State of Maryland Archives: on Free Trade

Ian Schlakman: Don't expand free trade

A: Strongly oppose

Richard Madaleno: Preference for American-made goods in state procurement

OnTheIssues Q: what are your views on Free Trade issues?
• Supports preference for American-made goods in state procurement

Shawn Quinn: Support & expand free trade

A: Support

Arvin Vohra: Eliminate all tariffs, sanctions, & trade restrictions

A: Strongly support. If elected, I will sponsor legislation to eliminate all tariffs, sanctions, & trade restrictions. I want North Korean businesses to learn about American culture and spread that knowledge in North Korea, so that the people there see something better than the communism they currently face. I want them to see the wonders created by free market capitalism. I want to spread American culture through trade, not waste effort on sanctions and war.

Arvin Vohra: Make trade with countries, not war

I want this country to be strong and safe. And so, if elected, I will sponsor legislation to end U.S. involvement in foreign wars, bring our troops home, and return all that tax money to you.

Sam Faddis: Let's revise our trade deals and bring our jobs back home

Faddis: ˙Jobs, the economy, and healthcare. Government shall create the conditions under which economic growth can occur and jobs can be created. Let's renegotiate trade deals that have driven jobs abroad. We should not be fighting over raising the minimum wage. We should be creating jobs that pay a real living wage, one on which you can build a future.

Jamie Raskin: Support only free trade deals that are fair and balanced

Kathy Szeliga: Support TPP to expand free trade with Pacific nations

Szeliga: The Maryland economy relies on trade. The idea of expanding free trade with nations in the Pacific would produce more jobs and improve our economy. Additionally, nations that trade with each other are less likely to enter military conflicts. In any free trade agreements, we must ensure the agreement will benefit the American economy.

Margaret Flowers: Movement against corporate rigged trade agreements like TPP

What should the movement do? A movement sprang up out of the last collapse, the Occupy Movement, has since grown and dispersed into other areas where people are organizing around issues like debt, especially student debt, home foreclosures, banking regulation and livable wages. The Black Lives Matter movement, which is primarily focused on police violence, also understands the racially unfair economy. And, the movement against corporate rigged trade agreements like the TPP has united movements and shown people how economics impacts everything from food, water and the environment to labor and banking regulation to the Internet and more. We are all connected.

Chris Van Hollen: I oppose TPP; but look at each trade deal individually

Rob Sobhani: Free and fair trade plus multilateralism

Michael Steele: Led trade mission to Ghana and South Africa

Expanding business development abroad
• As Maryland’s Lieutenant Governor, Michael Steele led an historic trade mission to Ghana and South Africa to advance opportunities for small businesses in Maryland to bring their goods and services to the global market. In the United States Senate, Michael Steele will continue a growth-oriented dialogue with countries all over the world to advance the interests of Maryland businesses and to help them compete in an ever-changing global economy.