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Beto O`Rourke on Principles & Values
Democratic candidate for President; Texas Senator nominee
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Impeachment: Can't fail those who sacrificed for our country
I think about everyone who's ever served this country in uniform. Those who have willingly sacrificed their lives to defend this country and our constitution. We are the inheritors of their service and their sacrifice and we have a responsibility to be
fearless in the face of this President's criminality and lawlessness. If you do not hold them to account, not only have we failed this moment, we have failed everyone who has sacrificed and laid their lives down on the line and we cannot d
Source: October Democratic Primary debate on impeaching Trump
, Oct 15, 2019
1600 miles with Republican led to finding common ground
I remember being in San Antonio. I found that my flight had been snowed in Washington, D.C. Happened to be in the elevator with a Republican member of Congress, Will Hurd, and on a whim said, "Do you want to just rent a car and drive from
San Antonio to Washington?" And he called my bluff. We drove 1600 miles across the country. By the end of that trip, not only had we formed a friendship, but we had formed trust. We worked with each other on each other's bills.
Source: October Democratic CNN/NYTimes Primary debate
, Oct 15, 2019
America discovers its greatness at moments of greatest need
I'm running for president because I believe that America discovers its greatness at its moments of greatest need. This moment will define us forever. In this test America will be redeemed. In the face of cruelty and fear from a lawless president,
we will choose to be the nation that stands up for the human rights of everyone, for the rule of law for everyone, and a democracy that serves everyone. Whatever our differences, we know that, before we are anything else, we are Americans first.
Source: July Democratic Primary debate (first night in Detroit)
, Jul 30, 2019
Can't let Trump abuse power; must act to save democracy
Q: As president, would you do anything to address the potential crimes that were outlined in Mr. Mueller's report?O'Rourke: Yes. If we set a precedent that a candidate who invited the participation of a foreign power, a president who sought
to obstruct the investigation into the invasion of our democracy, if we allow him to get away with this with complete impunity, then we will have set a new standard, and that is that some people, because of the position of power and public trust that
they hold, are above the law. And we cannot allow that to stand. So we must begin impeachment now so that we have the facts and save this democracy.
And if we've not been able to do that, our Department of Justice will pursue these facts and ensure that there are consequences, there is accountability, and there is justice.
Source: June Democratic Primary debate on Mueller Report
, Jun 26, 2019
New politics for the urgency of the next generation
Our daughter, Molly, turned 11 this week. I'm on this stage for her, for children across this country, including some her same age who've been separated from their parents and are sleeping on concrete floors under aluminum blankets tonight.
If we're going to be there for them, we can't return to the same old approach.
We're going to need a new kind of politics, one directed by the urgency of the next generation, those climate activists, who are fighting not just for their future
but for everyone's, those students marching not just for their lives but for all of ours.
Source: June Democratic Primary debate (first night in Miami)
, Jun 26, 2019
Impeach Trump to get facts & assure accountability
If no accountability [by not impeaching], then we will have set the precedent that it is OK to accept help from a foreign government, it is OK to obstruct the investigation into the interference in our election, and that this and any future president
can continue this kind of behavior. So, impeachment is incredibly important to get to the facts, to discover the truth, to make sure that there's accountability. It's the only way that we're going to be able to maintain our system of government.
Source: CNN State of the Union 2019 interview on impeaching Trump
, Jun 16, 2019
Future Justice Dept. should follow facts on Trump
Q: [Since President Trump cannot be indicted for obstruction of justice while a sitting president, but could be indicted after leaving office,] would you want your Justice Department to pursue charges against President Trump?
O'Rourke: I would want my Justice Department, any future administration's Justice Department to follow the facts and the truth and to make sure at the end of the day that there is accountability and justice without this idea, this experiment of
American Democracy comes to a close. We were attacked unlike any other time in our 243 year history.
We have a president who has yet to acknowledge it and a president who has yet to be brought to justice. So yes, at the end of the day, justice is important.
Source: ABC This Week 2019 interview on impeaching Trump
, Jun 9, 2019
Listen to voters, not special interests
I'm accountable to the people that I serve. I listen to them. I show up. I think that's part of healing our democracy. Don't take big money, corporate money, special-interest money, lobbyist money, or PAC money. This is all about people in this country
making this democracy work. It's the only way. There's no one person. There's no one political party. It's going to take a movement. It's going to take all of us to bring this country together around these historic challenges that we face.
Source: Meet the Press 2019 interview of 2020 presidential hopefuls
, Jun 2, 2019
Supports Congress term limits; leaving House after 6 years
U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke, a Democrat and ex-punk rocker who pulled a stunning upset to win his House seat six years ago, plans to declare his candidacy for the Senate seat held by Ted Cruz. O'Rourke's fledgling campaign has scheduled an announcement in
El Paso, his hometown. He has traveled heavily in Texas over the last three months making contacts, barely concealing his political plans. "I'm very moved to do it,"
O'Rourke, 44, said in an interview, adding that he had reached the "emotional decision" about his candidacy.O'Rourke is a three-term congressman and, as a rare term-limits supporter among Democrats, likely would have been around for just one
additional term in the House. He drew thousands of livestream followers earlier this month by making a cross-country, bipartisan auto journey from San Antonio to Washington with U.S. Rep. Will Hurd, R-San Antonio, after a snowstorm canceled flights.
Source: San Antonio Express-News on 2018 Texas Senate race
, Mar 29, 2017
Represents El Paso, world's largest binational community
El Paso is where Latin America and North America meet to form the largest binational community in the world. It's the point at which the 400-year-old Camino Real del Tierra Adentro--after having passed through Mexico City, Durango, Chihuahua, & Juarez--
crosses into present-day U.S. territory, continuing north through El Paso and on to New Mexico.At first drive through, El Paso can feel like a richer, if more staid, suburb of Juarez, and Juarez can feel like a more exciting, if poorer suburb, of
El Paso.
But the cities have each other. El Paso is over 500 miles from the Texas state capital and light-years from Washington D.C.; Juarez is the same distance, for all practical purposes, from Mexico's centers of power and population. So far away
from the interest and focus of the state or feds, isolated from other major cities by hundreds of miles of barren desert plateau, the conjoined communities have long relied on each other in the development of their commerce, families and culture.
Source: Dealing Death and Drugs, by Beto O'Rourke, p. 9-10
, Nov 29, 2011
Religious freedom means no religious registry.
O`Rourke signed opposing a religious registry
Congressional Summary: Notwithstanding any other provision of the immigration laws, an alien may not be denied admission to the United States because of the alien's religion or lack of religious beliefs.
Argument Opposed: [Countable.us]: "The U.S. should reserve the right to ban immigrants based on religion. The government may need to enact such a ban in response to a future acts of terror, which could save American lives."
Argument In Favor: [Cato Institute, Dec. 8, 2016]: Donald Trump proposed prohibiting all Muslim immigration; then specified "suspending immigration from nations tied to Islamic terror." He said, "People are pouring in from regions of the Middle East," but that he would "stop that dead, cold flat," during his first day in office. However, under current law, it is illegal to discriminate against immigrants based on their national origin.
For almost a decade, Congress debated creating an immigration system free from discrimination by nationality, country of birth, or country of residence. President-elect Trump, however, now proposes to discriminate unlawfully against certain foreign nationals on the basis of the same protected grounds without any legislation from Congress.
Source: Protect American Families Act 16-HR5207 on May 12, 2016
Page last updated: Dec 15, 2019