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The general election is "officially" on with voters headed to the polls in exactly 100 days. Here are some quick insights from my week in Philly where foreign policy took center stage throughout the Democratic gathering.

On top of numerous high-profile speeches where the party clearly sought to project a strong voice on America's role in the world, I saw a few surprises - from a Ronald Reagan shout-out praising his vision on global leadership to protesters shouting "No More War" during a speech by decorated war hero, General John Allen.

After two weeks of convention-going, I do wonder if we are seeing a shift in political alignments around foreign policy that will shake up the fall campaign and debates. Check out the latest GLOBAL GAB below with highlights from Philadelphia as well as some other important news. And in case you missed our wrap-up of the Republican convention, you can read it here: http://action.usglc.org/site/R?i=trEFcBBwXoZI3EMVZuNFMw

Enjoy the Summer Olympics kicking off next week... Go Team USA!

Liz
Liz Schrayer, USGLC

THE GLOBAL GAB: Cheese steaks and foreign policy? Philly wraps.
July 30, 2016

GLOBAL TALK. Often thought of as the party more focused on domestic issues, Democrats brought out their national security luminaries in Philly alongside some top brass to punctuate their focus on American
engagement abroad with speeches by Secretaries Madeleine Albright and Leon Panetta, General John Allen, and Rear Admiral John Hutson. The program emphasized the importance of empowering women and girls around the world - and on Tuesday "Global Leadership" was one of the key evening themes. One political strategist remarked, "If you were a visitor from Mars who came here only once every 12 years, you would have said, 'Gee, this must be the Republican convention. Look at all those flags, look at the generals.'"

Outside the convention hall, the foreign policy program continued with topics including global poverty, the Syrian refugee crisis, and broader national security themes. Top voices included former National Security Advisor Tom Donilon, former USAID Administrator Raj Shah, Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Coons, and even actor Connie Britton.

USGLC IN PHILLY. We capped our USGLC convention week with an all-star discussion on the global challenges on the horizon with Secretary Albright; Ambassadors Bill Burns and Wendy Sherman; congressional champions Senator Jeanne Shaheen (NH) and Representative Ted Deutch (FL); and Laura Rosenberger, a former senior State Department official who was representing the campaign's perspective - all alongside our friends at the National Democratic Institute and 400 leaders from around the world.
http://action.usglc.org/site/R?i=cmM4smtS1A4Ejpi_Lj-Jjw

TOP QUOTE. "Nothing works if the United States is not involved... As Secretary of State, I so believed in the importance of American engagement... does not mean that we are the sole policeman of the world." - Secretary Madeleine Albright

PARTY ESSENTIALS. On Monday, delegates officially ratified their party platform, including "We believe the smart use of diplomacy, development, and economic statecraft can prevent crises, foster stability, and make us safer." Get our full foreign policy download on the final Democratic Platform (and also our recap of the GOP platform).
http://action.usglc.org/site/R?i=N691LUMOSRcPtPOKYlxElA
http://action.usglc.org/site/R?i=NxDO98heMmixjHJq0doacw

POLL TESTED. A new CNN/ORC poll once again ranks voters' concerns about foreign policy and terrorism as the second most important set of issues. The economy remains at the top, but has fallen in recent months - not surprising given the Brussels, Nice, and Orlando attacks. Might be why congressional candidates in both parties are showing renewed interest in our foreign policy briefings. Expect more focus than usual on national security at this fall's presidential and senatorial debates.

ZIKA IN AMERICA. Four new Zika cases were reported yesterday in Miami - and experts believe this to be the first transmission of the virus by mosquitos within the continental U.S. With partisan politics already boiling over on the unfinished domestic and international Zika response package, hopefully cooler heads will prevail when Congress returns after Labor Day.

FRIENDLY FIRE? As the debate on NATO continues following Donald Trump's remarks last week on conditioning American support to our allies, Senator John McCain fired back saying: "Strong allies are now, and always have been, vital to America's national security. We must continue to fight alongside our friends
abroad to [keep] Americans safe from harm."
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RESULTS ARE IN. America's food security program - Feed the Future - just released their latest progress report and the results are powerful: In 2015 alone, 18 million young children saw significant improvements in nutrition and more than 9 million farmers were empowered with new tools and technology. Impressive.

SPEAKING OUT. In a sit-down with NPR on poverty and politics, Speaker Paul Ryan channeled his mentor, the late Jack Kemp who embraced the fight against global poverty. Doubling down on American engagement in the world, Ryan said, "If we want to have good jobs and faster wage growth, we have to make more things in America and sell them overseas, because 96 percent of the world's consumers are not in our country." Spot on from the Speaker.


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