Foreign trade hot topic for 8th District Democrats

U.S. Rep. Melissa Bean proudly supports free-trade agreements with Peru and other foreign nations, but her opponent in the upcoming Democratic primary said such deals exploit foreign workers.

Additionally, challenger Randi Scheurer called the outsourcing of American jobs to other nations a top concern for her. Bean said shifting jobs overseas is a way for some businesses to stay competitive in a global economy.

Bean, a two-term incumbent from Barrington, and Scheurer, a first-time candidate from Lindenhurst, are seeking the Democratic nomination for Illinois' 8th congressional seat.

Bean and Scheurer talked about foreign trade, jobs and other issues in a questionnaire for the Daily Herald and in follow-up interviews.

Bean said she played a prominent role in a recent free trade agreement with Peru, forming an "unofficial Peru whip team" with other pro-trade Democrats who aimed to create support for the pact within the party's caucus.

Bean hopes Congress will pass similar agreements with Colombia and Panama. Such deals will translate to job growth and market access that benefit Illinois, she said.

In dealing with foreign nations, Bean said, the U.S. should seek to eliminate unfair trading practices and importation taxes "so American companies and workers can compete on a more level playing field." That includes reasonable environmental and labor-related protections, she said.

Scheurer broadly criticized free-trade deals and specifically said she opposed expansion of such agreements in Central America. She favors taxing imported goods and proposed taxing American companies that use foreign workers, especially in technology-related industries.

As for American jobs being outsourced to other countries, Scheurer said she's more concerned about that than illegal immigration, one of the hottest political issues in the country.

"(We should) stop giving tax breaks and subsidies to rich companies out to exploit foreign workers, turning their backs on American-made products and services to gain a greater profit for their executives," she said. "The poor foreign workers who are exploited should be unionized and given reasonable wages, making it possible for them to live respectfully."

Bean said she is concerned for any Americans who "lost their jobs for any reason" but said outsourcing is a factor in the global economy. New markets are developing, and American companies want to sell their products there, too, she said.

"How many cans of soda can we drink (in the U.S.)?" Bean said.

The 8th District includes parts of Cook, Lake and McHenry counties. On the Republican side, Kenneth Arnold, Steve Greenberg and Kirk Morris are vying for their party's nomination in the Feb. 5 primary.