Here is what our campaign believes: an economy should benefit people first, not corporations. We’ve had too many trade agreements and economic policies that make rules for the benefit of corporations, not people. That must end.

Our campaign is for a world where the rules of the economy keep the power in the hands of people who are most affected by decisions, not rootless corporations with no allegiance to place, other than to the place with the lowest wages and least environmental restrictions.

We reject the blind faith in globalism. Our campaign will seek to end the empty argument that pits “free trade” versus “protectionism” when we discuss the virtues of the global economy. This is pretty simple: leaders of large corporations, who call for so-called “free trade,” make sure they have lots of protections—for capital and investment.

Workers and communities want to safeguard their livelihood and families. In areas like education, health, manufacturing, farming, and the generation of power, it is often people working in their local communities who can bring a more cost-effective, more profitable, more environmentally benign, more democratic and more enduring economic life to the people.

We will be honest with the voters and not shout out the crowd-pleasing rhetoric that we “have the best workers in the world.” Every politician and most union leaders say that to get support—it’s the economic equivalent of proclaiming your patriotism.

But, we know that workers in India, China and other places are smart, too—and now they have the technology and capital to match American workers in making just about everything you can imagine. The real truth is that globalism isn’t about education or skills but the power of corporations to drive down everyone’s wages. Here’s what our campaign will fight for:

An End to Rotten Pro-Corporate Trade Agreements. Republicans and Democrats have given us bad deals.

New Rules: we have to have rules that govern trade. Every trade deal we make must start with Core Values --

• How will this agreement improve the lives of American workers, while not exploiting workers around the world?
• How will this agreement protect the environment?
• How will this agreement ensure democracy and keep abusive corporate power in check?

Lower the Value of the Dollar. Big corporations like Wal-Mart love a dollar that is high in value because they can, then, bring in goods from China and other low-wage countries at dirt cheap prices—while exploiting people over there, too. Except if you’re a tourist, regular people don’t benefit from a high dollar.