John McCain was in Colombia and Mexico recently, promoting free trade agreements. Specifically, he wants to see the U.S. Congress pass the Colombia Free Trade Agreement, an expansion of the North American Free Trade Agreement.

This just goes to show how out of touch McCain is with working class Americans. NAFTA has put downward pressure on our economy, and the results show today as the middle class is getting squeezed. Jobs have been shipped overseas, wages are held down across the board, and there is pressure to lower working conditions and environmental standards.

The Columbia Free Trade Agreement would expand that failed premise. This is especially horrendous considering the human rights record of Colombia. Union leaders who speak up for workers’ rights are murdered. According to published reports, thousands have been murdered since 1986, including 25 already this year. Should we have a trade agreement with a country that treats workers so horribly?

Reps. Mike Michaud and Tom Allen, and Sen. Olympia Snowe have all pledged to vote against that job-killing trade agreement. Sen. Susan Collins refuses to take a position. I think that a lack of a position is basically supporting it.

CFTA is such a bad deal for everyone except Wall Street CEO’s. Who does Collins stand with?

Don Nazaroff, Greene