Free Trade Generally Seen as Good for the US, But Concerns Remain -Pew

[Frodo]

Free Trade Agreements Seen as Good for U.S., But Concerns Persist

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[Frodo]

Looking at the demographics, it's interesting how more Democrats (and independents) than Republicans support free trade, and how young people are generally more in favor of free trade than their elders.  You'd never know it if you paid attention only to what's happening within the Beltway:

 

[Frodo]

The silence is deafening.... 

[Lief 🗽]

Should be pretty obvious from those demographic breakdowns why Obama is supporting the TPP.

[ElectionsGuy]

Glad to see the generational gap is going in the right direction, and I'm saying this as a person who's not big on trade "agreements". What I'm surprised at is that Republicans and Conservatives are the least supportive of it. Is it just the fact that Obama is supportive of the TPP and fast track authority, or is it that nationalism is increasingly becoming more important than business interests to them?

[RINO Tom]

That's because in a developed economy - especially a world leader - free trade IS good for us.  Unless you're a developing economy trying to break into the international scene (like we were before the early to mid-Twentieth Century), protectionism is economically stupid.

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

Glad to see the generational gap is going in the right direction, and I'm saying this as a person who's not big on trade "agreements". What I'm surprised at is that Republicans and Conservatives are the least supportive of it. Is it just the fact that Obama is supportive of the TPP and fast track authority, or is it that nationalism is increasingly becoming more important than business interests to them?

Conservatives don't like change. It's in the name.

[Kevin]

Interesting-I figure alot more Democrats then Republicans would be opposed to free trade.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

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http://www.scribd.com/doc/267597931/CBS-News-New-York-Times-Work-Income-Inequality-poll#scribd

[Rockefeller GOP]

Interesting-I figure alot more Democrats then Republicans would be opposed to free trade.

Republican politicians are definitely more supportive of it.

[Snowstalker Mk. II]

What percentage of Americans understand what free trade agreements are? Jfern's quote suggests that low-information voters of both parties like the term because it sounds positive, but are more suspicious when given actual details (even very broad ones) of free trade agreements.

[Kevin]

Interesting-I figure alot more Democrats then Republicans would be opposed to free trade.

Republican politicians are definitely more supportive of it.

I'm referring more to the base of the parties.

I.e. the Dem base is relatively more supportive of it then their leaders and vice versa for the GOP. Although I suspect that alot of GOP voters are only against it because Obama is pushing TPP.