Virginia Elections and Global Trade -- Winning Issue? -- Yes.

All Virginia Governors since Governor Baliles, in 1988, have advocated global engagement & the promotion of international trade for Virginia economic development. This includes especially our more recent ones — Governor Warner, Governor Kaine and Governor McAullife. Their trade missions have really been important.

Today Democrats (and Republicans) need to formulate bold trade policies for state & national political races. Most don’t have any. We all need to confront Trump’s destructive nihilism.

This is essential for global engagement & domestic economic growth for states & the nation.

In particular, Democrats in Virginia running for office this year and hoping to flip both the House of Delegates and the State Senate of the General Assembly need to support greater international engagement for the Commonwealth. 

They need to support greater economic incentives to increase trade transactions (exports and imports) and foreign direct investment into the Commonwealth. They also need to confront destructive federal trade policies that have only resulted in tariffs (taxes) on consumers and retaliatory tariffs that hurt our exports.