There is concern among Louisiana's farmers about the U.S.-China trade war escalating, Sen. Bill Cassidy said Wednesday, but they know sooner or later China had to be confronted and it was not going to be easy when that happened.
"President (Donald) Trump is doing his best to mitigate the harms they have but I think we all acknowledge at some point you have to confront the fact that China will use any way they can to take our intellectual property, to take our jobs, to subtract from our economy to improve theirs," the Louisiana Republican told Fox News' "America's Newsroom." "That is not capitalism, that's mercantilism. Our farmers know that. Most of them stand with the president, I think."
Cassidy added that he's not surprised to see Trump getting some support from Democrats, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, on China.
"People don't normally think of President Trump of being a unifier, but as regards China he has unity not only with the Senate but internationally," said Cassidy. "We have to confront China. And when our economy is doing so well and theirs not so well, that seems to be the ideal time by which to address this."
Cassidy, however, said he doesn't expect Democrats to back an immigration plan presented earlier by Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., which proposes that migrants apply for asylum claims at consulates, not at the U.S. border, and which would extend the time allowed to detain migrant families with children.
"Sometimes I think Democrats want a campaign issue, not a solution," said Cassidy.
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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