Speech on Signing of NAFTA (1993)
Bill Clinton
For the last 20 years, in all the wealthy countries of the world-because of changes in the global environment, because of the growth of technology, because of increasing competition-the middle class that was created and enlarged by the wise policies of expanding trade at the end of World War II has been under severe stress. Most Americans are working harder for less. They are vulnerable to the fear tactics and the averseness to change that are behind much of the opposition to NAFTA. But I want to say to my fellow Americans, when you live in a time of change the only way to recover your security and to broaden your horizons is to adapt to the change-to embrace it, to move forward. . . . The only way we can recover the fortunes of the middle class in this country so that people who work harder and smarter can at least prosper more, the only way we can pass on the American dream of the last 40 years to our children and their children for the next 40, is to adapt to the changes which are occurring.
In a fundamental sense, this debate about NAFTA is a debate about whether we will embrace these changes and create the jobs of tomorrow, or try to resist these changes, hoping we can preserve the economic structures of yesterday. . . . I believe that NAFTA will create 1 million jobs in the first 5 years of its impact. . . . NAFTA will generate these jobs by fostering an export boom to Mexico by tearing down tariff walls. . . . There will be no job loss.
-The reduction of tariffs was consistent with which other objective of the Clinton presidency?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Reducing tariffs aligns with the broader objective of reducing the size of the federal government by minimizing its intervention in the economy, including through tariffs and trade barriers.