Speech #1100121572

Do we want to go down that road with other trade agreements that will also lead to the loss of jobs and the lowering of wages? I think not. Supporters of unfettered free trade told us during that debate that NAFTA would significantly reduce the flow of illegal immigration into this country because the standard of living in Mexico would increase. Well. that issue need not be discussed for too long because nobody believes that has happened. Sadly. as we all know. as a result of NAFTA. severe poverty in Mexico has increased. 1.3 million small farmers in Mexico have lost their farms. They have been displaced and real wages for the majority of Mexicans have gone down. All of thisthe loss of farms. the decline in wages. and the increase in extreme poverty in Mexicois directly opposite of what they told us NAFTA would do. and it has led to a 60percent annual increase in illegal immigration from Mexico during the first 6 years of NAFTA alone. So they told us NAFTA would create more jobs in America. Wrong. We lost jobs. They told us NAFTA would increase the standard of living of people in Mexico and stop illegal immigration. Wrong. Extreme poverty in Mexico has gone up. over a million people lost their farms. and illegal immigration to the U.S. has increased. Wrong. wrong. wrong. Yet people say we were wrong. wrong. wrong. and I guess we should continue to go down that same path.