Here is Lieberman's editorial in IBD:
To begin with, trade supports millions of jobs in America. All told, 25% of jobs in the U.S. today are linked to world trade. And in the current economic downturn, exports are one of our few growth sectors. Demand for American exports is at the highest level ever, total exports are up 7% in the first six months of the year, and our exports to China are up 20% from a year ago.
Free trade also means that ordinary Americans pay lower prices for consumer goods. Anti-trade policies, by contrast, translate to higher prices from the grocery store to the shopping mall — an indirect tax increase that inflicts the greatest harm on those who have the least money to spend.
Forty years ago, countries in Asia like South Korea and Singapore were as impoverished as their counterparts in sub-Saharan Africa. Today, hundreds of millions of people in Asia enjoy middle class prosperity, with hundreds of millions more soon following in their path. This is one of the great success stories of human history — and it was made possible by trade.
Sadly, today's Democratic Party, including Sen. Obama, has largely turned its back on this proud legacy. Sen. Obama, for instance, voted against the Central America Free Trade Agreement, has threatened to renegotiate NAFTA — calling it a "bad deal" — and opposes pending free-trade agreements with South Korea and Colombia.
This anti-trade posture is ironic, given Sen. Obama's pledge to restore America's reputation around the world. In fact, free trade is the embodiment of international cooperation. By pledging to backtrack on longstanding agreements, throw up protectionist barriers, and abandon our closest allies, Sen. Obama has charted a course that will undermine our global leadership and risk putting our country into a deep recession.
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