State of Minnesota Archives: on Foreign Policy


Jason Lewis: China is responsible for this pandemic

China is responsible for this pandemic. From day one, the Chinese Communist Party intentionally deceived the world on the extent and severity of the virus. And now there is growing evidence that the virus didn't just start in China but was unintentionally let out of a lab in Wuhan. If this is indeed the case, China is responsible for every single life lost because of the virus and every dollar spent fighting this virus.
Source: 2020 Minnesota Senate campaign website LewisForMN.com Jul 8, 2020

Jason Lewis: 2013: GOP support of Israel shows "dual loyalties"

They do control the Republican Party right now. The Republican Party is essentially a neoconservative party that believes [in] unending support for Israel. A blind loyalty towards Israel is the linchpin of being a good Republican. And when you get those sort of dual loyalties, what happens when it's not in America's best interest?
Source: Law & Crime e-zine on 2020 Minnesota Senate race Sep 19, 2019

Steve Carlson: Pull out of the United Nations

I agree with Trump on pulling out of the United Nations and their activities regulating national economies centrally. [On climate change], I want to see MUCH more science on the actual linkages we observe between small measured changes and specific changes in the climate. It appears small changes in water temperature, may raise the water levels on the seashores. This does not mean we subordinate our economy to the United Nations.
Source: CBS-4 Minnesota on 2020 Alabama Senate race Jul 24, 2018

Paula Overby: Oppose American Exceptionalism

Q: Do you support or oppose the statement, "Support American Exceptionalism"?

A: Oppose--There is nothing exceptional about America except our diversity. I certainly support an expansion of diversity in our government and our institutions.

Source: OnTheIssues interview of 2018 Minnesota Senate candidate May 13, 2018

Jim Newberger: Support American Exceptionalism

Q: Do you support or oppose the statement, "Support American Exceptionalism"?

A: Support.

Source: OnTheIssues interview of 2018 Minnesota Senate candidate Mar 15, 2018

Jim Newberger: Prevent MN from implementing policies set by UN Agenda 21

As a legislator, Newberger has dug a graveyard-full of verbal gaffes. Newberg's written record is even more embarrassing. Behold one of the dumbest, weirdest bills Newberger has introduced during four years in the Minnesota House:

A bill [in the Minnesota legislature] was meant to prevent Minnesota from "implementing policies set by United Nations Agenda 21." What's Agenda 21? Ask your easily frightened uncle.

This non-binding resolution calls on countries to take steps toward alleviating poverty and asks them to protect important stuff, like oceans. Or, as radio host Alex Jones explained it, it's a "eugenics death cult" that will "take over the world." The 25-minute jag Jones needs to connect the scattered, invisible-to-the-sheeple's-eye dots is torturous, and seems to have hypnotized poor Jim Newberger.

Source: City Pages on 2018 Minnesota Senate race Aug 16, 2017

Al Franken: OpEd: Campaign website devoid of views on foreign policy

Ever since 1972, when presidential candidate George McGovern ran on the theme, "Come Home, America," whenever the public is asked where they would like to cut federal spending, the one area that gets bipartisan support is foreign aid. Under President Obama, it's fair to say that our foreign policy now is pretty much what McGovern was proposing, but strong arguments can be made both for and against ending our role as world cop.

When we live in a world where a handful of terrorists could soon send a note with some authenticity to the White House saying, "Surrender today or we will nuke New York," or some other city, shouldn't somebody who wants to be a U.S. senator be thoroughly screened about their views on foreign policy?

Check out the campaign web sites of Franken and McFadden. Look under issues. Neither one has a word to say about foreign policy. Not one.

One would think a gratuitous sentence or two describing their visions for America's role in the world would be merited.

Source: Morrison County Record OpEd on 2014 Minnesota Senate race Aug 28, 2014

Mike McFadden: OpEd: Campaign website devoid of views on foreign policy

Ever since 1972, when presidential candidate George McGovern ran on the theme, "Come Home, America," whenever the public is asked where they would like to cut federal spending, the one area that gets bipartisan support is foreign aid. Under President Obama, it's fair to say that our foreign policy now is pretty much what McGovern was proposing, but strong arguments can be made both for and against ending our role as world cop.

When we live in a world where a handful of terrorists could soon send a note with some authenticity to the White House saying, "Surrender today or we will nuke New York," or some other city, shouldn't somebody who wants to be a U.S. senator be thoroughly screened about their views on foreign policy?

Check out the campaign web sites of Franken and McFadden. Look under issues. Neither one has a word to say about foreign policy. Not one.

One would think a gratuitous sentence or two describing their visions for America's role in the world would be merited.

Source: Morrison County Record OpEd on 2014 Minnesota Senate race Aug 28, 2014

Mike McFadden: Inaction abroad sends message that US will do nothing

Q: What is your opinion of U.S. policy regarding Russia and the Ukraine?

A: I'm very disappointed in the current administration in terms of their foreign policy. I think they've put the U.S. in a place where we are in a less safe, more dangerous position today that when they got elected into office. Let's look at Benghazi. A US ambassador was murdered. We had an aircraft carrier in the Mediterranean. We did nothing. Then we drew a red line in the sand in Syria. They crossed it. We did nothing. So no one should be surprised by what Putin did in the Ukraine.

Q: Do you advocate a more muscular US policy in this situation?

A: I advocate a more clear policy. I would have started in Benghazi. I would have sent a very strong message that we're going to protect our embassies. We find ourselves in a situation in the Ukraine. I would have immediately kicked Russia out of the G-8. I would consider taking the 2018 World Cup from them immediately. I'm a big proponent of economic sanctions.

Source: Minneapolis Post on 2014 Minnesota Senate race May 12, 2014

Mike McFadden: Crisis in Ukraine came about due to Obama's indecisiveness

Mike McFadden (R-MN) released the following statement on the crisis in Ukraine: "I continue to be extremely frustrated with the lack of a clear foreign policy direction from the current administration, which has cost our country credibility on the world stage. It began when we failed to respond to the attack on our embassy in Benghazi and it continued when the President backed down from his "red line" in Syria. We have reached a point where countries don't fear us and our allies don't trust us," said McFadden. "Nowhere else is this more evident than with the standoff on the Crimean peninsula. This crisis in Ukraine would not be happening if the White House had a discernible foreign policy vision or strategy. But they don't. The only thing clear to the world here is our indecisiveness. And that's a recipe for serious trouble."
Source: 2014 Minnesota Senate campaign website, MikeMcFadden.com Mar 5, 2014

Mark Dayton: Relax the Cuban embargo

I think that the current U.S. policy on the Cuban embargo should be relaxed especially for agricultural products, food and medicine and, people-to-people exchange programs.
Source: Minnesota Newspaper Association Election Questionnaire Jul 2, 2000

  • The above quotations are from State of Minnesota Politicians: Archives.
  • Click here for definitions & background information on Foreign Policy.
  • Click here for other issues (main summary page).
2020 Presidential contenders on Foreign Policy:
  Democrats running for President:
Sen.Michael Bennet (D-CO)
V.P.Joe Biden (D-DE)
Mayor Mike Bloomberg (I-NYC)
Gov.Steve Bullock (D-MT)
Mayor Pete Buttigieg (D-IN)
Sen.Cory Booker (D-NJ)
Secy.Julian Castro (D-TX)
Gov.Lincoln Chafee (L-RI)
Rep.John Delaney (D-MD)
Rep.Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI)
Sen.Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
Gov.Deval Patrick (D-MA)
Sen.Bernie Sanders (I-VT)
CEO Tom Steyer (D-CA)
Sen.Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)
Marianne Williamson (D-CA)
CEO Andrew Yang (D-NY)

2020 Third Party Candidates:
Rep.Justin Amash (L-MI)
CEO Don Blankenship (C-WV)
Gov.Lincoln Chafee (L-RI)
Howie Hawkins (G-NY)
Gov.Gary Johnson(L-NM)
Howard Schultz(I-WA)
Gov.Jesse Ventura (I-MN) 		Republicans running for President:
Sen.Ted Cruz(R-TX)
Gov.Larry Hogan (R-MD)
Gov.John Kasich(R-OH)
V.P.Mike Pence(R-IN)
Gov.Mark Sanford (R-SC)
Pres.Donald Trump(R-NY)
Rep.Joe Walsh (R-IL)
Gov.Bill Weld(R-MA & L-NY)

2020 Withdrawn Democratic Candidates:
Sen.Stacey Abrams (D-GA)
Mayor Bill de Blasio (D-NYC)
Sen.Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)
Sen.Mike Gravel (D-AK)
Sen.Kamala Harris (D-CA)
Gov.John Hickenlooper (D-CO)
Gov.Jay Inslee (D-WA)
Mayor Wayne Messam (D-FL)
Rep.Seth Moulton (D-MA)
Rep.Beto O`Rourke (D-TX)
Rep.Tim Ryan (D-CA)
Adm.Joe Sestak (D-PA)
Rep.Eric Swalwell (D-CA)
Please consider a donation to OnTheIssues.org!
Click for details -- or send donations to:
1770 Mass Ave. #630, Cambridge MA 02140
E-mail: submit@OnTheIssues.org
(We rely on your support!)

Page last updated: Oct 13, 2021