Why Obama should be president

Sen. Barack Obama is the only presidential candidate who can right the destructive wrongs of the past eight years.

Looking at Obama's impeccable record on trade issues and issues dear to working families -- such as his commitment to passing the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) -- the choice was clear for the Teamsters Union.

I've had several candid conversations with Obama. There's no doubt in my mind that he has a genuine concern about not only our country's trade policies, but about the hardworking men and women whose livelihoods and families are affected by them.

Every bit of the Democratic primary fight between Obama and Hillary Clinton, and every bit of the general election, will be an uphill battle to show people how important it is for the United States to have trade policies that take American workers into account.

Anyone who thinks our country's trade policies do not have an impact on Michigan is mistaken. We've got the highest unemployment in the nation, and there's a direct correlation between those numbers and bad trade policies like the North American Free Trade Agreement. Jobs have been lost. Factories have closed

Obama has long said NAFTA was oversold since its inception, and will work with Canadian and Mexican leaders to fix it so it's fair for American workers. Michigan cannot continue losing jobs, factories and other facilities as a result of NAFTA.

Obama understands that America needs fair trade policies that will create a level playing field with our trading partners. He understands that the corporate race to the bottom has had a devastating impact on our economy and our communities. Obama also understands that the trade policies of the Bush administration have done nothing to raise the standards of workers globally.

Labor will work closely with Obama to achieve a better balance -- to keep good jobs in America and raise wages, establish benefits and improve working conditions abroad. He has consistently stood firm against agreements that would undermine our nation's economic security.

But Obama realizes that the misguided trade policies of the Bush administration are not the only problems. As president, Obama will pressure the World Trade organization to stop countries from continuing unfair government subsidies to foreign exporters and nontariff barriers on U.S. exports.

Take the South Korea Free Trade Agreement, which Obama opposes (and Sen. John McCain, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, supports). While the agreement would be great for banks and telecommunications firms, it fails to ensure that American-made cars and trucks receive fair treatment in the Korean market.

America has an $11 billion deficit in automotive trade with Korea. Last year, Korea sold 700,000 vehicles in the United States, and the United States sold only 4,556 in Korea. This is largely due to the centralized regulatory and tax structure in South Korea that discriminates against our cars. The proposed agreement does not do nearly enough to change these discriminatory practices or enforce commitments by Korea to open its market.

Trade, of course, is not the only reason why the Teamsters Union endorsed Obama. He understands what working people are going through. He will fight for an improved health care system, retirement security and good jobs. He will join us in our commitment to rebuild our nation's transportation infrastructure and will make appointments that make sense -- people who will protect workers. A President Obama will ensure our toys and food are safe, the Environmental Protection Agency actually protects the environment and enforces worker safety laws and wage and hour laws.

I am proud of our union's support of Obama and will continue to stand with him in his commitment to a trade policy that benefits American workers.