Trade Adjustment Assistance

We have people who lose their jobs through trade.

Back when John Kennedy pushed through more free trade, um, he put through also something called Trade Adjustment Assistance, which was compensation for people who lost their jobs because of trade.

It dealt only with manufacturing, because that's all you had in terms of trade 45 years ago.

It doesn't cover people who lose their job in the service industry.

Hmm.

Which of course has now become a big problem with technological outsourcing, et cetera.

The Republicans are now blocking an effort to expand Trade Adjustment Assistance and to cover all of these other jobs because it interferes with the market.

Well, to go to the Democrats and say, "Hey, look, let's expand trade, but let's at the same time do less to help the people being displaced by trade," doesn't go anywhere.

Yes.

The biggest initiative was called TAA, Trade Adjustment Assistance and it was a giant pot of federal money given out to states that were disproportionately affected by the loss of manufacturing jobs.

By the way some of it did work okay? For example there was wage insurance.

You lose a job you take another job at a lower salary the government tops up your pay to get you where you were.

Worker Cooperatives, plus 37.

Revive Trade Adjustment Assistance, plus 37.

Higher Taxes on the Ultra-Wealthy, plus 36.

Employer Training Requirements and Incentives, plus 34.