President Obama has unveiled a new economic plan that could signify a major push toward so-called “free trade.” Obama says he wants to help double US exports over the next five years to make it more competitive abroad.

President Obama: “The fact is other countries haven’t always played by the same set of rules. America hasn’t always enforced our trade rights or made sure that the benefits of trade are broadly shared. And we haven’t always done enough to help our workers adapt to a changing world. Now, there’s no question that as we compete in the global marketplace, we’ve got to look out for our workers. But to look out for our workers, we’ve got to be able to compete in the global marketplace. It’s never been as important an opportunity for America as it is right now.”

Obama’s plan could re-ignite the debate over US-backed so-called “free trade” agreements, which critics say have shipped US jobs overseas while depressing wages for workers in the US as well as abroad.