperatively in areas like labor and the environment. Governor Romney would seek to expand these efforts to include the European Union and other nations that agree to meet these standards, while challenging China and others advancing agreements that exclude America." Oct. 23, 2007 Mitt Romney Top    Smith, Christine (3rd/I) - Con Christine Smith, a Libertarian candidate and a social and political activist, stated in an article titled "Free Trade" on her official candidate website (accessed Feb. 28, 2008): "I am for free trade, thus I am for the abolishment of all trade restrictions, and I oppose NAFTA, CAFTA, WTO, and all other trade regulations/treaties. The American people should be able to freely associate, visit, and do business with the people of any other nation in the world." Feb. 28, 2008 Christine Smith Top      Tancredo, Tom (R) - None Found   Withdrew on Dec. 20, 2007; no position found as of that date Top      Thompson, Fred (R) - None Found     No position found as of Jan. 9, 2008. ProCon.org also emailed the Thompson campaign on Dec. 13, 2007 with this question. They did not respond to our email.   Top      Thompson, Tommy (R) - None Found   Withdrew on Sep. 12, 2007; no position found as of that date Top      Vilsack, Tom (D) - None Found   Withdrew on Feb. 23, 2007; no position found as of that date

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