| Campaign for American Jobs and International Leadership |
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Objective: Educate the public about the value of trade in creating high paying jobs, keeping prices low and quality high, and ensuring economic growth and worldwide American economic leadership. This will allow us to persuade legislators so we can pass legislation that removes barriers to open trade. Overview: Today, the majority of the money and energy in the trade debate is on the anti-trade side. The coalition of labor, environmental, and extreme liberal groups continues to fire away at trade agreements and international economic activity. The dollars that are spent on the pro-trade side tend to come in bursts surrounding votes in the Congress or around some kind of “campaign kick off.” There is nothing like the sustained effort from the other side. Given this dynamic, there is little momentum for new trade agreements or a renewal of Presidential Trade Promotion Authority. Perhaps more importantly, public attitudes about trade, even among usually sympathetic conservatives, are moving in the wrong direction according to recent survey data. The solution: What’s needed is a systematic and comprehensive effort to engage in the debate and bring public opinion more in line with the very positive effects of trade and trade agreements, as well as American international leadership, and move it away from the negative caricature created by trade opponents. The effort will be focused in targeted swing areas around America, NOT inside the Beltway. It will be a combination of grassroots action and earned and paid media. Only be engaging the country in a thoughtful and systematic debate can the pro-trade side hope to win the argument. |