Global Trade Issues Hit Home (washingtonpost.com)

Global Trade Issues Hit Home
Loss of Jobs Has Trickle-Down Effect on Local Economies in S.C., Other States
By Jonathan Weisman
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, February 2, 2004; Page A07


SPARTANBURG, S.C. -- In the Old South trappings of the exclusive Piedmont Club here, barons of a textile industry in decline gathered last week to deliver a message to the candidates for president. Republicans all, each voted for George W. Bush in 2000, but, they promised, the politician who will get tough on Chinese imports, tighten enforcement of existing trade agreements and oppose future trade deals will have their vote -- and, if they can help it, the votes of their 630,000 employees.



The Democratic candidates have done their best to oblige, forsaking the Clinton-era free-trade mentality.

The leftward shift on trade is only part of a rising message of economic populism in the race for the Democratic nomination. With chronic manufacturing job losses and geographic pockets of economic uncertainty, Democrats have been quick to ratify concerns over foreign competition and global trade liberalization as they hammer away at what Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.) has called "powerful interests,"