Donald Trump

If Free Trade is Rape as Trump Says, Then He is Leading the Party of Rape

Without the GOP's help, NAFTA would never have passed

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Trump's hands
Philip C. Cohen via Foter

Donald Trump lit into Hillary Clinton this week for her support of NAFTA and other trade deals her husband pushed as president. But whatever headaches he creates for her are minor compared to the migraines he is going to cause his own party. That's because Hillary had very little to do with these deals and the Republican Party a great deal. Without the GOP's help, Bill Clinton would never have been able to get NAFTA through and arguably become the most trade friendly president – Democratic or Republican – in the last half a century. That was both the GOP's and Clinton's finest hour.

But this rare moment of bipartisanship that didn't actually screw the country is now being compared to "rape" by Trump. Hillary may be married to an alleged rapist. But if Trump is right, then his party will need to explain to the country why it joined in Bill's "rape."

So the GOP has a choice, I note, in my column in The Week. Repudiate Trump or repudiate its trade principles and legacy.

Its choice is clear.

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