Today, following Lou Barletta’s Senate campaign announcement, the Pennsylvania Democratic Party released a digital ad highlighting the Congressman’s support of unfair trade deals and the brutal, expensive Republican primary he’s facing. The targeted ad campaign will run statewide on Facebook and Twitter.
Click here to watch the ad:
“Congressman Lou Barletta has never met an unfair trade deal he didn’t like,” said Pennsylvania Democratic Party spokesman Max Steele. “Pennsylvanians deserve to know why Congressman Barletta voted to fast track TPP and supported deals with Korea, Colombia, and Panama that hurt American workers and cost us jobs. When push comes to shove, an ethically challenged career politician like Congressman Barletta can only be counted on to fight for his wealthy special interest backers. Pennsylvania workers and families deserve far better.”
BACKGROUND
Barletta Voted To Implement The Trade Agreement With Colombia. [HR 3078, Vote 781, 10/12/11]
Barletta Voted To Implement The Trade Agreement With Panama. [HR 3079 Vote 782, 10/12/11]
Barletta Voted To Implement The Trade Agreement With Korea. [HR 3080 Vote 783, 10/12/11]
Barletta Voted For TPA. “The TPA initially passed the House 219-to-211. As in the Senate, the House vote was predominantly along party lines, with Republicans supporting the President’s trade deal. The TPA was only “Title 1,” meaning the first part, of the Trade Act. Because the House did not pass the remainder of the bill (Title 2, which is the TAA, see below), this bill could not move forward.” [HR 1314 Vote 362, 6/12/15; GovTrack, 6/23/15]
Economic Policy Institute Study: “U.S.-Korea trade deal resulted in growing trade deficits and more than 95,000 lost U.S. jobs” [EPI, 5/5/16]
EPI: Korean And Colombian Trade Deals Would Cost Jobs. “After examining pending FTAs with Colombia and South Korea, EPI concludes, based on past experience, that these deals will increase the U.S.’s trade deficit with both countries and result in the loss or displacement of jobs.” [EPI, accessed 8/28/17]
EPI: Trade With Less Developed Countries Lowered Wages By 5.5 Percent. “A standard model estimating the impact of trade on American wages indicates that growing trade with less-developed countries lowered wages in 2011 by 5.5 percent—or by roughly $1,800—for a full-time, full-year worker earning the average wage for workers without a four-year college degree. One-third of this total effect is due to growing trade with just China.” [EPI, 3/22/13]