A big problem with Rex Tillerson as Secretary of State surfaced in his hearings on Wednesday during questioning by Senator Jeff Merkley, an Oregon Democrat. In phrasing his question, Merkley noted that during the campaign “The President-elect talked a lot about what he saw as major mistakes with NAFTA and with giving China full access to our market, in terms of its impact on American manufacturing.”
Merkley continued, “He was very critical of the TPP. Do you share his vision that NAFTA and WTO China access, that TPP are big mistakes in terms of creating living wage American jobs?” Tillerson talks like a politician even though he’s never officially been one, saying, “Senator, my understanding of the issue that the President-elect has with those trade agreements is in the case of NAFTA it’s an agreement that’s been in place for decades now and I think even President Pena-Nieto of Mexico has indicated that ‘Yes, perhaps it needs a relook, that we’re in a different era now, both in terms of the type of trade and technology, but also the global trading environment has changed since that agreement was put in place.” At what point was it good for America, Tillerson? It has been a job killer from the beginning. It has nothing to do with the “era” we’re in.
Asked if he shares Mr. Trump’s opposition to TPP, Tillerson replied, “I do not oppose TPP. I share some of his views regarding whether the agreement that was negotiated serves all of America’s interests best.”
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