United States Senate election in Maryland, 2018

A third-generation Marylander, Ben Cardin has dedicated his life to public service. A strident defender of the Chesapeake Bay, he fights to strengthen our middle class and improve our economy. He has held the line against Republican attempts to repeal Obamacare and voted against the Trump tax cuts that gave permanent tax cuts to big corporations. He is taking on the NRA to pass a national ban on assault weapons, bump stocks and require universal background checks for all gun purchases. As the lead Democrat on the Senate Small Business Committee, he works to empower minority-, women- and veteran-owned small businesses. He is fighting to safeguard civil rights and banish discrimination. He is a leader in protecting Planned Parenthood, and defending women's rights and human rights at home and globally. He is a vocal defender of federal workers and is working to ensure a quality higher education is in reach.^[1]

Education Reform

Over the past thirty years, programs such as Race To The Top, No Child Left Behind and Common Core has stripped the fundamental rights of states to manage public education. Under the Constitution, states have control over providing public education to students. The 9th and 10th Amendments stipulate the national government should stay away from setting curricula and testing standards. As your next United States Senator, I will push to end Common Core to return authority of education to the people of Maryland!

The role of the national government in K-12 education should be to provide construction funding to build good schools to make sure every child has equal access to a quality learning environment. One of my goals, as your next United States Senator, is to use the resources of the Department of Education to provide block grants to states to make our schools more secure. States should remain the driving force in teacher training, school district evaluation and setting curricula standards

Higher Education is different from K-12 in how it is funded. K-12 is funded directly through tax revenue, usually property taxes. Higher Education is a pay for use service initiated by the student to receive instruction in a college major. Unfortunately, over the past two decades a disturbing trend has emerged, the training received from these institutions has not met the real-world opportunities in the workplace.

The current relationship between government and institutions of higher education is partly to blame for this current, unsustainable problem. This current model has shifted the balance of career / technical training and universities based upon a liberal arts education. Institutions of higher education received tax payer revenues in a variety of ways – student loan funding for tuition and fees, capital funding for new buildings, and grants for academic research on a variety of topics.

One would think with that many funding avenues tuition costs to students would be reasonable. Instead, the opposite has taken place over the last thirty years. Loans which are used to help pay for tuition, fees and other costs of attending universities have helped justify substantial the steady rise in education costs. Every year, tens of thousands of college students graduate with massive loan debts with no job prospects in sight.

I believe it is time for taxpayers and students to ask for reasonable tuition rates. Institutions of higher education, who receive government funding (student loans, grants and capital funding) should set reasonable tuition rates to allow for every student to achieve their goal of a four year college degree. As your next United States Senator, I will lead the fight to demand any future tuition increases must be approved by the voters of the state via referendum.

Enabling the American Dream for All Marylanders

Every Marylander should have the opportunity to achieve Success. As your next United States Senator, I will work hard to make sure our national government is not an obstacle to growth, prosperity and success. Success is not working a job to obtain money; Success is having the opportunity to use that income to own a home, build a business and create generational wealth. While job creation is a positive step, my focus as your United States Senator will be to help Marylanders take advantage of opportunities to own their businesses and create legacy wealth for themselves and their families.

The American dream of Life, Liberty and Estate is a pale reflection of itself in too many communities in our society. Cooperation has been replaced with contempt. Success has been replaced by generations of subsistence and survival.

Government should be focused on allowing individuals to achieve their right of property in the most effective and less intrusive way possible. Government should use the resources given to it to expand the life, liberty and estate of its citizens not to take those rights away. Smaller, more effective government is the correct course of action. As your next United States Senator, I will work to lower taxes, to ensure sound fiscal management and to push for a balanced budget.

Keeping America Secure

Our rights and freedoms are only as safe as our nation is secure. One of the key functions of the United States Senate is to advise the executive branch on foreign affairs. As a former Army Officer, I understand the dangers and opportunities which exist across the globe. The United States is a leader on the world stage but we do not solely bear the responsibility for peace. We must be wise in using our resources – diplomatically, financially and militarily. Most importantly, the national security interest of the United States must come first.

As a citizen who volunteered to enlist twice in our country’s Armed Forces, I fully support the men and women who have chosen to protect our freedoms. Our Soldiers, Airmen, Sailors and Marines deserve the best equipment in order to do their jobs. Our veterans should not have to solely rely on a broken VA Health System to get the care they need; as your next US Senator, I will sponsor legislation to allow every veteran to get free medical care at any hospital of their choice.

National Security, not only includes our Armed Forces, but includes federal law enforcement agencies including the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security. I believe Immigration policy has a direct impact on National Security. As your next United States Senator, I will push for an end to chain migration and the immigration lottery. While debate continues on whether undocumented individuals should be able to stay or be deported, I believe our most pressing issue is to put forward a common-sense immigration policy for people who want to come into our country.

Our national government should take the responsibility of our infrastructure seriously. As your next United States Senator, I will work to strengthen our infrastructure including our power grids, the cyber infrastructure which is the skeleton of internet commerce, and rebuilding our roads, bridges and tunnels.^[1]

Fewer Enemies

If we end all taxpayer-subsidized involvement in foreign civil wars, we will no longer have self-created threats to American soil, and you will get to keep more of the money you earn.

Better Education

If we eliminate the Department of Education, and eliminate taxpayer-subsidized student loans and bribes for Common Core states, colleges will be forced to decrease tuition costs, states will no longer be coerced into implementing a backwards and counterproductive system of education, your children will get a better and cheaper education, and you will get to keep more of the money you earn.

Longer Lives

If we eliminate the taxpayer-funded FDA, life-saving drugs will reach the market at the life-saving speeds seen in other countries, and antibiotics, cancer treatments, and drugs for rare diseases will become profitable for pharmaceutical companies, causing an increase in investment and research. You will have greater access to better drugs that will cure or treat more diseases, and, of course, you will get to keep more of the money you earn.

Healthier Food

If we eliminate all taxpayer-funded crop subsidies, we will defund powerful farming companies, empower farmers to grow what the market demands, increase food quality and health in our country, and give you back more of the money you’ve earned.

Less Violence

If we end the failed, taxpayer-subsidized War on Drugs, black market profits on these drugs will disappear, cartels and drug lords will vanish overnight, legal drug businesses will be able to settle disputes in court without the use of weapons, our country will be safer, and you will get to keep more of the money you earn.

No Warrantless Wiretapping

If we massively downsize our redundant, taxpayer-funded spy agencies, ending warrantless wiretapping and the invasive overreach of the government, we will restore and preserve the privacy and dignity of Americans, and you will get to keep more of the money you earn.

More Money in Your Wallet

If we end the blatant robbery of the American people through the income tax, the government will not be able to ruin peoples’ lives with the very things mentioned above, you will get to keep the money you earn, and you will get to choose to spend it on charity, research, art, business, food, education, or whatever you see fit.^[1]

Bring Us Together

The partisan bickering we see in Washington not only gives us bad results from government, it also spills over to create societal division and conflict: men against women, poor versus rich, black versus white, young versus old, left versus right. Sadly, our country has become deeply polarized. The way to end this national culture of division and antagonism is to start at the top—with our leaders on the Hill. We must elect leaders who are unaffiliated with either party and will put the country’s interests ahead of those of any political party.

We need political leadership that will bring us together, not look for ways to divide us. I believe that, despite our differences, we can work together to strengthen America. It starts with listening to all points of view, communicating respectfully and using facts to guide decision-making.

During my career, I have run five professional services companies. At each of my companies, I have been surrounded by smart, energetic people with a diverse set of opinions—success and progress have never come from command-and-control. Instead, we saw success when we listened to all sides, found common ground and operated on an even and equal playing field. My role has always been to unite people and foster communication, collaboration, consensus building and well-informed decision-making.

There is no reason why the U.S. Senate can’t operate the same way. Yet, rather than doing what’s best for the American people, they engage in partisan games, chase headlines and focus on their next election win. We need leaders who will cross the aisle, learn to trust each other and work toward a brighter future for the American people.

Reform Our Political System

Our political system is broken. Congress is not listening to us. Instead, they are only listening to party bosses, special interests and their campaign contributors. Making this situation worse, both parties created a system that protects their power, effectively allowing them to ignore the needs of their voters in favor of the demands of their party. This means the only way we will be able to enact reform is with leaders unaffiliated those parties. What follows are five ways we can permanently change the way Washington works, and ensure our voices are heard.

End Gerrymandering
Gerrymandering is one of the key causes of our nation's hyper-partisanship. The parties have drawn Congressional districts for one reason: to preserve and protect their seats and their status in Congress. I support an independent commission to redraw political district lines. This will result in fairer elections and better representation.

Open Primaries
We have a system today that allows only certain people to vote in the first round of the publicly funded electoral process. That means candidates tailor their message for activist voters, many of whom are zealots and extremists of their parties. They ignore the many moderate independents, the overwhelming majority of Americans, who they will need to win in a general election. Opening the primaries so non-affiliated voters can participate is good for democracy because it would encourage full citizen participation and allow each party to nominate candidates who will address the issues affecting all of the voters—not just those of the party extremists.

Campaign Finance Reform
The corrupting influence of money in politics is at the heart of congressional dysfunction. We can use this election to spur on campaign finance reform and make meaningful changes to the system. We can start by bringing transparency to election spending, making politicians reveal the sources of “dark money” campaign donations—donations that currently have no limit. I support the DISCLOSE Act, which requires all organizations spending money in elections to file reports that include donors of $10,000 or more.

Term Limits
The constitution’s framers never intended that serving in Congress would be a full-time profession. People were expected to go to Washington as a public service and then return to their homes and businesses. But our political system has become dominated by a permanent political class composed, in part, by long-tenured members of Congress whose primary motivation is reelection. The end product is a Congress that leaves the greatest difficulties of our nation unaddressed. Congressional term limits will shift member incentives, laying the groundwork for more effective government. It will also allow members to vote on tough issues without worrying how his or her vote will affect reelection.

New Senate Rules
Over the last two decades, our Senate—what was once referred to as “the greatest deliberative body in the world”—has deteriorated into a place where tribal partisanship and gridlock is the new normal. Leaders from both parties have stood by and watched this great republic fail. When elected, I will work with party leaders to reimagine the Senate by initiating a comprehensive review of the Senate’s rules and procedures—important work left undone for thirty years. I will work to amend the filibuster and “hold” procedures—currently used to create gridlock—and restore their function as spurs for informed and timely debate in functional government. I will also introduce a “Germane Amendment Rule” which would require all amendments added to legislation be relevant to the topic of that legislation. For too long, Senators have been allowed to add unrelated amendments to bills in order to change the debate and obstruct their passage.

The two political parties will fight against these reforms. They will do whatever they can to protect their duopoly. It is only with leadership from the middle, unaffiliated with either party, that we will be able to change the way Washington works.

Bring High-Paying Jobs to Maryland

I want to help Maryland attract the high-paying jobs that Marylanders want. Too many people are working paycheck to paycheck or working two jobs to make ends meet. For the past decade, when adjusted for inflation, most Marylanders have not seen an increase in their income. We need more good jobs and a workforce that’s ready for those jobs.

We can bring 100,000 new jobs to Maryland. Here’s how to do it:

1. As a Senator, I will work tirelessly with our Governor and elected officials to bring jobs to Maryland by attracting large businesses in technology, engineering and life sciences. As a CEO who has led five companies, I have extensive experience connecting and persuading other business leaders, and I am committed to communicating directly with corporate leaders to bring their companies to Maryland. I have seen this work in other states, and our representatives in Maryland are not doing enough.
2. We need to lower the barriers that discourage companies from expanding or relocating here. That means competitive corporate taxes and a sensible regulatory framework—I believe in eliminating one regulation for every new one. But our success when these new jobs arrive should benefit everyone, that’s why I support making the recent middle-class income tax reductions permanent.
3. We need to invest more in our small businesses, the real backbone of Maryland’s economy. In particular, we need to expand the programs that encourage investment in lower income areas in Maryland, including Baltimore City and our rural areas. We should expand and take advantage of both the SBA lending programs and the Community Reinvestment Act.
4. We need a workforce that’s ready for the new jobs of tomorrow. That means better education, more training and improved infrastructure. I’ll work to provide universal computer science education in all middle schools and high schools, as well as broadband connectivity, computers, and teachers well-versed in today’s technology.

My #1 goal is to help people in Maryland get ahead. In order to do it, we need to attract high-paying jobs and make sure Marylanders are ready for them.

Lower Healthcare Costs

Health care is another issue which Congress has made unnecessarily partisan and divisive, and where non-partisan leadership can bring common sense solutions.

Our country’s health care system should have two goals.

First, we have a moral obligation to provide adequate, affordable health care coverage to its citizens.

Second, we need to keep our health care system from becoming so expensive that it is at a competitive disadvantage globally. The Affordable Care Act went a long way to address the first goal by providing access and coverage for 20 million people who otherwise did not have health insurance. However, it did nothing to address the second goal and instead exacerbated our already exorbitant costs.

It is time for the two parties to stop fighting over how to pay for an inefficient, costly health care system and instead find ways to reduce the crippling cost of health care for businesses and families. Marylanders pay $1,100 more per person than our neighbors in Virginia, and nationally, we spend double the average of other industrialized countries. One of the main reasons our costs are so high is that our entire health care system incentivizes quantity over quality. Compared to other countries, we have many unnecessary tests, doctor visits, and emergency room visits.

We need to enact reform that will incentivize wellness instead of incentivizing more procedures. We also need to use innovation, harness the private sector, and increase transparency so that people know what they are paying for and how much they are paying. We don’t need more government subsidies, rather I believe we need to lower overall costs and reform the system.

I applaud the trans-partisan health care improvement plan led by Governor Bill Walker of Alaska, along with Governors Hickenlooper (D-Colorado) and Kasich (R-Ohio). They provide a shining example of how independent leaders can put their constituents’ needs ahead the demands of their political parties.

Restore Fiscal Responsibility

Remember the phrase 'fiscal responsibility?' Remember when candidates used to run as 'deficit hawks,' promising to cut spending and reduce America’s growing debt? What happened?

Consider this: Over a four-day period this year, the U.S. Treasury issued $258 billion in NEW national debt—a new record. To put that in perspective, that is more than $1,000 per household in new debt added over just four days.

Common sense tells us that this cannot go on forever. If we don't get our debt and spending problems under control, inflation will have a disastrous effect on jobs and the economy. Currently, our interest payments alone amount to $310 billion—the fourth largest budget item after Social Security, defense, Medicare and Medicaid. If nothing is done, that figure will more than double in 10 years, eating up a larger and larger share of the budget. That will make it much harder to invest in the things we really need, like infrastructure improvements, education and training, health care and elderly services.

I have come to believe that our debt is one of our greatest national security threats. Debt in itself is not a problem if you are investing in your future and you have a plan to repay the debt. However, we are doing neither. Sadly, neither major party has the courage to do anything about it. Their recent “compromise” spending bill was simply giving all the politicians what they asked for and forcing the next generation to pay for it. It amounts to stealing from our kids and grandkids.

Ultimately, it’s up to voters to elect leaders who will reduce the deficit and slow the growth of our national debt. And while Interest on the debt will still rise along with interest rates, it must do so at a slower rate. Otherwise, the interest on the nation's debt will consume the national budget and diminish the standard of living of future generations. The only way we will ever get our debt under control is if we have non-partisan leaders who are freed from the special interests that control party agendas and contribute to unchecked government spending.

Finally Pass Legislation on Immigrants and Border Security

Immigration reform is very important to me. Not only am I the grandson of four immigrants, but I have spent my career surrounded by talented people of all backgrounds. My mother and grandparents came to America because they believed in this country’s values and ideals. They believed in working hard, getting a good education for their kids and leaving more for their children than they had for themselves. They believed in contributing to and pledging their allegiance to a country that opened its arms to them. They believed in a united America powered by government that creates opportunity—a government that fosters The American Dream.

Immigration might be the most divisive issue today, but it doesn’t have to be that way. The two parties have painted the issue in black-and-white terms, with the Democrats opposing border security additions and Republicans opposing efforts to provide a path to citizenship for Dreamers. It’s a situation where a compromise is obvious to everyone except the partisans on Capitol Hill.

We can protect Dreamers, provide a swift path to citizenship AND beef up border security. Congress’s recent rejection of the immigration proposal by bipartisan, moderate senators is another example of extremists crippling our Congress just to appeal to their political bases. It also shows that the U.S. Senate needs more moderate, independent voices to ensure important work won’t be stopped.

Reducing Gun Violence

The recent senseless killings at a Florida high school hit close to home for me. My brother and his family live only a few miles from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and they knew of some of the victims.

Equally tragic was the recent murder of Jaelynn Willey, the victim of a school shooting here in Maryland. As the parent of two high school children and a college one, I feel great pain for her family and for the terror felt by the students of that school.

I recently spent a day with gun rights advocates and listened to their concerns. I also spent March 24th in Annapolis with activists at March for Our Lives. I came away from those discussions believing that the only way we will ever make progress on this issue is if we try to understand both sides and find common ground, and I believe there is common ground.

An overwhelming majority of Americans support specific proposals to protect us from gun violence. Support for universal background checks is at 97% - even among gun owners. Yet this issue provides another example of both parties taking inflexible positions and ignoring the will of the people. Democrats blame special interests and claim the other party doesn’t care about people being shot, while Republicans accuse Democrats of wanting to take away all guns and repeal the Second Amendment. Neither position is true. While the talking points get louder and more divisive, nothing gets accomplished.

As Americans, we have a right to own a gun and protect ourselves against tyranny, which is what the framers intended with the Second Amendment. But common-sense solutions are required to preserve and protect our common good—and we need them now more than ever. With leaders in the Senate who are unaffiliated with either party, we could finally bring the two sides together and reach consensus on effective, common-sense gun safety laws. We can protect both our constitution and our children at the same time.

The causes of gun violence are more complicated than just the issue of guns. We need a comprehensive approach to fully address this important issue:

1. We need to enforce the laws already on the books.
2. We should strengthen our system of background checks and eliminate loopholes for gun shows and private sales.
3. We need to treat mental illness as seriously as we do other types of illness, and we need to allocate proper resources to its diagnosis and treatment. We should add a mental health component to gun ownership laws that respects privacy but ensures safety.
4. We should join Gov. Hogan here in Maryland to support the passage of “red flag” laws that would allow judges to temporarily order gun owners to surrender firearms if they are deemed to be a danger to themselves or others.
5. We should ban bump-stocks that effectively turn a semi-automatic rifle into a fully automatic machine gun.

These sensible reforms are supported by the overwhelming majority, respect the Second Amendment and would add protection for our children. We need leadership from the middle, without the shackles of party labels, to break the gridlock and enact rational, responsible gun safety laws.^[1]

Taxes

As the old adage goes, there are only 2 things guaranteed in life: death and taxes.

We will always be taxed in one way or another, but we cannot go by simple arithmetic: the person who makes $30,000/yr does not have the same advantages as the one who makes $3 million/yr. $3,000 hurts the former far more than $300k hurts the latter. So, the rich should have to pay more.

As for mega-corporate tax breaks... Breaks only go to those who need them. That is why they are called breaks!
Big companies who gave out bonuses this year could easily afford them before the passing of the recent tax laws. Let's take Disney... Black Panther cost $200 million to make and yet in mere months it made over a billion beyond that! The $125 million it gave in bonuses could have been done 10x over from that one movie alone!

Finally, there is the issue of the things on which taxes are spent. It doesn't matter with which political 'side' you associate and the preferences thereof, there are plenty of tax dollars wasted on expenses neither 'side' needs. One big one is federal salaries: no elected or appointed official (who is supposed to be a 'public servant') needs to be paid the extravagant salaries they are in addition to full benefits, all for working far, far less time.

#JOBS

Jobs are a number-one priority. We cannot look at the numbers spewed out by the government as they are superficial. Low unemployment doesn't necessarily mean everyone is gainfully employed.

As for government jobs in particular, vets need to be given first refusal rights.

Infrastructure

Billions are being sent to other nations while our roads and bridges and plumbing crumble. And guess what? Fixing those would create jobs! Infrastructure is a major priority.

Abortion

While it may sound contradictory, I am pro-choice & life.

Personally, I would not want my partner to get an abortion; however, socially I respect women's rights.

One position that is B&W for me is when a pregnancy threatens the life of the mother: if the odds state that the mother could be saved versus both mother and child dying, then there is no question that the mother should be saved.

As for Planned Parenthood, one must recognize that the organization provides all sorts of healthcare options for women. There is nothing wrong with governmental funding in that regard, but it should be specified for/against various uses.

Environment

We live on Earth. Continuing the way we are going, gutting her and poisoning her, we only hurt ourselves. But change takes time.

We need to do what we can to protect the environment. Regulations are not a bad thing: only the Bigs want you to think they are because it causes them to lose money.

Eventually going to environmentally more friendly sources of energy is a good thing, and it will not hurt the job market. Miners can work into retirement and/or transition into other industries as well. On the same token, though, we cannot just jump to being green.

As for climate change, it is real. Whether or not you believe it to be mankind's fault isn't necessarily the issue if you look at it this way...

We have 2 choices:

• help the environment
• don't help the environment

What is worse of the following 2 possible scenarios?

• we help the environment to thrive, though the cause is not human.
• we don't help the environment, and it is indeed humanity at the source.

Healthcare

Cars are a privilege: Pay for insurance. Health is a natural right: No one should profiteer in the healthcare industry while many suffer.

I believe universal healthcare is the way to go, though the current measures being proposed might not be the best fit.

Costs would be kept down: nowadays, people cannot always afford to to to the doctor and put things off, sometimes causing things to get worse and more expensive on both the individual and society. If healthcare were completely covered, people could stay more healthy more easily and costs would not be as much (plus more healthy people means more can be accomplished).

The pharmaceutical industry also needs to be put in check. Capitalism was intended for the average person to be able to make something of him/herself, not for the Bigs to be able to step on the average person out of greed.

Civil Rights

Everyone is equal (equitable). Period.

Race, religion, orientation, etc. do not make anyone more or less important.

As such, a consenting adult should be able to do what he/she/they want as long as it does not directly and adversely affect another.

Freedom of Religion

An individual should be able to worship (or abstain therefrom) as one wants.

But that cuts both ways. A person of one faith cannot claim freedom of religion and then want those tenets to be forced on others.

Education

#ChildrenFirst.

While states have sovereignty, the US Dept of Ed should ensure equal education for all ages. This includes matters of government in order to shatter the fallacies that are disinformation.

Eliminating college debt would help make people better able to enter the workforce and grow through careers, but it would also have to be a stable program to ensure it is not taken advantage of.

Government Reform

Number 1: Public Servants should not make more than their constituents, especially for working far less time. I would aim to remedy this by starting with US Senators for MD salary.

Also, term limits must exist for all levels of government. Too many elected officials become complacent and/or smug in their positions when they find they will be able to make a career of that one position. It would also help ensure checks and balances are actually just that. No lifelong benefits for these officials either (i.e., no sucking the taxpayers dry).

Military

We need to disengage the war machine (i.e., stop overspending on items that more or less aim to enrich big contractors) and focus more on supporting our current troops and veterans alike.

Guns

I am pro-2A and advocate for some level of gun control. They are not opposite goals.

Immigration

Legal immigration but it must be asylum-based first - not preferential treatment. We also cannot turn away children in need.

Oh, and while infrastructure is needed at borders... #NoWall.^[1]