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Steve Beshear on Free Trade
Democrat
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New records in exports; thousands of jobs from in-sourcing
In the last three months I've told Kentucky's story on influential programs like Meet the Press, C-SPAN, CNN, the BBC, NPR, and in the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal.
The nation has taken notice about Kentucky setting new records in exports; about us bringing thousands of jobs from places like India, China, Japan, France, Germany, Russia, Australia and
Austria; about us moving to #3 in building cars; about us pushing the envelope on research in areas like advanced batteries & health sciences; and about Kentucky outmaneuvering the competition to secure award-winning
deals involving Ford, GE and Toyota. In short, [pundits] wanted to talk about Kentucky as a leader in this nation.
Source: 2014 Kentucky State of the State speech
, Jan 7, 2014
Record exports to Asia & Europe means we're importing jobs
We're setting records with our exports, and we're importing jobs and investments from countries like Japan, China, Korea, India, France and Germany.
Four years ago, the auto industry was in crisis. Last year, Kentucky auto makers produced more than a million cars and light trucks for the first time since 2007.
Source: 2013 State of the State speech to Kentucky Legislature
, Feb 6, 2013
NAFTA favors foreign interests over Kentucky's own
Down the campaign homestretch, Beshear tried to use NAFTA and McConnell's international travel to depict him as favoring foreign interests over KY's own. McConnell called Beshear "reckless and extreme" on crime.
Playing on his opponent's last name, McConnell ran 2 of his trademark humorous, animal-oriented spots. One accused Beshear of "fleecing" taxpayers and showed footage of sheep while warning, "Don't get `besheared.'"
Another, written by Steven Law to counterattack on NAFTA, showed sheep wearing sunglasses in various locations around the world to illustrate foreign investments held in
Beshear's mutual funds, and said that Beshear "thinks `ewe' should pay more." At best, McConnell recalls, it succeeded "in futzing up the issue."
Source: Republican Leader, by John Dyche, p.118
, Sep 15, 2010
Opposes NAFTA; supports tariffs
Q: Do you support the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)?A: No.
Q: Do you support the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT)?
A: Yes.
Q: Do you support lifting the trade embargo imposed against Cuba?
A: No.
Q: Do you suppor
imposing tariffs on products imported from nations that maintain restrictive trade barriers on American products?
A: Yes.
Q: Should a nation’s human rights record affect its “most favored nation” trading status with the United States?
A: Yes.
Source: Congressional 1996 National Political Awareness Test
, Nov 1, 1996
Reauthorize the Ex-Im Bank.
Beshear signed Letter on Ex-Im Bank
Press release on Letter from 31 Governors to House Republican leaders:
We urge you to reauthorize the Export-Import Bank (Ex-Im) before its charter expires this year. In its role as the official export credit agency, Ex-Im is a vital export finance tool for exporters in our states, at no cost to American taxpayers.
Ex-Im allows our companies and workers to compete on a level playing field against our competitors. Without Ex-Im financing, US firms would have lost many sales campaigns to their overseas competitors.
Reauthorizing Ex-Im is the right thing to do for our economy, companies and workers. 41 GOP lawmakers and 865 business organizations have called for the charter's immediate renewal. And, House Democrats have already introduced legislation to reauthorize the bank. Speaker Boehner, it's time to act; quit jeopardizing the nation's economy and American jobs.
Argument in opposition from FreedomWorks:
Top Ten Reasons to Let the
Export-Import Bank Expire- It Has Outlived Its Purpose: In the 2010s, US exports have been setting record highs--they don't need government help.
- It Lets Government Pick Winners and Losers
- Its Risky Loans Put it in Danger of Needing Taxpayer Bailouts
- It Costs Taxpayers Money Annually, thanks to government accounting gimmicks
- Most of Its Funding Goes to Big Corporations Who Don't Need the Money
- It Lets Foreign Corporations Undercut US Competitors
- It Only Benefits a Few States, but Every State Bears the Costs
- It Is Prone to Corruption (like whenever you involve the government in handing out money)
- There Are Better Ways to Help US. Manufacturers: the government should lower and simplify the tax and regulatory burden US companies face.
- It Is Unnecessary. The Ex-Im Bank cannot justify its continued existence. It's also one of the easiest programs to retire, as its authorization expires in September 2014 if Congress simply does nothing.
Source: Letter from 31 Governors 14_Lt_ExIm on Jul 15, 2014
Page last updated: Jul 26, 2017