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Books by and about 2020 presidential candidates
Crippled America,
by Donald J. Trump (2015)
Fire and Fury,
by Michael Wolff (2018)
Trump Revealed,
by Michael Kranish and Marc Fisher (2016)
The Making of Donald Trump,
by David Cay Johnston (2016)
Promise Me, Dad ,
by Joe Biden (2017)
The Book of Joe ,
by Jeff Wilser (2019; biography of Joe Biden)
The Truths We Hold,
by Kamala Harris (2019)
Smart on Crime,
by Kamala Harris (2010)
Guide to Political Revolution,
by Bernie Sanders (2017)
Where We Go From Here,
by Bernie Sanders (2018)
Our Revolution,
by Bernie Sanders (2016)
This Fight Is Our Fight,
by Elizabeth Warren (2017)
United,
by Cory Booker (2016)
Conscience of a Conservative,
by Jeff Flake (2017)
Two Paths,
by Gov. John Kasich (2017)
Every Other Monday,
by Rep. John Kasich (2010)
Courage is Contagious,
by John Kasich (1998)
Shortest Way Home,
by Pete Buttigieg (2019)
Becoming,
by Michelle Obama (2018)
Higher Loyalty,
by James Comey (2018)
The Making of Donald Trump,
by David Cay Johnston (2017)
Trump vs. Hillary On The Issues ,
by Jesse Gordon (2016)
Outsider in the White House,
by Bernie Sanders (2015)

Book Reviews

(from Amazon.com)

(click a book cover for a review or other books by or about the presidency from Amazon.com)

Congressional 2012 Political Courage Test, by Project Vote Smart


    Click on a participant to pop-up their full list of quotations
    from Congressional 2012 Political Courage Test (number of quotes indicated):
  • Alan Lowenthal (3) Democrat U.S. Rep California-47
  • Amanda Curtis (6) Democratic Challenger Montana
  • Angus King (1) Maine Former Independent Governor (1995-2002)
  • Brad Hutto (4) Democratic Challenger South Carolina
  • Champ Edmunds (6) Democrat Challenger Montana
  • David Ige (9) Hawaii Democratic Governor
  • Doug Collins (6) Republican challenger for 2-year special election Georgia
  • Jared Huffman (6) Democrat U.S. Rep California-2
  • Jim Bridenstine (10) Republican U.S. Rep Oklahoma-1
  • Joe Cervantes (7) New Mexico Democratic candidate for New Mexico Governor
  • Joe Kennedy III (9) Democratic Senate challenger Massachusetts
  • Kevin Cramer (9) Republican candidate for North Dakota U.S. Senator North Dakota
  • Matt Rosendale (8) Republican candidate for Montana U. S. Senator Montana
  • Michael Folk (11) West Virginia Republican Gubernatorial Challenger
  • Pat McGeehan (6) Republican Senate Challenger West Virginia
  • Richard Hudson (6) Republican U.S. Rep North Carolina-8
  • Sam Rankin (8) Reform Senate Challenger Montana
  • Ted Yoho (9) Republican U.S. Rep Florida-3
    OR click on an issue category below for a subset.
    The "Political Courage Test", according to Project Vote-Smart, "measures each candidate’s willingness to provide citizens with their positions on key issues. Most candidates, fearing their opponents might use their positions in attack ads, refuse or only respond to a few questions that their consultants stamp as safe. Each candidate is repeatedly confronted with these issue questions by Vote Smart, national media and political leaders of both major parties."
 OnTheIssues.org excerpts:  (click on issues for details)
Abortion
    David Ige: Pro-choice; no parental consent; no public funding.
    Joe Cervantes: Fund abortion organizations; some parental notification.
    Michael Folk: All life is precious, even when inconvenient.
    Sam Rankin: Pro-choice.
Budget & Economy
    Joe Cervantes: State funding for job training, infrastructure, & some homes.
    Ted Yoho: Keynesian economics is no way to stimulate the economy.
Civil Rights
    Champ Edmunds: Marriage between one man and one woman.
    David Ige: Civil unions ok; gay marriage not ok.
    Joe Cervantes: Civil unions ok; same-sex marriage ok.
    Matt Rosendale: No civil unions; no same-sex marriage.
    Pat McGeehan: Civil unions ok; anti-discrimination laws not ok.
    Sam Rankin: Supports same-sex marriage.
    Kevin Cramer: Marriage is defined in Scripture.
Crime
    Amanda Curtis: No to capital punishment; yes to alternative sentencing.
    Brad Hutto: Supports capital punishment.
    Champ Edmunds: Capital punishment , but not for juveniles.
    David Ige: Opposes capital punishment.
    Doug Collins: Supports capital punishment.
    Matt Rosendale: No capital punishment; yes prosecute minors as adults.
    Michael Folk: Supports capital punishment; supports prosecuting minors.
    Pat McGeehan: No capital punishment; don't prosecute minors as adults.
    Ted Yoho: Support capital punishment.
    Jared Huffman: Life-without-parole instead of capital punishment.
    Jim Bridenstine: Swift capital punishment saves lives.
    Joe Kennedy III: Opposes capital punishment.
    Kevin Cramer: 100% pro-life includes opposing death penalty.
Drugs
    Champ Edmunds: Decriminalize marijuana; support substance abuse treatment.
    David Ige: No marijuana decriminalization but alternative sentencing ok.
    Matt Rosendale: Decriminalize and handle marijuana like a prescription drug.
    Michael Folk: Decriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana.
    Pat McGeehan: Decriminalize marijuana possession.
Education
    Amanda Curtis: No vouchers; no charters; yes Common Core.
    Champ Edmunds: State funding for charters and vouchers.
    David Ige: Opposes vouchers, but supports charters.
    Matt Rosendale: Supports charters and vouchers; opposes tenure.
    Michael Folk: State funding for charters and vouchers.
    Pat McGeehan: Vouchers to send children to any school.
    Sam Rankin: New reforms to replace No Child Left Behind.
    Ted Yoho: Department of Education should be eliminated over 3-5 years.
    Jim Bridenstine: No federal standards; local control & spending.
    Joe Kennedy III: I support the President's Race to the Top program.
Energy & Oil
    Doug Collins: Human activity is not contributing to climate change.
    Michael Folk: Don't fund oil development, but no restrictions on fracking.
    Sam Rankin: Federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions.
    Ted Yoho: Department of Energy needs to be eliminated.
    Alan Lowenthal: Restrict offshore drilling; regulate greenhouse gases.
    Jim Bridenstine: No credible evidence that CO2 affects global climate.
    Joe Kennedy III: Human activity is contributing to climate change.
Environment
    Joe Cervantes: Open space preservation & comprehensive water management.
    Matt Rosendale: No state funding for open space preservation.
    Michael Folk: No new regulations on mountaintop mining.
    Pat McGeehan: No state funding for open space preservation.
Families & Children
    Michael Folk: Civil union contracts for same-sex couples, but no marriage.
Government Reform
    Amanda Curtis: Limit campaign contributions; and no photo ID's to vote.
    Brad Hutto: Limit corporate and PAC campaign contributions.
    Champ Edmunds: No limits on political contributions.
    David Ige: Support independent redistricting but also voter ID.
    David Ige: Limit campaign donations and campaign spending.
    David Ige: Require photo identification in order to vote.
    Doug Collins: Increased transparency about campaign contributions.
    Joe Cervantes: No voter ID; yes prohibit legislators from lobbying.
    Matt Rosendale: Yes voter ID; but also independent redistricting.
    Michael Folk: Require voter ID, but for free.
    Pat McGeehan: No limits on campaign contributions for PACs or parties.
    Sam Rankin: Excessive campaign money is our country's greatest problem.
    Ted Yoho: Regulate campaign contributions.
    Alan Lowenthal: Regulate corporate & union campaign contributions.
    Jared Huffman: Ban "independent expenditures"; they're out of control.
    Jim Bridenstine: First Amendment includes campaign spending.
    Joe Kennedy III: Citizens United decision should be reversed.
    Kevin Cramer: First Amendment is clear: unregulated campaign contributions.
    Richard Hudson: Eliminate 527s and force full disclosure.
Gun Control
    Amanda Curtis: No gun licensing; allow concealed carry.
    Brad Hutto: Supports only current gun laws.
    David Ige: Supports background checks; opposes concealed carry.
    Matt Rosendale: Citizens can own any number and type of firearms.
    Michael Folk: No background checks; yes concealed carry.
    Sam Rankin: Restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns.
    Jared Huffman: 2nd amendment right is not absolute.
    Joe Kennedy III: Keep assault weapons ban; end gun-show loophole.
Health Care
    Joe Cervantes: Supports individual mandate and universal coverage.
    Michael Folk: No universally-accessible public health insurance.
    Alan Lowenthal: KeepObamaCare; require purchasing insurance.
    Kevin Cramer: ObamaCare is an insult to the constitution.
Homeland Security
    Doug Collins: Protect citizenry from terrorists while respecting rights.
    Jared Huffman: Reduce defense spending to balance the budget.
    Jared Huffman: Diplomacy and due process, instead of military action.
    Jim Bridenstine: Smart defense reductions; don't jeopardize national security.
    Joe Kennedy III: Reduce defense spending, not Medicaid/Medicare.
    Kevin Cramer: Every agency, including defense, should cut programs.
    Richard Hudson: I do not support Obama's proposal to cut $1T from Defense.
    Angus King: Ok to target suspected terrorists outside of war zones.
Immigration
    Amanda Curtis: Illegal aliens eligible for in-state tuition.
    Joe Cervantes: Yes in-state tuition for illegals; but no to driver licenses.
    Matt Rosendale: No in-state tuition for illegal immigrants.
    Sam Rankin: Don't deport illegal immigrants.
    Ted Yoho: First, secure the borders; then a path to citizenship.
    Jim Bridenstine: Secure the borders to stop movement of narcotics and slaves.
    Joe Kennedy III: Provide an opportunity to earn citizenship.
    Kevin Cramer: Harder for illegals to get benefits & become citizens.
    Richard Hudson: End "birth right citizenship".
Social Security
    Ted Yoho: Option of 100% privatization.
    Jim Bridenstine: Give younger people option of personal retirement accounts.
    Kevin Cramer: Allow future workers to invest more of their own money.
    Richard Hudson: Reform the system for those my age and younger.
Tax Reform
    Amanda Curtis: Increase income taxes on wealthy, but not others.
    Brad Hutto: Maintain current tax levels, except gas tax to improve roads.
    Champ Edmunds: Eliminate income taxes and corporate taxes.
    Jim Bridenstine: High taxes inhibit economic growth and job creation.
Technology
    Michael Folk: Opposes "bridge to nowhere" projects, even for job creation.
War & Peace
    Doug Collins: Afghan withdrawal when commanders say, on secret timetable.
    Doug Collins: Iran is an imminent threat to the US.
    Sam Rankin: Timetable for withdrawal from Afghanistan.
    Ted Yoho: Support a timetable for withdrawal from Afghanistan.
    Ted Yoho: Defend if Iran attacks us, but no military prevention.
    Jared Huffman: Timetable for Afghan withdrawal should be immediately!
    Jim Bridenstine: Don't set timetables for withdrawal from any conflict.
    Jim Bridenstine: Military force OK to prevent Iranian nukes.
    Joe Kennedy III: Bring troops home quickly & prudently before end of 2014.
    Joe Kennedy III: Crippling sanctions on Iran to ensure no nuclear arms.
    Kevin Cramer: Withdraw from Afghanistan, but no timetable.
    Kevin Cramer: Military force OK to prevent Iranian nukes.
    Richard Hudson: No timetable for withdrawal from Afghanistan.
    Richard Hudson: Military force OK to prevent Iranian nukes.


The above quotations are from Congressional 2012 Political Courage Test, by Project Vote Smart.

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