international laws and treaties

The two Democratic candidates running for Senate in Maryland came out swinging in their first formal exchange on Sunday, debating each other's commitment to Social Security, effectiveness in office and electability in next year's general election.

By John Fritze

May 3, 2015

This month, the trade writing committees of the Congress announced new legislation designed to advance human rights through trade. But the bill does not say what human rights the Congress includes, how policymakers will use free trade agreements to advance human rights, or explain how the U.S. will assess whether these human rights are being adequately respected.

Sanctions movement against Israel violates international law

Putting Israel's interests before America's is something you might expect from Republican politicians these days, especially in recent years as Democratic President Obama has clashed with the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. But you may not expect such behavior from a leading Democratic senator like Maryland's own Ben Cardin. Unfortunately, that's exactly what is happening.

Congress has produced a reasonable, bipartisan compromise on 'fast track' trade authority

A proposal to give the president greater authority to negotiate international trade agreements has become an issue in Maryland's nascent Senate race after Rep. Donna F. Edwards on Wednesday accused her opponent of attempting to back away from past support of those deals.

By John Fritze

Apr 16, 2015

Rep. Chris Van Hollen, a Montgomery County Democrat who is running for the Senate, said Tuesday he will oppose legislation to give the president greater authority to negotiate international trade agreements -- an issue that has split Democrats on Capitol Hill.

U.S. policy toward Israel should not change

The 47 GOP senators do a disservice to the nation and the Constitution they claim to uphold.

The Democratic presidential nominee will campaign on reviving the middle class, but will she take on the moneyed interests?

Philip D. Snodgrass, who was an assistant general counsel at the National Federation of Federal Employees and a 2005 graduate of Dulaney High School, was killed.

By Frederick N. Rasmussen

Feb 26, 2015

The fact is, trade agreements are no longer really about trade, writes Robert B. Reich.

The Trans-Pacific Partnership is a "Trojan horse in a global race to the bottom," says Robert Reich.

As Congress opens its session on Tuesday, several Maryland interests — including chicken farmers, environmentalists and federal employees — will be watching for signs of how the new political landscape on Capitol Hill will affect issues they say are critical to the state's economy.

By John Fritze

Jan 5, 2015

The Treaty of Paris Center, a small room in a basement on Main Street in Annapolis, tells the story of America between the end of the Revolutionary War in 1783 and the writing of the Constitution in 1787.

By Pamela Wood

Jan 3, 2015

The Sony attack isn't cyberwar -- but we still need to figure out a way to deal with attacks like it.

With Ebola threatening the world's populations, there is a new urgency to find therapies. Bringing naturally occurring pharmaceuticals to market should be a priority for our nation because drugs derived from nature are astonishingly successful. The United States' policy and law, however, strongly discourage prospecting for drugs in nature.

Trade agreements like NAFTA and CAFTA, far from lessening migration pressures, have only increased them, and more trade agreements like TPP will only make matters worse.