OPINION | Chris McCarthy: Blame Senator Markey, Not President Trump

The NAFTA trade deal is why Philips Lighting is moving their manufacturing jobs from Fall River to Mexico, not President Trump's policies.

In 1993, then-Representative Edward Markey voted in favor of the North American Free Trade Agreement, and set into motion the loss of jobs taking place in Fall River today. Republican Rep. Peter Blute and Democrat Rep. Barney Frank, who both represented Fall River at the time, voted against NAFTA. Disgraced pervert Gerry Studds embraced the trade deal with Mexico and Canada. Rep. Joseph P. Kennedy II, father of Fall River's current congressman, also voted for NAFTA.

In 1993, Donald Trump was nowhere near the White House or Capitol Hill. It was President Bill Clinton who signed NAFTA. Senator Ted Kennedy, an uncle to the current congressman for Fall River, also voted in favor of NAFTA.

Trump made NAFTA and unfair trade deals a central part of his 2016 campaign for the presidency. He pulled out of President Barack Obama's Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal negotiations when he was sworn into power in 2017.

Without the support of Markey and the Kennedy family, Bill Clinton would have likely lost the NAFTA vote. But now the local Democrats are trying to blame Trump's tax reform, because they can't bring themselves to point blame where it belongs.

It's human nature, even if it's dishonest, to blame others for horrible mistakes. We can't expect Sen. Markey to say, "I'm sorry I voted to send your jobs to Mexico." It is unreasonable to think Rep. Kennedy III would go to Fall River and blame his father's and late uncle's support at a union rally for the Philips workers.

In 1999, on CNN, citizen Donald Trump stated to Larry King his opposition to NAFTA and said: "NAFTA is going to look like a disaster."

Don't blame President Trump...blame Senator Markey for the loss of jobs at Philips Lighting.

Chris McCarthy is the host of The Chris McCarthy Show on 1420 WBSM New Bedford. He can be heard weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon. Contact him at chris.mccarthy@townsquaremedia.com and follow him on Twitter @Chris_topher_Mc. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author.