Council on Foreign Relations


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OnTheIssues.org excerpts:  (click on issues for details)

Abortion     Joe Walsh: 1996: pro-choice; 2010: pro-life without exception.

Budget & Economy     Mike Bloomberg: Proponent of the free market and balanced budgets.

Civil Rights     Stacey Abrams: Voter suppression is an existential crisis in the US.     Nikki Haley: Our goal should always be to empower women.

Drugs     Joe Biden: US should focus on disrupting Afghanistan drug trade.

Energy & Oil     Tom Steyer: Supports Green New Deal & carbon-neutrality by 2045.     Marianne Williamson: Invest in renewable energy, both in US and abroad.     Andrew Yang: Provide developing countries alternatives to fossil fuels.     Joe Sestak: Rejoin Paris Accord; US must restore global leadership.     Joe Sestak: Net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050; end coal exports.     Pete Buttigieg: US must lead the way in exit of coal-fired power.     Seth Moulton: Need to make climate change a top priority.     Wesley Clark: Disappearing glaciers make global warming obvious.

Foreign Policy     Vladimir Putin: Georgia & Ukraine in NATO was a red line since late 2000s.     Jeanne Shaheen: Public cares about rights of women & girls in Afghanistan.     Deval Patrick: Crime for Trump to ask Ukraine to investigate Biden.     Joe Walsh: Steadfastly support NATO.     Mike Bloomberg: System of alliances achieved peace & democratic progress.     Mike Bloomberg: Don't recognize Crimea annexation; do extend START treaty.     Mike Bloomberg: Saudi Arabia's modernization is going in the right direction.     Mike Bloomberg: Trump coddles Russia; they intruded in 2016 election.     Tom Steyer: Rebuild traditional multilateral alliances like NATO.     Tom Steyer: More foreign aid for Central America.     Amy Klobuchar: Transition Heartland from isolationism to Internationalism.     Amy Klobuchar: Five Rs: restore, repair, rejoin, respond, and reassert.     Amy Klobuchar: Beware China's Uighur internment camps & Hong Kong crackdown.     Susan Rice: Worked to bring allies together to address challenges.     Bill Weld: China promised two systems for Hong Kong; we're watching.     Bill Weld: Support democracy, the rule of law, and prosperity in Africa.     Bill Weld: Multi-party talks to resolve Venezuelan situation.     Marianne Williamson: Stronger position on Saudi Arabia; end involvement in Yemen.     Marianne Williamson: Help Venezuela freely choose its own political future.     Marianne Williamson: US should be more involved in opportunities in Africa.     Bill de Blasio: 1980s: supported Sandinista National Liberation Front.     Andrew Yang: Provide model for democratic capitalism, not authoritarians.     Andrew Yang: Helping Ukraine defend itself against Russia helps US.     Andrew Yang: Let our values lead us: no aid to Saudi Arabia against Yemen.     Andrew Yang: Two-state solution is only end to Israel/Palestine conflict.     Joe Sestak: Absence from leadership has let autocrats act with impunity.     Joe Sestak: Work with allies to oppose Russian aggression in Ukraine.     Joe Sestak: Join with allies to compel improved behavior by Saudis.     Joe Sestak: Support 2-state solution; return embassy to Tel Aviv.     Joe Sestak: Can't risk losing influence in Africa to China.     Pete Buttigieg: Accept both cooperation and conflict with China.     Pete Buttigieg: Sanctions on Russia; support for Ukraine.     Pete Buttigieg: We must reset our relationship with Saudi Arabia.     Pete Buttigieg: Supports 2-state solution, but not current Israeli policies.     Pete Buttigieg: Targeted sanctions against Venezuelan officials.     Seth Moulton: Condemn China's human rights abuses.     Seth Moulton: Need to push Saudis on human rights, not arm Yemen war.     Seth Moulton: Support two-state solution, not current Israeli government.     Seth Moulton: Venezuela: US should not try to be world's policeman.     Seth Moulton: Africa: help next generation of leaders, entrepreneurs.     Stacey Abrams: We've returned to isolationism, driven by fear-mongering.     Stacey Abrams: Our moral credibility in the world has been diminished.     Stacey Abrams: Representation matters in our foreign service.     Stacey Abrams: Concerned China building infrastructure, relationships.     Kamala Harris: Decisions should be made after outreach to allies.     Joe Biden: Easier for Russia to deal with disunified West.     Nikki Haley: Time to show people reasons to support the U.N.     Nikki Haley: US is world's conscience; participation in UN reflects that.     Nikki Haley: We will deal fairly with people who are fair to us.     Joe Biden: Intervention in Venezuela would turn S. America against US.     Joe Biden: Nation-building is key to winning over rural Afghanis.     Joe Biden: Foreign policy needs informed consent of American people.     Barack Obama: Never has US had so much power & so little influence to lead.     Barack Obama: US policy should promote democracy and human rights.     Howard Dean: Integrate China as our international community partner.     Howard Dean: Intertwine into alliances, to create international stability.

Free Trade     Deval Patrick: Deeper trade ties between U.S. and China.     Joe Walsh: Everybody loses in a trade war with China.     Mike Bloomberg: Trade with China is good for consumers & the US economy.     Mike Bloomberg: Supports TPP and opposes trade war with China.     Mike Bloomberg: Vocal defender of global trade and multinational trade deals.     Tom Steyer: No trade war, but stand up to China on intellectual property.     Susan Rice: Deal with challenge from China in lockstep with allies.     Marianne Williamson: Take strong position on China on human rights & business.     Marianne Williamson: No TPP without greater protections for workers & environment.     Bill de Blasio: Dislikes multilateral trade deals, including NAFTA and TPP.     Andrew Yang: Partner to help African nations & expand markets.     Joe Sestak: Mistake to withdraw from TPP: creates opening for China.     Pete Buttigieg: Deals must support workers, but US can't sit on sidelines.     Pete Buttigieg: Support African nations; recognize market opportunities.     Seth Moulton: Deals must help Americans & protect intellectual property.     Seth Moulton: China steps in when US doesn't lead on trade deals.     Stacey Abrams: Trade policy should not be based on brinksmanship.     Kamala Harris: Opposed TPP for invalidating California environmental laws.     Joe Biden: US must take lead on free trade, but deal with uneven impact.

Government Reform     Joe Biden: Supports laws sanctioning Russia for election interference.

Gun Control     Joe Walsh: Kinderguardian satire: "Happy shooting, kids".

Health Care     Susan Rice: Ebola crisis: would have resigned if Obama closed the border.     Joe Biden: 2016: "I played a small part" in work on ObamaCare.

Homeland Security     Jeanne Shaheen: Support military spending, but don't undercut diplomacy.     Deval Patrick: Don't cast anti-terror policies on any one group.     Joe Walsh: Take seriously the dangers of Islamic terrorism.     Mike Bloomberg: Expanded surveillance kept NYC safe from terrorists.     Mike Bloomberg: Argued against increasing military spending.     Tom Steyer: Refocus and reduce U.S. military spending.     Pete Buttigieg: Bring troops home from Afghanistan except for Special Ops.

Immigration     Mike Bloomberg: Fix the country's broken immigration system.     Mike Bloomberg: Closing the door to immigration would be national suicide.     Nikki Haley: Refugee ban: What we did was take a pause.

Jobs     Joe Biden: Prepare workers for new jobs and they'll support free trade.

Principles & Values     Jeanne Shaheen: Women's experiences different not better or worse than men's.     Susan Rice: Learned if you're knocked down, how to get back up.     Susan Rice: Give your honest and best advice to whom you're serving.     Joe Walsh: 2010: opposed by namesake rock star Joe Walsh.     Joe Walsh: 2013: supported birtherism; 2019: apologized for it.     Stacey Abrams: Prefers organizing systems for change to legislating.     Joe Biden: Never, never bet against the American people.

Technology     Vladimir Putin: Sanction online platforms for censoring Russian media.     Deval Patrick: Additional spending on cybersecurity and robotics.     Mike Bloomberg: Crumbling infrastructure undermines global competitiveness.     Tom Steyer: Supports net neutrality rules.     John Kasich: Develop capability to identify & destroy cyber-attackers.

War & Peace     Deval Patrick: Our Generation Speaks: Israelis & Palestinians together.     Joe Walsh: Withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan.     Mike Bloomberg: Supports Israel's military response to Gaza rocket attacks.     Mike Bloomberg: Deep reservations that 2015 Iran nuclear deal wasn't enough.     Mike Bloomberg: Supported 2003 Iraq War, as response to 9/11.     Mike Bloomberg: No attractive military option against North Korean nukes.     Tom Steyer: Withdraw all U.S. troops from Afghanistan.     Tom Steyer: Keep US troops in northern Syria.     Susan Rice: Fell short in Libya by failing to be engaged in aftermath.     Susan Rice: Humanitarian crisis: sometimes intervene, sometimes not.     Bill Weld: Unlimited military aid to Ukraine against Russian incursion.     Bill Weld: Supports Israeli-Palestinian two-state solution.     Bill Weld: Withdrawing from Iran nuke deal was a colossal blunder.     Bill Weld: Partial sanction relief for partial Korean denuclearization.     Joe Walsh: Congress must have a say in military force overseas.     Marianne Williamson: Rejoin Iran nuclear deal and increase diplomacy.     Marianne Williamson: North Korea: Partial sanction relief for some disarming.     Marianne Williamson: Protection of women must be part of any Afghanistan deal.     Bill de Blasio: Leave Afghanistan when a peace deal is in place.     Bill de Blasio: Opposes U.S. support for the Saudi-led war in Yemen.     Bill de Blasio: Rejoin the multilateral Iran nuclear deal.     Andrew Yang: Leaving Iran deal was a massive strategic mistake.     Andrew Yang: Need to accept incremental gains on N. Korea nukes.     Andrew Yang: Bring combat troops home from Afghanistan, but stay involved.     Joe Sestak: Leaving Iran deal saps credibility in future negotiations.     Joe Sestak: North Korean denuclearization will be incremental.     Joe Sestak: Withdraw from Afghanistan, after achieving stability.     Pete Buttigieg: Rejoin Iran deal with 6 other countries.     Pete Buttigieg: N. Korea: Step-by-step process for peace & denuclearization.     Seth Moulton: Rejoin Iran nuclear deal; strengthen and extend it.     Seth Moulton: Interim agreement with North Korea would be step forward.     Seth Moulton: Provide lethal aid to Ukraine; strengthen NATO.     Seth Moulton: Work to be done in Afghanistan after bringing troops home.     Stacey Abrams: US should be judicious & careful with our use of military.     Kamala Harris: Opposes US support for Saudi military action in Yemen.     Nikki Haley: Peacekeeping forces should not be permanent.     Joe Biden: Don't trust Iran but they met initial conditions of deal.     Joe Biden: Afghanistan must never again be haven for al Qaeda.     Condoleezza Rice: We must keep our word & not abandon Iraqi people.

Welfare & Poverty     Mike Bloomberg: Mayors Challenge: grants to cities for improving urban life.     Stacey Abrams: Reducing the top not enough on income inequality.

Click for quotations from other sources by: Amy Klobuchar Minnesota Democratic candidate for President; Minnesota Senator Andrew Yang New York Democratic candidate for NYC Mayor Barack Obama Democratic President (elected 2008) Bill de Blasio New York Democratic primary candidate and NYC mayor Bill Weld Massachusetts Republican presidential primary challenger Condoleezza Rice Cabinet-2008 Deval Patrick Massachusetts Democratic Governor Howard Dean Democrat Jeanne Shaheen New Hampshire Former Democratic Governor (1997-2000); elected Senator 2008 Joe Biden Democratic V.P. Joe Sestak Democratic candidate for President; Navy Admiral Joe Walsh Illinois Republican presidential primary challenger John Kasich Ohio Republican Ohio Governor Kamala Harris California Democratic nominee for Vice President; California Senator Marianne Williamson Democratic candidate for President Mike Bloomberg New York Mayor of NYC Nikki Haley South Carolina Former UN Ambassador 2017-2018 Pete Buttigieg Indiana DOT Secretary Seth Moulton Massachusetts Democratic candidate for President; U.S. Rep from MA-6 Stacey Abrams Georgia Democratic nominee for Georgia Governor Susan Rice Maine Domestic Policy Tom Steyer Possible Democratic candidate for President from California Vladimir Putin Russian Leader Wesley Clark Democrat