McCain adviser says NAFTA has created millions of jobs

YOUNGSTOWN — While some in the Mahoning Valley blame the North American Free Trade Agreement for hurting the local economy, a top economic adviser to John McCain, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, says it’s been an overall benefit to the nation.

“NAFTA has created millions of jobs,” Carly Fiorina, a McCain economic adviser and chairwoman of the Republican National Committee’s Victory ‘08, told The Vindicator today.

Fiorina, a former chief executive officer of Hewlett-Packard, recognizes that “in some cases, people have suffered” economically because of NAFTA, including portions of Ohio.

“When communities and families lose jobs, it’s a devastating thing,” she said.

Devastating only begins to describe what NAFTA has done to the Valley, said U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan of Niles, D-17th, whose district includes Youngstown. Ryan said he wonders if McCain and his advisers understand what NAFTA and other trade agreements have done to the Valley.

“If John McCain wants to come to Ohio and talk in favor of NAFTA ... then it will be a good campaign for Democrats,” Ryan said.

Despite economic problems in some areas, NAFTA, a 1994 agreement between the United States, Canada and Mexico, is a huge success, Fiorina said.

McCain is to lead a public town-hall forum at noon Tuesday at Youngstown State University’s Kilcawley Center and talk to recently displaced workers and to those going through job retraining and education.

For the complete story, see Tuesday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com.