Columns and news articles in The Nation magazine


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

Abortion     Terry McAuliffe: Vetoed anti-abortion laws; honored by Virginia NARAL.     Ben Carson: Need civil discussion between pro-life and pro-choice.

Civil Rights     Rick Santorum: Push for religious liberty in workplace, but not anti-gay.

Corporations     Steve Bullock: Defended state limit on corporate campaign donations.     Bernie Sanders: Workers should have 45% of board seats, 20% of stock.     Julian Castro: Tax capital gains annually, not when assets sold.     Marianne Williamson: Make it illegal for CEOs to be paid with stock options.     Bernie Sanders: Casino-type capitalism causes devastating problems.

Crime     Jon Ossoff: Crimes under Trump: act prudently, but accountability.

Energy & Oil     Steve Bullock: Opposed Obama's halting coal mine leasing on Federal land.

Environment     Steve Bullock: Expanded fishing rights regardless of streambed ownership.     Barbara Lee: Environment relates to racial & economic justice.     Bernie Sanders: Climate change will lead to international security crises.     Don Blankenship: Environmental movement not great cause but great business.

Families & Children     Cory Booker: New estate tax to fund "baby bond" program.     Howie Hawkins: Supports universal healthcare & universal pre-K.

Foreign Policy     Ben Carson: Focus on funding refugee camps; not bringing refugees to US.     Jeb Bush: Duty to protect religious minorities & Christian refugees.     Jeb Bush: Russia won't be an ally in Syria but maintain communication.     Lincoln Chafee: Outspoken backer of Iran nuclear agreement.     Bernie Sanders: We have to negotiate with others, even Iran.     Mike Huckabee: Governors have world views; I've been all over the Mideast.     Jeb Bush: Passivity hasn't worked on Russia and Ukraine.

Free Trade     Bernie Sanders: Base trade policy on working families, not multinationals.     Alan Keyes: Tariffs make foreigners share burden of US government.

Government Reform     Jon Ossoff: Trying to take away sacred right to vote is disgraceful.     Jon Ossoff: Open to discussing getting rid of filibuster.     Brian Schatz: Abolish the Electoral College.     Elizabeth Warren: Every vote matters: so abolish the Electoral College.     Kirsten Gillibrand: Abolish the Electoral College.     Tom Udall: Abolish Electoral College; extend vote to DC & territories.

Homeland Security     Rand Paul: Both refugees and visa waivers pose threat.     Rand Paul: Bulk data collection does not improve safety.     Rand Paul: Surveillance of mosques ok; database of Muslims not ok.     Jeb Bush: OpEd: Distancing himself from brother & neocons.     Mike Gravel: Fought & beat Nixon White House on Pentagon Papers in 1971.     Mike Gravel: Bush administration’s secrecy is worse than Nixon’s.

Immigration     Rand Paul: Legal status for 11 million illegals after we secure border.

Jobs     Bernie Sanders: Tax CEOs making more than 50 times median worker pay.     Kamala Harris: Require "equal pay certification" for government contracts.     Michael Bennet: Hasn't supported a national $15 hourly minimum wage.

Principles & Values     Jon Ossoff: Multiracial coalition with shared values emerging.     Steve Daines: We're the greatest country in the world.     Kendra Horn: Most are a little left of center, a little right of center.     Howie Hawkins: Third parties force issues neglected by major parties.     Lincoln Chafee: Mueller investigation a waste of money.     Rand Paul: Conservative on spending; libertarian-ish on other issues.

Social Security     Andrew Yang: Fund Freedom Dividend payments with 10% VAT.     Tulsi Gabbard: Take money for Social Security from military & tax giveaways.

Tax Reform     Amy Klobuchar: Return to 39.6% top rate; open to wealth tax.     Andrew Yang: End Social Security cap, favorable capital gains treatment.     Bernie Sanders: Wealth tax of 8% on fortunes over $10 billion.     Joe Biden: Undo 2017 tax cut, eliminate "stepped-up basis loophole".     Joe Sestak: End preferential treatment of capital gains.     Julian Castro: Tax inherited windfalls as ordinary income.     Kamala Harris: Higher tax on wealthy to fund Medicare-for-All & teacher pay.     Pete Buttigieg: April: raise top tax rate; October: "soft-pedals" wealth tax.     Tom Steyer: Supports higher estate tax, annual wealth tax.     Abdul El-Sayed: Limit tax foreclosures for over-assessed Detroit properties.     Alan Keyes: Excise taxes allow citizens to control tax rate themselves.

Technology     Steve Bullock: Signed executive order requiring net neutrality.

War & Peace     Jeb Bush: No-fly zone in Syria; arm Kurds; establish Sunni coalition.     Jeb Bush: Send troops to Syria to then remain to maintain stability.     Lindsey Graham: Military commitment of regional troops in Syria is necessary.     Lindsey Graham: Regional, not US, army would keep stability in Syria.     Rand Paul: Only Sunni-Shiite coalition forces, not US, in Syria.     Lincoln Chafee: Neocon advocates for invasions are "delusional".     Lincoln Chafee: Iraq: There was "no evidence" of WMDs, it was a hoax.     Rand Paul: Keep on mind on Iran nukes but don't trust the ayatollahs.     Mike Huckabee: Arm the Kurds to fight ISIS, plus U.S. bombing.     Mike Huckabee: US boots on the ground to fight ISIS ok, if others join too.

Welfare & Poverty     Elizabeth Warren: Raise wealth tax rate for healthcare & affordable housing.

Click for quotations from other sources by: Abdul El-Sayed Michigan Democratic candidate for Governor Alan Keyes Republican Amy Klobuchar Minnesota Democratic candidate for President; Minnesota Senator Andrew Yang New York Democratic candidate for NYC Mayor Barbara Lee Democrat U.S. Rep California-13 Ben Carson HUD Secretary Bernie Sanders Democratic Presidential candidate Brian Schatz Democratic Jr Senator Hawaii Cory Booker New Jersey Mayor of Newark; N.J. Senator Don Blankenship Constitution Party candidate for President Elizabeth Warren Massachusetts Senator Howie Hawkins New York Green Party Presidential Challenger Jeb Bush Florida Former FL Governor; Republican Presidential candidate Joe Biden Democratic V.P. Joe Sestak Democratic candidate for President; Navy Admiral Jon Ossoff Democratic Senate challenger Georgia Julian Castro Texas Mayor of San Antonio; HUD Secretary Kamala Harris California Democratic nominee for Vice President; California Senator Kendra Horn Democratic Senate Challenger Oklahoma Kirsten Gillibrand New York Democratic candidate for President; New York Senator Lincoln Chafee Rhode Island Independent Rhode Island Governor Lindsey Graham South Carolina S.C. Senator; Republican Presidential candidate Marianne Williamson Democratic candidate for President Michael Bennet Colorado Democratic candidate for President; Colorado Senator Mike Gravel Democratic challenger for president Mike Huckabee Arkansas Republican Presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg Indiana DOT Secretary Rand Paul Republican 2016 Primary Challenger Rick Santorum Republican Presidential candidate Steve Bullock Montana Democratic Montana Governor Steve Daines Republican Senate challenger Montana Terry McAuliffe Virginia Democratic Challenger Tom Steyer Possible Democratic candidate for President from California Tom Udall Democratic Sr Senator (Retiring 2020) New Mexico Tulsi Gabbard Hawaii Democratic candidate for President; U.S. Rep from HI-2