Politico.com: on Free Trade


Bob Corker: Supports free trade, but anomalies need to be addressed

We have 4.5% of the world's population in America. We've got 22% of the world's economic output. If we want the standard of living for Americans to continue to grow we've got to do business with people around the world. Are there some anomalies that exist? We recruited a lot of car manufacturing to our state. In some cases we're competing directly with Mexico for lots of reasons, whether it's a tariff reason or a labor reason. There's no question that our state's resources have been spent in incentive agreements and other things to overcome those things. So, there is a little bit of a something there that needs to be addressed.
Source: Susan Glasser on Politico.com on 2018 Tennessee Senate race Feb 13, 2017

Cathy McMorris-Rodgers: FactCheck: US #1 for FDI, but #14 or #22 on other measures

Obama: "For the first time in over a decade, business leaders around the world have declared that China is no longer the world's number one place to invest; America is."

FactCheck: That depends on which business leaders you talk to. The White House cited an A.T. Kearney survey as the basis for Obama's remark, noting the US indeed landed at the top of the list for expected foreign direct investment. But the US doesn't fare anywhere near as well in other prominent business analysis.

Source: Politico.com FactCheck on 2014 State of the Union Jan 28, 2014

Ed Gillespie: Opposes the Export-Import Bank

Gillespie cited opposition to the Export-Import Bank as evidence of his independence.

Warner noted that the Republican-leaning National Association of Manufacturers and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce both support renewing the Export-Import Bank. "It supports American businesses in a global economy, giving them a financial backstop," he said.

Gillespie noted that he understands the arguments for the bank. "I have a lot of friends who support the Export-Import bank, believe me," he said. "I think it's an area where we can get some savings. I know it's hard to stand up to the Chamber of Commerce [and] the National Association of Manufacturers," Gillespie added, but that's the job of a senator."

Source: Politico.com weblog on 2014 Virginia Senate debate Jul 26, 2014

Joe Biden: Reinstate Trump's 10% tariffs on aluminum from UAE

In one of his first trade actions, President Joe Biden reinstated a 10% duty on aluminum imports from the United Arab Emirates that Pres. Trump removed just one day before leaving office. "I consider it is necessary and appropriate in light of our national security interests to maintain, at this time, the tariff treatment applied to aluminum article imports from the United Arab Emirates," Biden said.

Why Biden acted: "The available evidence indicates that imports from the UAE may still displace domestic production, and thereby threaten to impair our national security," Biden stated. Biden noted that US importers can apply for a waiver from tariffs on products not available from domestic suppliers. "Tellingly, there have been 33 such exclusion requests for aluminum imported from the UAE, and the Secretary of Commerce has denied 32 of those requests," Biden said. "This indicates the large degree of overlap between imports from the UAE and what our domestic industry is capable of producing."

Source: Politico.com e-zine on 2021 Biden Administration Feb 1, 2021

Mark Warner: Renew Export-Import Bank to support U.S. businesses globally

Gillespie cited opposition to the Export-Import Bank as evidence of his independence.

Warner noted that the Republican-leaning National Association of Manufacturers and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce both support renewing the Export-Import Bank. "It supports American businesses in a global economy, giving them a financial backstop," he said.

Gillespie noted that he understands the arguments for the bank. "I have a lot of friends who support the Export-Import bank, believe me," he said. "I think it's an area where we can get some savings. I know it's hard to stand up to the Chamber of Commerce [and] the National Association of Manufacturers," Gillespie added, but that's the job of a senator."

Source: Politico.com weblog on 2014 Virginia Senate debate Jul 26, 2014

Mike Huckabee: Trans Pacific Partnership isn't fair trade or free trade

Huckabee complained that American wages have been stagnant since Chinese trade agreements went into effect over the past few decades: "People are working hard, and they have less to show for it," he said. "We need to quit apologizing for being America, and we need to start making it so that Americans can prosper and not just so that the Chinese can buy Louis Vuitton and Gucci bags."

The comments came in response to questions about why the government has kept the embargo in place against Cuba, even as trade barriers with China have been lifted. "We have basically surrendered to the Chinese market," Huckabee said. "We've not put the pressure on them."

Huckabee expressed doubts over the Trans Pacific Partnership. "If it's not fair trade," he said, "it's not free trade."

Source: Politico.com coverage of 2015 Iowa Agricultural Summit Mar 7, 2015

Russell Feingold: Opposes lousy trade deals

On the campaign trail, Feingold rails against "lousy trade deals" and whacks Sen. Johnson's record on issues like student loan debt, while noting the Republican attended the University of Minnesota, prompting groans from the crowd.
Source: Politico.com on 2016 Wisconsin Senate race Aug 5, 2015

Wayne Messam: Use tariffs to crack down on certain countries

Wayne Messam's views on tariffs: Use tariffs to crack down on certain countries.

Some Democrats, such as Sens. Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders and Amy Klobuchar, have embraced duties as a way to crack down on certain countries in some circumstances, although they're critical of Trump's approach.

Source: Politico.com coverage of the 2019 Democratic primary Nov 20, 2019

Glenn Youngkin: Supported Trump's trade battles with China

He has also praised the former president's economic record and ran a campaign ad that featured Trump praising Youngkin during the former president's trade battles with China. Youngkin also barnstormed the state with conservative Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) in the closing days of the primary.
Source: Politico.com on 2021 Virginia Gubernatorial race May 11, 2021

  • The above quotations are from Columns and news articles on Politico.com.
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2016 Presidential contenders on Free Trade:
  Republicans:
Gov.Jeb Bush(FL)
Dr.Ben Carson(MD)
Gov.Chris Christie(NJ)
Sen.Ted Cruz(TX)
Carly Fiorina(CA)
Gov.Jim Gilmore(VA)
Sen.Lindsey Graham(SC)
Gov.Mike Huckabee(AR)
Gov.Bobby Jindal(LA)
Gov.John Kasich(OH)
Gov.Sarah Palin(AK)
Gov.George Pataki(NY)
Sen.Rand Paul(KY)
Gov.Rick Perry(TX)
Sen.Rob Portman(OH)
Sen.Marco Rubio(FL)
Sen.Rick Santorum(PA)
Donald Trump(NY)
Gov.Scott Walker(WI)
Democrats:
Gov.Lincoln Chafee(RI)
Secy.Hillary Clinton(NY)
V.P.Joe Biden(DE)
Gov.Martin O`Malley(MD)
Sen.Bernie Sanders(VT)
Sen.Elizabeth Warren(MA)
Sen.Jim Webb(VA)

2016 Third Party Candidates:
Gov.Gary Johnson(L-NM)
Roseanne Barr(PF-HI)
Robert Steele(L-NY)
Dr.Jill Stein(G,MA)
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Page last updated: Aug 15, 2024