Ohio Has Lost 320,000 Manufacturing Jobs Since Portman Pushed Through NAFTA
COLUMBUS — Ohio Democrats are launching a statewide tour this week highlighting Republican U.S. Senator ‘No-Jobs-Rob’ Portman’s record helping Washington special interests outsource Ohio jobs. Local officials and community members will gather at stops across Ohio to set the record straight in response to the ‘jobs tour’ Portman announced last week.
“Ohio needs a Senator that stands up to the special interests who are willing to send jobs overseas in order to increase their profits. We need a Senator that supports our auto industry and helps working families increase their wages. Life is difficult enough for too many Ohioans — we need Ted Strickland — a Senator who will be on our side,” said Congressman Tim Ryan.
No-Jobs-Rob Portman’s record includes:
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320,000 Ohio manufacturing jobs lost since Portman pushed through NAFTA
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100,000 Ohio jobs lost to China after the trade deficit ballooned under Portman’s watch
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160,000 Ohio jobs that would have been lost if Portman got his way opposing the auto rescue
OUTSOURCING: Portman Robs Ohio of 320,000 Jobs and Counting
As the former top trade adviser under President George W. Bush, Portman has never met a trade deal he didn’t like – voting for every single outsourcing agreement that’s ever come before him, and even voting twice to give corporations a tax break when they do outsource. Portman helped push through NAFTA and remains NAFTA’s biggest cheerleader, calling it a ‘proven success,’ despite 320,000 Ohio manufacturing jobs lost since the trade deal passed.
Now, Portman is back at it again, voting to Fast-Track the massive, new Pacific trade deal – without even reading it – and send even more Ohio jobs overseas.
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Ohio has endured a net loss of more than 323,000 manufacturing jobs – one out of every three – since the 1994 NAFTA and the World Trade Organization agreements took effect. [Public Citizen, Accessed 4/24/15]
CHINA: Trade Deficit Ballooned Under Portman Robbing Ohio of 100,000 Jobs
While Portman was U.S. Trade Representative from 2005-2006, the trade deficit with China soared up $228 billion, an increase of more than 20 percent. Yet Portman failed to crack down on China’s unfair trade practices, even drawing criticism for his inaction from the libertarian Cato Institute.
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And as a result, Ohio workers lost jobs: A 2014 study showed that Ohio had lost more than 100,000 jobs due to the trade deficit with China – 77,000 in manufacturing alone. [Cleveland Plain Dealer, 12/11/14; Economic Policy Institute, 12/11/14]
AUTO RESCUE: Portman Tried to Rob Ohio of 160,000 Jobs by Opposing the Auto Rescue
Studies show the auto rescue saved 160,000 jobs in Ohio and 1.5 million jobs nationwide.
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But those jobs would have been robbed if Portman had his way. Portman called the auto rescue a “bad deal,” putting 160,000 Ohio jobs in jeopardy. [Toledo Blade, Ken Lortz Op-Ed, 10/18/12; Reuters, 12/9/13; Columbus Dispatch, 5/26/11]
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