Fair Trade

Welcoming a New Day on Trade Policy

by Zarah Patriana

Published February 06, 2009 @ 12:23PM PT

As I stated in my previous post about lessons learned from the World Social Forum, progressive change is finally gaining traction, unfortunately it took a massive global crisis to get things started.

I've been doing a lot of thinking about change lately. I even drastically cut my hair recently because I have been thinking about change so much. The state of affairs has been pretty dismal for a lot lately and it has been a direct result of the way business has been conducted for the past several years. With the new Obama Administration in the White House, it is time to demand what they have been promising -- change. For me, and for us, I think there is a real need for change in our trade policy. The world is talking and looking for action, and now citizens in the U.S. are starting to speak up.

I shared my hopes and also my confusion toward the Obama Administration and their dialogue (or lack of, at least on whitehouse.gov) toward a new trade policy. Well now, a letter is going around to members of Congress signed by three hundred and forty organizations including diverse national, state and local groups from the faith, family farm, labor, consumer and environmental sectors - including my own organization -- asking change in trade policy.

Our more than eighteen million combined members know one of the greatest challenges facing our nation is creating new trade and globalization policies that serve America’s workers, consumers, farmers and firms. Rebalancing our trade policies so that they create and retain good jobs here at home -- along with fostering sustainable equitable development worldwide -- is an urgent challenge. The dramatic economic downturn caused in part by the lack of prudent global regulation of commerce, and massive trade and financial imbalances, demonstrates why America needs a new way on trade. It will be challenging to remedy the considerable damage that our past policies have wrought, however we are confident that working together, we can replace the failed trade policies of the past with those that deliver broadly shared benefits.

Our requests span from asking for the halt of the Doha Round Agenda that only causes more trouble for people around the world and the planet. We are also asking for a renegotiation of NAFTA and completeing reforming other Free Trade Agreements put forward by the Bush Administration.

Just as those at the World Social Forum and the Fair Trade movement have been stating for many years now, business as usual is not working. Corporate globalization is not working for the people or the planet and has essentially led to the current crises that we are facing. This alternative trade model that the Fair Trade movement has been behind should now give pointers to how business should be conducted on a larger scale. Change is in the air, now it is time to make that change happen. I encourage everyone to read the letter and most importantly to get the members of Congress to take a look at it as well.

Correcting our past trade and globalization policy mistakes and moving forward on a new path can help our nation face our considerable economic challenges. Changing our current trade agreements and policies is critical to regain the policy space to accomplish key domestic non-trade priorities regarding health care, economic stability, climate change and more. We look forward to working with members of Congress and the Obama Administration to create a new American trade and globalization policy that can ensure that future trade agreements obtain broad support.

[image: mexicanchamber.org]