Democratic Primary Debates and news coverage during 2019

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

Abortion     Andrew Yang: Against federal preclearance of state abortion laws.     Joe Sestak: Would support abortion restrictions after 24 weeks.     Tom Steyer: Supports Roe v. Wade's right to privacy.     Tom Steyer: Pro-choice, & only work for pro-choice candidates.     Andrew Yang: Male legislators shouldn't decide female reproductive rights.     John Hickenlooper: Fight GOP-controlled legislatures' restrictive abortion laws.     Wayne Messam: Trust women to make their own decisions; period.     John Hickenlooper: Against fetal heartbeat laws; favors access to contraception.     Kamala Harris: Investigated of anti-choice activist for violating law.

Budget & Economy     Mike Bloomberg: Proponent of the free market and balanced budgets.     Deval Patrick: Believes in private sector's ability to create opportunity.     Deval Patrick: Headed "Double Impact" group at Bain, as a "force for good".     Andrew Yang: We need to take best parts of both capitalism & socialism.

Civil Rights     Deval Patrick: Reparations for slavery without reconciliation won't satisfy.     Andrew Yang: Exposing stereotypes helps dispel them.     Amy Klobuchar: We need environmental justice in this country.     Pete Buttigieg: Black voters more interested in issues than his being gay.     Cory Booker: Not enough to say "not a hatemonger myself".     Julian Castro: Leaders should unite us, not feed bigotry and division.     Andrew Yang: Treatment of indigenous people has been immoral & criminal.     Bernie Sanders: Supports commission investigating reparations for slavery.     Cory Booker: Supports commission investigating reparations for slavery.     Elizabeth Warren: Supports commission investigating reparations for slavery.     John Hickenlooper: Supports commission investigating reparations for slavery.     Kamala Harris: Supports commission investigating reparations for slavery.     Kirsten Gillibrand: Supports commission investigating reparations for slavery.     Amy Klobuchar: Paper ballots allow audits, ensure election integrity.     Bill De Blasio: Added third gender to NYC birth certificates.     Julian Castro: As mayor, banned discrimination against sexual orientation.     Wayne Messam: Silent about his stance on LGBTQ rights.     Pete Buttigieg: Voters have judged his record, not his marriage.

Corporations     Deval Patrick: Served on board of corporate parent of predatory lender.     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.     Andrew Yang: Anti-trust doesn't address issues of modern tech companies.     Tom Steyer: Unchecked capitalism has failed us.     Andrew Yang: Set environmental standards for companies.     John Hickenlooper: Treat dividends & long-term capital gains as ordinary income.     Tom Steyer: Calculate CA corporate income tax based on in-state sales.     Wayne Messam: Trump tax cuts disproportionately benefits big business.     Tom Steyer: Take the corporate control out of politics.     Tom Steyer: Corporate corruption has broken our government.     Marianne Williamson: Repeal corporate tax cuts.     John Hickenlooper: Market must allow entry to new businesses.     Julian Castro: Top earners & corporations must pay fair share.

Crime     Mike Bloomberg: Stop and frisk: I was wrong and I am sorry.     Tom Steyer: Focus on white supremacist violence as domestic terrorism.     Kamala Harris: FactCheck: Denied DNA evidence in 1980s; backtracked in 2018.     Kamala Harris: I chose the unpopular thing to NOT seek the death penalty.     Kamala Harris: Learn from public health model and focus on prevention.

Drugs     Andrew Yang: Explore allowing therapeutic use of psilocybin mushrooms.     Andrew Yang: Create safe opioid injection sites to prevent overdoses.     Deval Patrick: 2012: As governor, opposed pot decriminalization.     Joe Biden: Not nearly enough evidence on marijuana as gateway drug.     Andrew Yang: Fines and judgements to fund treatment of opioid crisis.

Education     Andrew Yang: Forgive "significant portion" of student loan debt.     Tom Steyer: I will tackle the student debt crisis head on.     Tom Steyer: Supports two years free tuition to community colleges.     Kamala Harris: Files bill to keep schools open until 6 pm to help parents.     Elizabeth Warren: Supported all-voucher system for public schools in 2003 book.     Andrew Yang: Would allow compensation for collegiate athletes.     Julian Castro: School curriculum should include climate change.     Kamala Harris: FactCheck: Did not desegregate LA and SF school districts.     Marianne Williamson: Provide teachers autonomy as well as compensation.     Pete Buttigieg: Charter schools have a place in the school ecosystem.

Energy & Oil     Tom Steyer: Supports Green New Deal & carbon-neutrality by 2045.     Mike Bloomberg: Founded $500 million group advocating energy reform.     Andrew Yang: Get incentives right to subsidize renewable energy.     Tom Steyer: On Day 1: declare climate crisis a national emergency.     Tom Steyer: End subsidies & tax breaks for fossil fuels.     Amy Klobuchar: Carbon neutral is goal; nuclear/coal during transition.     Amy Klobuchar: Energy efficiency is low-hanging fruit.     Andrew Yang: Energy companies only operate on the bottom line.     Andrew Yang: Convert to all-electric cars, via "Clunker" buy-backs.     Andrew Yang: Nuclear needs to be on table; new reactors use thorium.     Bernie Sanders: Would reinstate LED lightbulb rule, encourage use.     Bernie Sanders: Government loans to help people erect solar panels.     Beto O`Rourke: Use cap and trade revenue to underwrite transition economy.     Beto O`Rourke: Pay carbon cost, so we don't have to change what we eat.     Cory Booker: Incentivize farmers that help them enrich environment.     Elizabeth Warren: No more nuclear plants; get off nuclear energy by 2035.     Joe Biden: Start on climate change now; do more as things change.     Joe Biden: Credits Green New Deal, but it lacks specifics.     Julian Castro: Carbon-free America by 2045, clean electricity by 2035.     Kamala Harris: Shouldn't sell/lease public land for drilling.     Pete Buttigieg: Federal investment in renewable tech for farms.     Pete Buttigieg: Military can play huge role in solving climate change.     Andrew Yang: 10 years too late on climate change, move to higher ground.     Pete Buttigieg: Timetable on climate set by reality, not by Congress.

Environment     Tom Steyer: Nuclear energy is risky & not cost competitive.     Andrew Yang: Constitutional amendment to safeguard environment.     Andrew Yang: Help farmers modernize in sustainable way.     Beto O`Rourke: Even conservatives want to protect public lands.     Cory Booker: Get politics out of Federal aid for natural disasters.     Julian Castro: Don't wait for natural disaster to move to sustainability.     Julian Castro: Will appoint EPA administrator to crack down on polluters.     Julian Castro: Injustice that 70% of HUD housing is near Superfund site.     Kamala Harris: Take on interests with profit motive to pollute.     Marianne Williamson: Deal with hurricanes by visualizing the storm's retreat.

Families & Children     Mike Bloomberg: Cut teen smoking by 50%; now focus on e-cigarettes.     Cory Booker: New estate tax to fund "baby bond" program.     Mike Bloomberg: Ban flavored e-cigarettes used to entice kids to smoke.     Marianne Williamson: Federal mandate for social services for children.     Bill de Blasio: Signed a paid sick leave and safe leave plan into law.     Marianne Williamson: Provide free or affordable lunches & breakfasts for students.     Andrew Yang: Increase funding for LGBTQ issues and education.

Foreign Policy     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.     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.     Andrew Yang: US should lead the way on climate change.     Beto O`Rourke: Let Puerto Rico determine its own future.     Pete Buttigieg: Restore U.S. credibility by leading world on big challenges.     Bill de Blasio: 1980s: supported Sandinista National Liberation Front.     Pete Buttigieg: Pay attention to assessments of intelligence agencies.     Julian Castro: Strengthen our relationship with allies to keep us safe.

Free Trade     Deval Patrick: Deeper trade ties between U.S. and 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.     Wayne Messam: Use tariffs to crack down on certain countries.     Andrew Yang: Would not stand in way of fossil fuel exports from US.     Elizabeth Warren: Climate adjustment fee on imports based on carbon use.     Joe Biden: Use tariffs to get China to pay the price for pollution.     Amy Klobuchar: China: we need credibility, would remove some tariffs.     Bernie Sanders: Trump's actions on trade destabilizing world economy.     Pete Buttigieg: Invest in domestic competitiveness to stay ahead of China.     Andrew Yang: Create a path forward on China that works for both sides.     Pete Buttigieg: Americans pay the price for Trump's trade war with China.     Bill de Blasio: Dislikes multilateral trade deals, including NAFTA and TPP.     Joe Biden: Push for agreements that don't hurt consumers or business.     Mike Bloomberg: Punitive tariffs harms us, kills jobs, strains relations.

Government Reform     Andrew Yang: Automatic voter registration & lower voting age to 16.     Tom Steyer: The right to vote is gateway to inclusive democracy.     Elizabeth Warren: End corruption of government by corporations & billionaires.     Andrew Yang: Democracy Dollars will wash out lobbyist cash.     Pete Buttigieg: Constitutional amendment to reverse Citizens United.     Andrew Yang: Electoral College: allocate state votes proportionally.     Andrew Yang: Lower voting age to 16 in federal elections.     Pete Buttigieg: Need to depoliticize Supreme Court.

Gun Control     Deval Patrick: Rejected Ruby Ridge task force recommendations.     Mike Bloomberg: Bloomberg group favors closing background check loopholes.     Tom Steyer: I will declare gun violence a public health epidemic.     Pete Buttigieg: Much work to enact measures that vast majority supports.     Andrew Yang: Would push for "personalized" guns, subsidize upgrading.     Beto O`Rourke: We should have a national gun licensing program.     Cory Booker: Yes on red flag law, but nowhere near enough.     Mike Bloomberg: Gun laws effective but no one law will stop everything.     Julian Castro: Whole slew of gun measures most Americans support.     Julian Castro: Yes on gun licensing, but also red flag laws.     Tom Steyer: Sympathy for gun control measures.     Tom Steyer: Register young voters to push for gun reform now.

Health Care     Andrew Yang: Would expand Medicare but not offer a public option.     Andrew Yang: Invest in "telehealth" allowing internet access to doctors.     Mike Bloomberg: Expand ObamaCare & Medicare.     Andrew Yang: Provide comprehensive mental health coverage.     Andrew Yang: Supports forced licensing of drug patents to control costs.     Tom Steyer: Supports public option; allow private insurance.     Tom Steyer: More funding is needed for mental health care.     Andrew Yang: Medicare-for-All but with private insurance.     Deval Patrick: Would support public option; open to other points of view.     Bernie Sanders: Cap annual costs for prescription drugs at $200.     Tom Steyer: Open Medicare to all who want it.     Amy Klobuchar: For public option, taking on Big Pharma.     Pete Buttigieg: Single payer option can lead to Medicare for all.     Michael Bennet: Make public plan optional; others can keep private insurance.     Pete Buttigieg: Single payer can still allow role for private insurance.     Kirsten Gillibrand: Provide a public option to get to universal coverage.

Homeland Security     Deval Patrick: Don't cast anti-terror policies on any one group.     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.     Andrew Yang: Make domestic terrorism a primary focus of FBI, DHS, DOJ.     Bernie Sanders: Violent white nationalists should be treated as terrorists.     Deval Patrick: Signed bill for $177 million in state taxes for local bases.     Kamala Harris: Domestic terrorism as national security priority.

Immigration     Mike Bloomberg: Fix the country's broken immigration system.     Mike Bloomberg: Closing the door to immigration would be national suicide.     Tom Steyer: Decriminalize unauthorized border crossings.     Beto O`Rourke: Grant refuge to those severely impacted by climate change.     Pete Buttigieg: Set up program for undocumented, alert system for ICE raids.     Tom Steyer: Fight deportation and expand services for immigrants.     Bill de Blasio: Created city ID so undocumented immigrants get healthcare.     John Hickenlooper: Need a comprehensive reevaluation of our immigration laws.     Jay Inslee: Illegal immigration not a national emergency.     Kirsten Gillibrand: Pathway to citizenship for DREAMers.     Kirsten Gillibrand: Pathway to citizenship gets immigrants connected.     Julian Castro: Compassion for refugees, pathway for those here.     Kamala Harris: Rejected Secure Communities program against undocumented.

Jobs     Andrew Yang: OpEd: Yang wrong that automation causing massive job loss.     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.     Andrew Yang: Trickle up: create jobs by giving people buying power.     Bernie Sanders: Help transition for miners: income for 5 years, & education.     Joe Biden: Working on climate change can create 10 million jobs.     Pete Buttigieg: Lots of job opportunity in green economy; not all high tech.     Andrew Yang: Most new jobs are gig, temporary, or contractor.     Tom Steyer: Supports right to a living wage.     Andrew Yang: Fight for equal pay for women, and women of color.     John Hickenlooper: 2018: declared "Equity For All Day" on gender pay gap.     Pete Buttigieg: Government must be pro-active with changing economy.     Julian Castro: Minimum wage should be a living wage.

Principles & Values     Pete Buttigieg: Qualified for president since mayors have to get things done.     Elizabeth Warren: Grassroots movement will beat Trump, not Bloomberg billions.     Mike Bloomberg: Knows how to beat Trump and his vile policies.     Deval Patrick: I never left my conscience at the company door.     Deval Patrick: Will accept Super PAC money; should be full disclosure.     Tulsi Gabbard: Hillary Clinton & military-industrial complex smearing me.     Cory Booker: It's not who's racist; it's what are you doing about it.     Mike Bloomberg: Words matter; what President says is very important.     Julian Castro: Grew up with Catholic tradition and progressive activism.     Tom Steyer: Trump is a criminal, nothing at all like me.     Marianne Williamson: Forces of immorality are on the march.     Bernie Sanders: 2019 OpEd: Bernie is best chance to beat Biden.     Pete Buttigieg: Progressive, but not concerned with labels.

Social Security     Tulsi Gabbard: Take money for Social Security from military & tax giveaways.     Julian Castro: Trust Fund needs immigrants to shore up Baby Boomers.     Bernie Sanders: Apply payroll-tax to income over $250,000.     Pete Buttigieg: Double Social Security's payroll-tax cap to $250,000.

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.     Tom Steyer: Repeal Trump tax cuts; close corporate tax loopholes.     John Hickenlooper: Higher taxes on the wealthy; lower taxes on working families.     John Hickenlooper: Mom-and-pop tax credit for five or fewer full-time employees.     Pete Buttigieg: Financial transactions tax, wealth tax, and estate tax.     Tulsi Gabbard: Tax incentives for social goals.     Amy Klobuchar: Changes in corporate tax would fund infrastructure.     Julian Castro: Top earners, corporations should pay "fair share".

Technology     Deval Patrick: Additional spending on cybersecurity and robotics.     Mike Bloomberg: Crumbling infrastructure undermines global competitiveness.     Tom Steyer: Supports net neutrality rules.     Andrew Yang: Internet users should have property rights to their data.     Andrew Yang: Allow people to cast ballots through mobile apps.     Tom Steyer: We need to hit reset button on how we think about technology.     Pete Buttigieg: Mustn't let China lead world on artificial intelligence.     Kamala Harris: Warns mobile app companies to protect privacy or face fines.     Kamala Harris: Unit to prevent misuse of technology to invade privacy.

War & Peace     Deval Patrick: Our Generation Speaks: Israelis & Palestinians together.     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.     Tom Steyer: Diplomatic measures must always be the first choice.     Ted Cruz: The "Deep State" keeps Iran nuclear deal on life support.     Barack Obama: OpEd: Withdrew from Iraq for political reasons.     Joe Biden: U.S. forces out of Iraq, by whatever path led there fastest.     Amy Klobuchar: We need to start bringing troops home from Afghanistan.     Pete Buttigieg: Make sure we have right kind of settlement in Afghanistan.     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.     Joe Biden: End "forever wars" in Afghanistan & Middle East.     Mike Bloomberg: Israel justified in crossing into Gaza to defend itself.

Welfare & Poverty     Mike Bloomberg: Mayors Challenge: grants to cities for improving urban life.     Elizabeth Warren: Raise wealth tax rate for healthcare & affordable housing.     Tom Steyer: Our affordable housing situation is a crisis.     Andrew Yang: Relaxing zoning laws would boost affordable housing.

Click for quotations from other sources by: Amy Klobuchar Minnesota Democratic candidate for President; Minnesota Senator Andrew Yang Democratic candidate for President; CEO Barack Obama Democratic President (elected 2008) Bernie Sanders Democratic Presidential candidate Beto O`Rourke Texas Democratic candidate for President; U.S. Rep from TX Bill De Blasio New York Democratic primary candidate and NYC mayor Cory Booker New Jersey Mayor of Newark; N.J. Senator Deval Patrick Massachusetts Democratic Governor Elizabeth Warren Massachusetts Senator Jay Inslee Washington Democratic Washington Governor Joe Biden Democratic V.P. Joe Sestak Democratic candidate for President; Navy Admiral John Hickenlooper Colorado Democratic Colorado Governor Julian Castro Texas Mayor of San Antonio; HUD Secretary Kamala Harris California Democratic nominee for Vice President; California Senator Kirsten Gillibrand New York Democratic candidate for President; New York Senator Marianne Williamson Democratic candidate for President Michael Bennet Colorado Democratic candidate for President; Colorado Senator Mike Bloomberg New York Mayor of NYC Pete Buttigieg Indiana Nominee for DOT Secretary Ted Cruz Republican 2016 Primary Challenger Tom Steyer Possible Democratic candidate for President from California Tulsi Gabbard Hawaii Democratic candidate for President; U.S. Rep from HI-2 Wayne Messam Florida Democratic Presidential Challenger