Why has the Obama campaign scrubbed his pro-globalization positions from his website?

[rodeodance]

Forum Name General Discussion: Primaries
Topic subject Why has the Obama campaign scrubbed his pro-globalization positions from his website?
Topic URL http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x4664208#4664208
4664208, Why has the Obama campaign scrubbed his pro-globalization positions from his website?
Posted by Harvey Korman on Tue Feb-19-08 02:57 PM

Less than a month ago, the following paragraphs appeared on Obama's "Economy" issues page, praising globalization and even reflecting favorably on the trade policies of the Clinton administration:

Be a Tough Negotiator for Smart Trade Agreements: The process of globalization is bringing millions of people into the global economy, increasing the efficiency of resource allocation through stronger capital markets, raising productivity by putting new technologies to work, and exploiting efficiencies of integrated supply networks. But globalization also leaves some Americans behind as patterns of production change, jobs relocate, and wage pressures intensify. Barack Obama supports trade agreements that lower prices for American consumers while also opening up fair and competitive markets for the sale of American-made goods and services abroad. Obama will ensure that trade agreements include strong labor and environmental protections and that all Americans share the rewards of globalization. As president, he will lead a proactive strategy to make sure that those who lose their jobs to globalization have the tools and resources to find other work and share in the benefits of the global marketplace.

Promote American Businesses Abroad: Trade can create wealth and drive innovation through competition. Barack Obama supports a trade policy that ensures our goods and services are treated fairly in foreign markets. At the same time, trade policy must stay consistent with our commitment to promote improved labor and environmental practices. In its first six years, the Bush Administration has filed only 16 cases to enforce its rights under WTO agreements. This compares to 68 cases filed during the first six years of the Clinton Administration. President Bush has failed to address the fact that China has engaged in ongoing currency manipulation that undercuts US exports; that China fails to enforce US copyrights and trademarks and that some of our competitors create regulatory and tax barriers to the delivery and sale of technology goods and services abroad. Barack Obama will fight for fair treatment of our companies abroad.


I linked to those paragraphs on Obama's site here on January 30.

Yet now, just 20 days later, those pro-globalization positions are nowhere to be found on Obama's website. In fact, Obama's entire trade-related position statement has been reduced to three very short (and labor-friendly) paragraphs.

Just in case anyone doubts the original paragraphs came from Obama's site, here's part of the portion I just quoted posted on the same day I originally posted (Jan. 30) by an Obama supporter on barackobama.com:

http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/jimbickerstaff/CGjHh

Here's the entire text reposted on Yahoo! Answers (scroll down to comment by "Danny Boy"):

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080117134733AAnptcg

And again on sciforums (search for comment by user "Ganymede"):

http://www.sciforums.com/showthread.php?t=76900

So why did Obama eliminate references to his pro-globalization stands from his website pre-Wisconsin and Ohio? Could it be that industrial workers wouldn't be sympathetic to Obama's concern for "integrated supply networks" and "fair treatment of our companies abroad?" Or that they might not be comforted by Obama's promises that "those who lose their jobs to globalization have the tools and resources to find other work and share in the benefits of the global marketplace?"

[displacedtexan]

1. The answer s obvious, isn't it? (eom)