Voters–in a separate Rasmussen Reports survey taken last week–seem to share Obama’s ambivalence. Thirty-four percent (34%) say free trade is good for the U.S. economy, but 36% say it is not. Thirteen percent (13%) say neither is true, and 18% are undecided. Republicans narrowly believe free trade is good (41% to 33%), Democrats narrowly believe it is bad, and unaffiliated voters are evenly divided. At the same time, over half (54%) believe free trade agreements take jobs away from Americans, while only 23% believe U.S. jobs are created. Ten percent (10%) say neither, and 13% aren’t sure.
When it comes to free trade, many seem to think most of the benefits go into CEOs’ pockets, not into Americans’ bank accounts. That perception–while unfair–is held by many. It’s up to the American business community to change that view–and they certainly have a lot of work to do. Last month, after House Democrats scuttled the Columbia Free Trade Agreement, I wrote:
Opponents of open markets have been gaining ground for the past decade, but their efforts fully blossomed in 2006 when union and environmental activists invested heavily in congressional campaigns of Democrats. Free-trade advocates failed to match these efforts, and Mrs. Pelosi’s bold procedural step reminds us that elections matter. Killing this free-trade agreement is a consequence flowing directly from the new Democratic majority. Unions and environmental interests did not hedge their bets. They unabashedly supported Democrats–and now enjoy the spoils of political victory.
While the opponents of free trade invest heavily in media and politics, open-market advocates lack the kind of collective effort that can move the needle of public perception. As I observed in that same piece:
