Democratic presidential candidate Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) stated that “when we develop trade policies” the US should “take a hard look at the needs of the people in those countries as well” and he would prefer spending more on foreign aid “instead of spending quite so much money necessarily on certain weapons systems” during a town hall on MSNBC.
Sanders was asked, “[T]o get our trading partners to agree to changes, aren’t we going to have to — what can we offer? Do we offer things that would help poverty in those countries? I’m just wondering what would be the give-and-take?”
He responded, “There are a number of things you could do. What you’re suggesting even going outside of a trade agreement. I believe, for example, that instead of spending quite so much money necessarily on certain weapons systems, I would prefer to have poor people in the world know that schools and health clinics are being built by the taxpayers in the United States.”
When asked if the “carrot” for Mexico re-negotiating NAFTA would be more money for infrastructure partners, Sanders said, “I think when we develop trade policies, take a hard look at the needs of the people in those countries as well.”
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