Sanders and Rubio Tackle Foreign Policy in Successful First Press Conference

A press conference was held between the two candidates for the 2016 Presidential Election on Wednesday, Novemeber 11. Democrat Rebecca Sanders and Republican Jordan Rubio have each recently won their respective nominations for their parties. The press conference was the first time the candidates faced off to prove why they are fit to be the President of the United States. Sanders and Rubio shared their thoughts on an array of topics including taxes, foreign policies, immigration, and education.

Sanders took the stage first, with confidence in her step. She began with addressing the audience about how the people of the United States must take our country back from the “billionaire class”.

“Progress and opportunity is being denied in this country because the wealth is being funneled to the top 1 percent of society,” said Sanders.

Sanders shared how she is opposed to the war in the Middle East and has stayed consistent with that point of view throughout the years. After 9/11, Sanders voted against authorizing the use of force against Iraq and voted against the invasion of Iraq. Sanders also voted against the Patriot Act.

In regards to trade, Sanders brought up how she reversed trade policies with China such as NAFTA, CAFTA, and PNTR. These trade policies entail the production of products in China and other low-income countries to be sold in the United States. These trade policies have driven down wages and caused the loss of millions of jobs.

After Sanders’ strong closing statements, a slightly nervous Rubio took the stand. He opened with a lengthy opening monologue, including the well-known tale about his Cuban immigrant parents and the “American Dream”.

When asked about the United State’s foreign policy is China, Rubio disclosed that he believes that China is the world’s next dominant power. Rubio believes that the key to successful relations with China is to establish a better relationship with the country. He encourages the globalization of China, and for the United States to trade with them more.

One of Red, White, and News’ reporters questioned how Rubio feels about the recent discoveries that hackers in China have accessed and stolen our military secrets and technology. His response? “Sending in forces wouldn’t solve anything. We must locate the specific areas of China where these problems occur and tackle the issues there.”

In regards to how Rubio plans on handling foreign issues in general, he announced that he is a fan of a tactic called the “Air-Sea Battle”. This is an integrated battle doctrine that is a key component of the today’s military strategy of the United States. This tactic consists of monitoring potential threats in foreign countries by watching the area of interest, keeping things under control, and getting rid of unnecessary conflict, as opposed to simply invading the country with force.

Overall, the press conference was a success. Both candidates were able to get their points of view out to the masses and share their opposing opinions with the audience, as well as those watching at home.