It is certainly true that America’s trade policy plays a large role in the resurgence and strength of our economy – but that’s not the only role it fills. Our trade policy also sits at the core of our strategy to keep America and our allies safe in the 21st century.
So here's the question: How can the President's progressive trade deal — the Trans-Pacific Partnership — help safeguard our future?
Tour of @Boeing factory was particularly special for me — my Dad was a pilot/flying has been in my family for years pic.twitter.com/U7QmoGlnLz
— John Kerry (@JohnKerry) May 19, 2015
Speaking today at Boeing Headquarters in Seattle, WA, America's top diplomat — Secretary of State John Kerry — offered this answer:
"It is no secret that the world in the future looks pretty complicated right now. The turbulence that we see comes from a combination of factors, including the fact that even as the world grows closer, there are powerful forces pulling people apart – terrorism, extreme nationalism, conflicts over resources, a huge number of people coming of age in parts of the world where there simply aren’t enough jobs. This creates a race between opportunity and frustration that we can’t afford to lose.
Expanded trade can help us win that race by spurring innovation and – and as we’ve seen in Asia and elsewhere – helping hundreds of millions of people to lift themselves out of poverty. And poverty, my friends, is where you see much of this violent extremism born.