Rep. John James, R-Mich., took issue Sunday with the international trade practices he said have been used to exploit Americans for "decades."
In anticipation of tariffs being imposed on Canada, China, and Mexico and with regard to the auto industry, James, who represents Detroit, told "Face the Nation" anchor Margaret Brennan, "America is open for business, but we are not for sale.
"Michigan remembers what NAFTA [the North American Free Trade Agreement] did to us. And over the past 30 years, Mexico has built 11 major automotive plants to only one in the United States.
"Michigan remembers 900,000 automotive jobs back in the '90s to the 600,000 now. That's 300,000 lost manufacturing jobs in the automotive sector," he continued.
"Michigan remembers the Great Recession, where 50% of all the jobs lost in all of America were lost in Michigan alone. We lost jobs to Mexico and China.
"Right now in my district — as you mentioned, the No. 1 manufacturing district in all of the nation — overflow production is not going to Sterling Heights; it's going to Saltillo, Mexico. When you look at opportunities missing us, when you look at the fact that Michigan is seeing its opportunities pass by, enough is enough," he said.
James, who works with his family's automotive company, James Group International, told Brennan that he's felt the "pain" of the trade agreements and that the U.S. should now pursue trade policy based on "fairness."
Nick Koutsobinas ✉
Nick Koutsobinas, a Newsmax writer, has years of news reporting experience. A graduate from Missouri State University’s philosophy program, he focuses on exposing corruption and censorship.
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