Episode Details

In this episode of pplpod, we revisit one of the most famous political catchphrases in American history: the "giant sucking sound." We dive into the 1992 United States presidential election, where independent candidate Ross Perot famously warned voters about the dangers of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

We analyze Perot’s argument from the second presidential debate, where he predicted that low wages and a lack of environmental regulations in Mexico would cause a massive exodus of US jobs south of the border. We also explore the legacy of the phrase following Bill Clinton's victory and how it evolved to describe the broader anxieties of globalization, offshoring, and outsourcing in the modern economy.