Dems' Exit Poll Protectionist-mania!

Mary Katharine Ham | February 19, 2008 9:19 PM

Kiss future free-trade deals good-bye if we're dealing with either of these Dem candidates:

Democrats in the state are very concerned about the economy: 43% say it's the number one issue facing the nation. The war in Iraq was next at 29%, followed by healthcare at 25%. Regarding the economy, Nine out of ten Democratic voters in the state say the economy was in bad shape. This number is about 10 points higher than it was last year.

Related to feelings about the economy is the issue of trade. Seven out of 10 believe that international trade takes away more jobs compared to four years ago.

Update: I should note that both Hillary and Obama have voted for free-trade agreements in the past (notably, against the base wishes on Peru), but the tide of opinion on the Left is such that starting and passing any during either of their presidencies seems unlikely, while old free-trade agreements would likely be renegotiated into draconian, "fair-trade," environmental abominations that discourage growth in the very countries where theyre intended to encourage it.