I was content with, I didn't feel the need to debate it. I also like John Edwards's position on trade (maybe moreso). I don't understand John Kerry's position on trade.
...
DEAN: No, but I have something to say about what John Edwards just said.
BORGER: John Edwards, right.
DEAN: I think the free trade agreements were justified, but the problem is we've only solved half the problem. We've globalized the rights of big corporations to do business anywhere in the world. We did not globalize human rights, labor rights and environmental rights, and we need to do that.
Now, with all due respect, I'm the only person up here who's ever balanced a budget, who's ever had the kind of agreements that we create jobs.
Here's what we need to do: One, we've got to balance the budget. People do not invest in countries that don't balance their budgets. Two, we've got to do something to help small businesses and self- employed people. Small businesses and self-employed people create 70 percent of all the new jobs in America. We do virtually nothing for them. They need help with capital. They need help with health insurance. They need help with less paperwork.
If you want jobs in America, instead of giving $3 trillion tax cuts to the wealthiest people in this country, what we ought to be doing is investing in mass transit, in schools, in renewable energy, and things that create jobs now and build infrastructure so we can have more jobs later on.
BORGER: Well, Governor, let me ask you another related question. Last week, Democrats were out there criticizing the president's economic adviser who said that outsourcing was actually good for America because it keeps prices down in this country. So would you be willing to make Americans pay higher prices for goods in order to stop sending those jobs overseas?
DEAN: Yes, I've repeatedly said that. The bad news is if we do what I want to with our trade agreement, you're going to pay higher prices at Wal-Mart because their stuff is all made in China and labor costs are going to go up in China. The benefit is, though, that you're going to keep good, high-paying jobs in the United States of America and that's what this debate is all about.
...
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A44506-2004Feb15?language=printer