Wendy Rosen is the second of three candidates seeking the Democratic nomination to challenge Congressman Andy Harris in November to represent the 1st District. The primary election is April 3, 2012.
Spy readers are always interested in where people grew up and their education background. Can you share with us any information on your roots and your experience in Maryland?
I grew up in South Florida, and married the boy next door… literally. Steve was born in Maryland where his father had a retail store. We attended college at the University of Florida and when Steve graduated he was commissioned as an Army Ordinance officer. It was during the Vietnam War, an unpopular time to be associated with campus ROTC, but we loved it… and I even joined in the war games carrying my own M-14 rifle.
After four years at Ft Hood Texas, we relocated to Maryland to be near my husband’s family. Steve opened Mark Downs Office Furniture, a spin-off of his father’s appliance store. I began a career in advertising sales for the Baltimore News American. While in that position I learned a great deal about both the successes and obstacles that small businesses deal with every day. Out of this my passion grew and this led me to found the Rosen Group; since 1981 The Rosen Group has mentored small businesses, connected retailers with Made in America products and participated in other community development projects. Through my work with the Rosen Group and later, The American Made Alliance and other non-profits, I have helped to create over 50,000 jobs.
Q. Very few people wake up one morning and say they are going to run for Congress. How did you get into the race?
I started advocating for my business community of small retailers and micro-manufacturers about a decade ago. There are legislative issues that always seem to sound pro-small business… but that often end up benefiting only big businesses. Lobbyists have a way of twisting a good idea so that it only benefits their clients… the fortune 500.
The services my business provides to tens of thousands of small businesses throughout the US provides me with a unique base of experience and knowledge about how towns survive these challenges. I was personally involved in the revitalization of Hampden in Baltimore city, where in the 1980s I put together a partnership to renovate a civil war cotton mill into a creative business incubator project. The industry sector created by my “Made in the USA trade show” grew to a 14 billion dollar annual impact to the US economy.
When the recession hit I watched my clients struggle, and even drain their retirement accounts to keep their businesses going and make payroll for their employees. Many closed. I’ve been through a lot of ups and downs… but this one threatens every community and the remnants of the middle class more than any other. One day I laid off 7 employees in one day, it was the worst day in my life.
Q. If you had to set your priorities, what are the three things you’d like do in Congress?
1. End the Bush era tax cuts and institute a tax code that is fairer for working Americans.
2. Develop new entrepreneurship training and access to market programs so that American small manufacturers can compete with the foreign subsidized companies that come to the US to sell their products. 78% of new jobs in our country come from start ups and Main Street businesses, and yet less than 1% of SBA funding gets into the hands of those businessowners.
3. Enforce existing laws to prevent consumer fraud including a law that has been on the books for over 80 years which requires a permanent mark on products or packaging which denotes country of origin. This law has been ignored for far too long and enforcing it would increase revenue and create jobs.
Q. Since you face a primary first, how do you think your differentiate your candidacy with your opponents?
John La Ferla and I differ in both in our approach to policy and our worldview. Because of my over 30 years experience in the business community, I understand the level of cooperation that it takes to accomplish anything. Congress is accomplishing nothing due to the obstructionist nature of extremists on the right, and an unwillingness to compromise from many on the left. While I believe John’s intentions are good, I feel that his policy views and his background don’t make him particularly well suited to reaching across the aisle in Congress.
Also, being an army wife, I understand the sacrifice that our soldiers and their families make in order to keep us free and safe. While we are, at this point, a nation weary from war, we are also not blind to the threats that exist in the world.
In last night’s SOTU President Obama reaffirmed our position that we will not allow Iran to possess nuclear weapons and that we will use whatever means necessary to stop them. I agree with the position and have been vocal in that. By comparison, John La Ferla has voiced opposition to this stance stating that it is not our place to stop Iran’s nuclear ambitions and that “we should take Iran at face value when they say they are pursuing nuclear power for peaceful use.”
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