Obama has expressed a pro-labor position to the agreement and calls for more strict labor and environmental provisions within the current FTA. According to trade lobbyists and union representatives in a recent article from The Hill, the Colombia deal has better shot under Obama. Union representatives believe Obama would be more likely to enforce labor laws than McCain.

The issue of trade in Latin America was not a hot topic during the second presidential debate this Tuesday. However, while watching I wondered:

• Are the presidential candidates’ positions during their campaigns the same positions they will take if elected into office?
• Are presidential candidates’ positions during their campaigns simply symbolic in order to woo voters?
• How can voters know what candidates really intend to do/fix/enforce/change while in office?

Dare I remind you of Obama’s slipup during the presidential primaries concerning his position on NAFTA.

In response to Beth Myers’ blog post about the use of a political strategy within the workers rights movement, do you think Obama’s support for workers rights through trade legislation will make a difference? If Obama is elected, will he stand firm to his position on the Colombia Free Trade Agreement despite pressure from corporate lobbyists? If so, it seems the workers rights movement will see real change.

To quote my USLEAP colleague, Rachel Wallis, “Come November fifth, our job goes on no matter who is elected president.” We will continue to figure out what we can do to make sure workers rights are respected.