2020 Democratic and Republican Conventions

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

Abortion     Socialist Party: Repeal the Hyde Amendment.     Democratic Party: Support repeal of the global gag rule.     Reform Party: Reform Party takes no stance on abortion.     Constitution Party: Unconscionable to take life of child for crimes of father.     Libertarian Party: Individuals own their bodies; can't violate those rights.

Budget & Economy     Joe Biden: We will rebuild economy & build it back better.     Democratic Party: Create infrastructure bank to fund projects.     Green Party: Steady-state economy better than increasing GDP.     Reform Party: Transportation & infrastructure are critical to our success.     Constitution Party: Eliminate debt by selling federal assets.     Libertarian Party: Voluntary funding & Balanced Budget Amendment.

Civil Rights     Donald Trump: FactCheck: LBJ civil rights laws dwarf any Trump action.     Nikki Haley: American is not a racist country; it's a work in progress.     Tim Scott: Our family went from cotton to Congress in one lifetime.     Joe Biden: Government should look like the country, by gender & race.     Joe Biden: COVID: Mask mandate is about saving lives.     Keisha Lance Bottoms: Disgraceful to spread misinformation & interfere with voting.     Joe Biden: My father taught us that silence was complicity.     Kamala Harris: There is no vaccine for racism--we've got to do the work.     Socialist Party: Oppose making English an official language.     Socialist Party: Lower voting age to 15.     Democratic Party: Remove Confederate flags & statues from public property.     Democratic Party: Pass Equality Act; outlaw discrimination against LGBTQ+.     Green Party: Support International Bill of Rights for Women.     Reform Party: Reform Party takes no stance on gay marriage.     Libertarian Party: Oppose government aid to or attack of any religion.     Libertarian Party: State licensing any marriage is illegitimate practice.

Corporations     Socialist Party: Wall Street criminals must be jailed.     Socialist Party: Reregulation of the banking and insurance industries.     Socialist Party: Breakup large media companies, re-regulate industry.     Democratic Party: Financial institutions should never be "too big to fail".     Green Party: Break up largest banks so that none is too big to fail.     Green Party: Amend Constitution: corporations are not persons.     Reform Party: Eliminate special interest exemptions & corporate welfare.

Crime     Donald Trump: FactCheck: Order on statues merely enforces existing law.     Donald Trump: Stand with law enforcement; never allow mob rule.     Kristi Noem: FactCheck: No, BLM protests are mostly peaceful.     Mike Pence: Riots aren't peaceful protest; wrecking statues isn't speech.     Joe Biden: Vast majority of police are ashamed of what they've seen.     Kamala Harris: Police accountability plus reimagining safe communities.     Socialist Party: End racism, police brutality, mass incarceration.     Socialist Party: Allow prisoners to unionize to negotiate living conditions.     Democratic Party: Too young to drink, too young for life without parole.     Democratic Party: Ban chokeholds, new standards for "no-knock warrants".     Democratic Party: Poverty is not a crime; eliminate cash bail.     Green Party: Ban private prisons; moratorium on prison construction.     Libertarian Party: Repeal all victimless crime laws: gambling, drugs, sex.

Drugs     Joe Biden: No one should be going to jail because they're drug addicts.     Joe Biden: Will fight for policy of decriminalizing marijuana.     Democratic Party: Past time to end the failed "War on Drugs".     Green Party: End war on drugs: for legalization, treatment of abuse.

Education     Donald Trump: I will expand charter schools & choice for every family.     Tim Scott: For choice: public, private, charter, virtual or home school.     Joe Biden: Triple money to Title One schools; provide early education.     Reform Party: Abolish the Federal Department of Education.     Joe Biden: Student debt should not crush young college graduates.     Socialist Party: End unpaid internships; allow student workers to unionize.     Socialist Party: Forgiveness of all outstanding federal student loans.     Socialist Party: Schools should reflect community; students on school boards.     Democratic Party: All children should have access to early education programs.     Democratic Party: Free public college for families under $125,000.     Green Party: Free college tuition for qualified students; abolish loans.     Green Party: Increased funding for the arts as essential.     Reform Party: Empower parents and older children; personalized curriculum.     Constitution Party: Tax relief for families whose children not in public school.

Energy & Oil     Kamala Harris: Deadlines for reducing greenhouse gases & renewable energy.     Reform Party: At least 25% electricity from renewable sources by 2025.     Andrew Yang: Decarbonize US economy by 2035.     Joe Biden: Climate change not only a crisis but an enormous opportunity.     Michelle Lujan-Grisham: Climate change risks environmental annihilation.     Socialist Party: Use sustainable energy, stop fossil fuel pollution.     Socialist Party: Stop destruction of Native lands by mining interests.     Green Party: End nuclear power, offshore drilling, & fracking.     Green Party: Free mass transit; reduce energy use 50%.     Reform Party: Increase fossil fuels, but emphasize alternatives as well.     Constitution Party: Reject man-made global warning, refuted by scientists.

Environment     Socialist Party: Support family farms that treat livestock humanely.     Socialist Party: Support use of recycled materials in public projects.     Green Party: Polluters should have burden of proof of safe practices.     Green Party: Strengthen Endangered Species & Clean Water Act.     Green Party: Shut down waste incinerators; phase out landfills.     Constitution Party: Repeal wetlands protection & Endangered Species Act.

Families & Children     Green Party: Criminalize purchasers of sex, not the prostitutes.     Constitution Party: Oppose adoption of children homosexual singles or couples.     Constitution Party: Porn distorts sex created by God; enforce obscenity laws.

Foreign Policy     Mike Pompeo: America First policy may not be popular, but it's worked.     Mike Pompeo: We exposed aggression of Chinese Communist Party.     Mike Pompeo: Against all odds got North Korean leadership to the table.     Nikki Haley: Cast American veto at UN over Jerusalem embassy critics.     Joe Biden: The days of cozying up to dictators is over.     John Kerry: Trump turned world of respect into world of chaos.     Democratic Party: America First foreign policy has made America small.     Democratic Party: In global crisis, American leadership needed more than ever.     Green Party: Supports a Palestinian right of return, and a single state.     Green Party: Self-determination for Kurdish people.     Green Party: Member of the community of nations; not above it.     Constitution Party: NATO serves no US defense purpose; we should withdraw.

Free Trade     Joe Biden: Won't be at the mercy of other countries to protect our own.     Socialist Party: Support global transformation from capitalism to socialism.     Democratic Party: Pursue a trade policy that puts workers first.     Democratic Party: Work with allies to stand up to China.     Reform Party: American citizens' economic security takes priority.

Government Reform     Republican Party: The media misleads against Trump and for Obama/Biden.     Republican Party: Support President Trump's America-first agenda.     Reform Party: Amendment for Congressional term limits.     Hillary Clinton: You can win by 3 million votes and still lose.     Socialist Party: Uniform ballot access; eliminate Electoral College.     Democratic Party: Coronavirus: Make vote-by-mail universally available.     Democratic Party: End partisan gerrymandering in federal elections.     Democratic Party: Make Washington, D.C. the 51st state; gain representation.     Green Party: Universal voter registration; statehood for DC.     Green Party: Open debates to third parties on sufficient ballots.     Constitution Party: Repeal 17th amendment; end direct election of senators.     Constitution Party: Oppose National Popular Vote proposal to elect president.     Constitution Party: Oppose statehood for DC & Puerto Rico.

Gun Control     Reform Party: Against any excessive restriction of ownership of firearms.     Socialist Party: Support right of working class to own and bear arms.     Democratic Party: Repeal law shielding gun manufacturers from civil liability.     Constitution Party: Repeal federal firearms legislation, end "Gun Free Zones".

Health Care     Donald Trump: FactCheck: Coronavirus testing has missed 90% of cases.     Donald Trump: FactCheck: Undercut protection for preexisting conditions.     Donald Trump: We'll have a safe & effective coronavirus vaccine this year.     Mike Pence: A nation of miracles: coronavirus vaccine by end of year.     Joe Biden: We can beat cancer: invest more money in research.     Joe Biden: Coronavirus: Listen to science; step out of the way.     Kamala Harris: COVID: track racial disparities; get vaccines to neediest.     Reform Party: Strongly opposes a government-run entitlement program.     Andrew Yang: We must give country a chance to recover from coronavirus.     Joe Biden: Trump's looking for coronavirus miracle; no miracle coming.     Joe Biden: I'll do what we should've done from beginning of coronavirus.     Socialist Party: Support right to die/assisted suicide.     Democratic Party: Free coronavirus testing, treatment, & vaccines for everyone.     Democratic Party: Provide affordable public option through ACA.     Constitution Party: Eliminate the Food and Drug Administration.

Homeland Security     Donald Trump: FactCheck: Obama signed Veterans Choice, not Trump.     Mike Pence: Fact Check: Takes credit for Veterans Choice passed in 2014.     Reform Party: Maintain best equipment, technology and defense systems.     Joe Biden: Don't turn a blind eye to Russian bounties on US soldiers.     Socialist Party: Abolish CIA, NSA, FBI; disband NATO.     Green Party: Abolish nuclear weapons, WMDs, and land mines.     Green Party: Better care & support services for veterans.     Constitution Party: Terrorism no excuse to violate 4th, 5th amendments.     Constitution Party: Oppose conscription; register for the draft.     Constitution Party: Opposed to U.S. forces serving under foreign command.

Immigration     Donald Trump: FactCheck: Only 5 out 300 miles of wall are in new places.     Donald Trump: Wall is working beyond our wildest expectations.     Reform Party: Undocumented should pay fine and taxes & go to back of line.     Socialist Party: Abolish all anti-immigrant laws, shut down ICE.     Socialist Party: Full citizenship rights upon six months residency.     Democratic Party: Provide roadmap to citizenship for millions of undocumented.     Democratic Party: Reverse bans and policies that deny protection to refugees.     Green Party: All seeking asylum should be given permanent resident status.     Reform Party: Nation which can't control borders is in grave danger.     Constitution Party: Moratorium on immigration; discontinue federal assistance.     Libertarian Party: No unreasonable constraints in crossing political boundaries.

Jobs     Donald Trump: FactCheck: 9 million jobs offset by 22.2 million job loss.     Larry Kudlow: Fact check: unemployment fell to lowest rate of 3.5%.     Cory Booker: Unions: This dream ain't free; you gotta work for it.     Joe Biden: Newly empowered labor unions; equal pay for women.     Socialist Party: Close wage gap; end gender division of labor.     Socialist Party: Restrict employers' asking about criminal records.     Democratic Party: Social contract: right to unionize, equal pay, family leave.     Democratic Party: Raise minimum wage to $15/hr; repeal right to work laws.     Democratic Party: Contractors should recruit people of color, women, LGBTQ+.     Libertarian Party: No required unions; no occupational licensing laws.

Principles & Values     Donald Trump: Our country, blessed by God, has a special purpose.     Mike Pence: The choice is whether America remains America.     Nikki Haley: Biden & Democrats still blaming America first.     Nikki Haley: We know that socialism has failed everywhere.     Nikki Haley: Removed divisive symbol (Confederate flag) peacefully.     Tim Scott: Biden and Harris would turn US into "socialist utopia".     Bill Clinger: Supports "Republicans for Biden" effort.     Bob Inglis: Supports "Republicans for Biden" effort.     Charles Djou: Supports "Republicans for Biden" effort.     Charlie Dent: Supports "Republicans for Biden" effort.     Christie Todd Whitman: Addressed Democratic Convention as "Republican for Biden".     Christopher Shays: Supports "Republicans for Biden" effort.     Connie Morella: Supports "Republicans for Biden" effort.     Dick Zimmer: Supports "Republicans for Biden" effort.     Jack Quinn: Supports "Republicans for Biden" effort.     Jeff Flake: Supports "Republicans for Biden" effort.     Jim Greenwood: Supports "Republicans for Biden" effort.     Jim Kolbe: Supports "Republicans for Biden" effort.     Jim Leach: Supports "Republicans for Biden" effort.     Jim Walsh: Supports "Republicans for Biden" effort.     John Kasich: Addressed Democratic Convention as "Republican for Biden".     John Warner: Supports "Republicans for Biden" effort.     Mike Parker: Supports "Republicans for Biden" effort.     Ray LaHood: Supports "Republicans for Biden" effort.     Republican Party: No GOP platform for 2020; we continue to support Trump.     Steven Kuykendall: Supports "Republicans for Biden" effort.     Susan Molinari: Addressed Democratic Convention as "Republican for Biden".     Wayne Gilchrest: Supports "Republicans for Biden" effort.     Joe Biden: VP should be the last one in the room on major decisions.     Joe Biden: Expect government to understand people's problems.     Joe Biden: Asking if 70+ year old is fit is legitimate question.     Joe Biden: President's job is to heal; country needs healing.     Kamala Harris: Biden is my model for being a great vice president.     Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: Trump represents fascism in the United States.     Barack Obama: Presidency means reverence for democracy placed in his care.     Joe Biden: President's job is to represent all of us, not just his base.     Joe Biden: Best way through pain and loss and grief is to find purpose.     Joe Biden: I will be an ally of the light, not the darkness.     Joe Biden: I believe America ready to face difficult crises.     Joe Biden: Member of the same club: those who stutter.     Joe Biden: Four historic crises, all at the same time: a perfect storm.     Joe Biden: We have a great purpose: to be a light to the world again.     Socialist Party: Make the essentials of life into constitutional rights.     Socialist Party: Art is an integral part of daily life, not a commodity.     Democratic Party: For religious pluralism, not exemptions for discrimination.     Democratic Party: Free press essential; look at antitrust impact of mergers.     Reform Party: Require highest ethical standards and oversight.     Constitution Party: Acknowledges blessing of Jesus Christ as ruler of US.     Constitution Party: Opposed to government involvement in gambling.     Libertarian Party: Challenge cult of omnipotent state, defend individual rights.

Social Security     Joe Biden: Protect Social Security & Medicare: "You have my word".     Joe Biden: Social Security is a sacred obligation.     Socialist Party: Cap benefits to three times those receiving minimum.     Democratic Party: Account for unpaid caregivers; reform benefit formula.     Green Party: Apply FICA tax to all levels of income including investments.     Constitution Party: No use of S.S. Number except Social Security business.     Constitution Party: Allow people to withdraw funds and privately invest them.     Constitution Party: Privatize Social Security, but pay current benefits.

Tax Reform     Joe Biden: FactCheck: tax hike on top 1%, not on all American families.     Tim Scott: Critical to have a tax code should encourage growth.     Joe Biden: Raise taxes for anybody making over $400K, not mom & pop.     Reform Party: Lower tax rates, pass balanced budget.     Joe Biden: Tax code shouldn't reward wealth more than work.     Joe Biden: Past time for wealthy & corporations to pay their fair share.

Technology     Donald Trump: America will put first woman on moon, & flag on Mars.     Socialist Party: Fund public transportation, high-speed rail.     Democratic Party: Restore FCC's authority to enforce net neutrality.     Green Party: We support all efforts to achieve net neutrality.     Green Party: Protect software by copyright, not patent.     Constitution Party: Reject PATRIOT Act and all such laws.

War & Peace     Donald Trump: Unlike predecessors, I have kept America OUT of new wars.     Tom Cotton: Trump is clear-eyed about the Chinese threat.     Tom Cotton: If we want peace, we must be strong.     Dan Crenshaw: Fact Check: Claims ISIS defeated; Pentagon says otherwise.     Mike Pompeo: The ISIS caliphate is wiped out; our soldiers coming home.     Mike Pompeo: Trump brokered Israel/UAE deal: one for the history books.     Rand Paul: A strong America cannot fight endless wars.     Democratic Party: Deliver on overdue commitment to end the forever wars.     Green Party: Supports 2015 Iran nuclear deal.     Constitution Party: We are unalterably opposed to entangling alliances.

Welfare & Poverty     Joe Biden: Help minorities buy homes, start businesses, amass wealth.     Socialist Party: Increase housing subsides; allow rent control.     Democratic Party: Take aggressive steps to increase affordable housing.     Constitution Party: Welfare provisions misdirected & morally destructive.

Click for quotations from other sources by: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Democrat U.S. Rep New York- 14 Andrew Yang Democratic candidate for President; CEO Barack Obama Democratic President (elected 2008) Bill Clinger Republican Former (1994-) U.S. Rep Pennsylvania-5 Bob Inglis Republican (until 2010) U.S. Rep South Carolina-4 Charles Djou Republican Governor challenger U.S. Rep Hawaii-1 Charlie Dent Christie Todd Whitman Former Cabinet Secretary Christopher Shays Republican challenger (Lost primary) Connecticut Connie Morella Republican U.S. Rep Maryland-8 Constitution Party Cory Booker New Jersey Mayor of Newark; N.J. Senator Dan Crenshaw Republican U.S. Rep Texas- 2 Democratic Party Dick Zimmer Republican Senate challenger New Jersey Donald Trump Republican Presidential incumbent Green Party Hillary Clinton Democratic Presidential candidate Jack Quinn Republican/Ind./Cons. U.S. Rep New York-30 Jeff Flake Republican Challenger (retiring) Arizona Jim Greenwood Republican (Until 2004) U.S. Rep Pennsylvania-8 Jim Kolbe Republican U.S. Rep Arizona-5 Jim Leach Republican U.S. Rep Iowa-1 Jim Walsh Rep./Ind. (Retiring 2008) U.S. Rep New York-25 Joe Biden Democratic V.P. John Kasich Ohio Republican Ohio Governor John Kerry Cabinet Secretary of State John Warner Former Republican Senator (retired 2008) Virginia Kamala Harris California Democratic nominee for Vice President; California Senator Keisha Lance Bottoms Georgia Atlanta Mayor Kristi Noem South Dakota Republican Larry Kudlow Connecticut Council of Economic Advisers Libertarian Party Michelle Lujan-Grisham New Mexico Democrat Mike Parker Republican (retired 1998) U.S. Rep Missouri-4 Mike Pence Indiana Republican Vice President Mike Pompeo Kansas Secretary of State Nikki Haley South Carolina UN Ambassador 2017-2018 Rand Paul Republican 2016 Primary Challenger Ray LaHood Cabinet Reform Party Republican Party Socialist Party Steven Kuykendall Republican U.S. Rep California-36 Susan Molinari Republican Former (1994-) U.S. Rep New York-13 Tim Scott Republican Senator-Appointee South Carolina Tom Cotton Republican Senator Arkansas Wayne Gilchrest Republican (Unseated 2008) U.S. Rep Maryland-1