Interviews and analysis of presidential hopefuls for 2024

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

Abortion     Elizabeth Warren: We have never left individual rights to the states.     Vivek Ramaswamy: Supports state level ban at six weeks when brainwaves begin.     Cornel West: Wrong to be more concerned about abortion than child poverty.     Doug Burgum: Signed strict ban in North Dakota, opposes national ban.     Larry Elder: Abortion is murder, Roe one of the worst Court decisions.     Donald Trump: Crowning achievement is overturning Roe; but it's divisive.     Tim Walz: Has two children, both conceived by IVF.     Donald Trump: Free IVF for all, paid by government or insurance mandate.     Nikki Haley: IVF frozen embryos should be protected like babies.

Budget & Economy     Nikki Haley: Resigned from Boeing directorship; opposed government aid.     Vivek Ramaswamy: Unleash the animal inside the heart of the American economy.     Doug Burgum: Balanced the budget every year and passed record tax cuts.     Tim Walz: Bipartisan compromise $48B budget to address 2017 crises.     Kamala Harris: Lower cost plan: housing; groceries; medical; and taxes.     Kamala Harris: FactCheck: no evidence for pandemic price-gouging .     Donald Trump: Federal Reserve chair flips a coin on interest rates.

Civil Rights     Robert F. Kennedy Jr.: Against biological males participating in women's sports.     Cornel West: If you don't have deep solidarity, diversity means little.     Larry Elder: Opposes rights for transgender people in restrooms, sports.     Nikki Haley: America not racist, nothing could be further from the truth.     Nikki Haley: Transgender women in sports is "women's issue of our time".     Joe Biden: Dangerous to question LGBT rights and contraceptive rights.     Doug Burgum: Ban trans people from bathrooms & school sports.     Francis Suarez: Country should be pro-equal rights for LGBTQ community.     Ryan Binkley: Marriage is a sacred bond between one man and one woman.     Tim Walz: Added religious-liberty protections to human-rights statutes.     Kamala Harris: Men and women support women in leadership.     Kamala Harris: We had laws that treated gay people as second class citizens.     Donald Trump: AdWatch: Kamala is for they/them; Trump is for you.     Jill Stein: Rejects endorsement from white supremacist leader.

Corporations     Jeff Flake: Deregulation counters ambition of federal workers.     Kamala Harris: Raise corporate tax rates to 28%, from 21%.     Kamala Harris: Return corporate rate to 35%; Trump would lower to 15%.

Crime     Chris Christie: If Trump is convicted, I can't imagine pardoning him.     Doug Burgum: Tightened rules on civil asset forfeiture; curtailed police.     Will Hurd: Defunding the police isn't the answer, follow best practices.     Joe Biden: Support common-sense police reforms like banning chokeholds.     Kamala Harris: Don't defund police; reimagine public safety.     Donald Trump: You can't teach a criminal not to be a criminal.     Tim Walz: George Floyd protests: balance racial justice & public order.     Tim Walz: Police reforms: ban chokeholds; investigate misconduct.     Kamala Harris: As a prosecutor, I have put a lot of people in jail.     Donald Trump: Our country is now a cesspool of crime.     Donald Trump: One violent day by police would eradicate crime immediately.

Drugs     Josh Shapiro: After research I support legalizing recreational marijuana.     Donald Trump: FactCheck: Executing drug dealers doesn't save lives.     Donald Trump: Execute a drug dealer, and you'll save 500 lives.

Education     Bernie Sanders: Loan forgiveness helps working families & low-income people.     Vivek Ramaswamy: An advocate of school choice and government vouchers.     Josh Shapiro: $100 million in public money to private & religious schools.     Josh Shapiro: Protect student borrowers from predatory lenders .     Kamala Harris: Teachers do God's work; we don't pay them nearly enough.

Energy & Oil     Ro Khanna: Let's have a moonshot on renewable energy.     Tim Walz: By 2040, 100% of utility power from carbon-free sources.     Kamala Harris: Does not support a total ban on fracking.     Kamala Harris: 2010s: Sued Big Oil; no climate change disinformation.

Environment     Tim Walz: $200M for broad ban on PFAS "forever chemicals".     Kamala Harris: 2019: ban plastic straws; 2024: no longer her position .     Robert F. Kennedy Jr.: 60% of kids today suffer environment-based health problems.

Families & Children     JD Vance: FactCheck: School shootings are fact of life only in America.     Kamala Harris: $6,000 child tax credit, expanded from $2,000 per child.

Foreign Policy     Bernie Sanders: Russia has been clear about keeping Ukraine out of NATO.     Ro Khanna: We need India as an ally ultimately to contain China.     Vivek Ramaswamy: Defend Taiwan by giving the Taiwanese people guns.     Cornel West: Pro-Palestinians are accused of being anti-Semitic or naive.     Vivek Ramaswamy: Shift focus from NATO to PATO, for Pacific/Asian security.     Tim Walz: Taught school in China; speaks Mandarin.     Nikki Haley: Put the sanctions back on Iran; don't renew nuclear deal.     Donald Trump: China thinks we're a stupid country, a very stupid country.     Donald Trump: Russia never had a president that they respect so much.     Kamala Harris: Trump admires dictators while they manipulate him full time.     Kamala Harris: America is so important to the rest of the world.     Kamala Harris: We must forever be a champion of liberty around the world.

Free Trade     Will Hurd: Many people have forgotten why free trade is important .     Donald Trump: FactCheck: 60% tariffs would cause 5% inflation.     Kamala Harris: Trump Tax: tariffs are a national sales tax.     Donald Trump: Tariffs will bring thousands of companies into the country.     Donald Trump: High tariffs ensures cars made in Mexico won't sell here.     Donald Trump: We'll make countries keep US dollar as reserve currency.

Government Reform     Ted Cruz: Bring Supreme Court case against mail-in ballots.     Robert F. Kennedy Jr.: Criticizes anti-cryptocurrency policies under Biden.     Perry Johnson: Voter ID will be mandatory; won't suppress votes.     Donald Trump: FactCheck: Presidential Records Act irrelevant to Boxes Hoax.     Joe Biden: No One is Above the Law Amendment: no presidential immunity.     Joe Biden: 18-year term limits for Supreme Court Justices.     Joe Biden: Binding code of conduct for the Supreme Court.     Robert F. Kennedy Jr.: Unity government: criticize on some issue; but work together.     Donald Trump: Says "mail-in voting is corrupt"--but Trump votes by mail.

Gun Control     Vivek Ramaswamy: The Second Amendment is our last line of defense.     Cornel West: Good to discuss gun control, but why only with white victims.     Perry Johnson: I am pro-Second Amendment; I am pro-freedom.     Tim Walz: 2016: Rated "A" by NRA; 2018: switched to "F" rating.

Health Care     Robert F. Kennedy Jr.: Un-American to end religious exemptions for vaccinations.     Perry Johnson: Never again will we allow transition therapy for minors.     Tim Walz: Shuttered businesses and schools during COVID-19 pandemic.     Tim Walz: 2020 COVID restrictions resulted in lower death rates.     Joe Biden: Negotiated Medicare prices for first 10 drugs.     Kamala Harris: Take on Big Pharma to cap prescription drug costs.     Kamala Harris: Cancel medical debt and cap drug costs.     Robert F. Kennedy Jr.: Separate focus of NIH away from pharma industry.     Robert F. Kennedy Jr.: Chronic disease affects 60% of Americans; was 6% under JFK.     Robert F. Kennedy Jr.: End corrupt incentives on pharmaceuticals in NIH and FDA.     Kamala Harris: Allow Medicare to cover the cost of home care for seniors.

Homeland Security     Bernie Sanders: Cuba is in US sphere of influence; Ukraine is in Russia's.     Kamala Harris: Target Russian finances to oppose Ukraine invasion.     Josh Shapiro: Pro-Hamas college protests threaten student safety.     Tim Walz: Retired after 24 years in National Guard,to run for Congress.

Immigration     Robert F. Kennedy Jr.: I will enforce a secure border & expand LEGAL immigration.     Cornel West: Treat immigrants with same dignity as any other human being.     Doug Burgum: Sending National Guard to Texas strengthens border security.     Nikki Haley: Nobody should be playing politics with the border.     Kamala Harris: Hire thousands more border agents: fix the border.     Kamala Harris: Our border agents need help & 1,500 more agents.     Kamala Harris: I'll work with Congress to pass immigration reform.

Jobs     Donald Trump: FactCheck: Tariffs would result in reduction of 675,000 jobs.

Principles & Values     Ted Cruz: One-time critic of Trump ready to argue case on his behalf.     Elizabeth Warren: Supreme Court has lost legitimacy; we need more justices.     Vivek Ramaswamy: We should embrace our national identity and be proud of it.     Vivek Ramaswamy: Judeo-Christian values cornerstone of American identity.     Vivek Ramaswamy: Defining political debate is pro-American vs. anti-American.     Cornel West: Everybody could gain by having a relationship with Jesus.     Cornel West: America is one of the most anti-intellectual cultures.     Tim Scott: Chair of segregationist Strom Thurmond's Senate campaign.     Chris Christie: We can't dismiss the question of character anymore.     Chris Christie: A self-consumed, self-serving mirror hog is not a leader.     Larry Elder: The Bible is the foundation of who and what I am.     Tim Scott: America not in decline; America is the city on the hill.     Donald Trump: FactCheck: No advice-of-counsel defense on election denial.     Donald Trump: Questions why Kamala's birth certificate lists "Caucasian".     Donald Trump: Questions whether Kamala Harris is Black or Indian.     Donald Trump: Christians do not vote in large numbers; but vote for me.     Josh Shapiro: Served as State Rep; practiced corporate law.     Tim Walz: Started "weird" meme to describe Trump/Vance.     Tim Walz: Minnesota Lutheran, a Midwestern cultural subtype.     Nikki Haley: When government stops listening, states' rights matter.     Robert F. Kennedy Jr.: Endorses Trump, to form a "unity government".     Robert F. Kennedy Jr.: Driven out of race by network censorship.     Kamala Harris: This election is about strength versus weakness.     Kamala Harris: Part of American spirit is the expansion of rights.     Kamala Harris: Your choice: a country rooted in freedom? or ruled by chaos?     Kamala Harris: Trump has an enemies list; I'll have a to-do list.     Donald Trump: Cut GOP platform by 3/4, & pushed his version at Convention.     Jill Stein: European Green Parties ask Jill Stein to endorse Kamala.     Kamala Harris: Endorsed by 100+ Republican lawmakers & officials.     Kamala Harris: Endorsed by group of 25 Muslim imams.     Kamala Harris: Endorsed by 400+ economists and policymakers.     Kamala Harris: Endorsed by 700 national security officials.     Kamala Harris: FactCheck: Yes, has always claimed Black identity.     Robert F. Kennedy Jr.: Suspends campaign and endorses Donald Trump.

Social Security     Donald Trump: Seniors should not pay tax on Social Security benefits.     Kamala Harris: Social Security Expansion: 12.4% on earnings over $250,000.     Kamala Harris: COLA adjustments and benefit boost for seniors.     Kamala Harris: End payroll tax loopholes: increase investment tax.

Tax Reform     Cornel West: Advocates taxing the rich; has $500K+ in federal tax liens.     Donald Trump: OpEd: across-the-board tariffs are a sales tax in disguise.     Kamala Harris: LIFT the Middle Class: supercharge earned-income tax credit.     Kamala Harris: I will deliver tax cuts to working people and middle class.

Technology     Tim Walz: Boost mass transit & new Amtrak rail line.     Donald Trump: I think Google's rigged just like our government is rigged.

War & Peace     Bernie Sanders: Invading Ukraine is wrong, but no need to "get tough".     Chris Christie: Trump not backing Ukraine makes him Putin's puppet.     Josh Shapiro: BDS (boycotting Israel) is rooted in antisemitism.     Tim Walz: Condemned Hamas attack on Israel, but discuss ceasefire.     Tim Walz: Acknowledge "uncommitted" ballots as pro-Palestine protest.

Welfare & Poverty     Kamala Harris: Build 3m new homes; $25,000 downpayment credits.     Kamala Harris: America is a champion of sovereignty & territorial integrity.     Donald Trump: Homeless encampments in outer reaches of cities.

Click for quotations from other sources by: Bernie Sanders Independent Senator (VT) amd former Presidential candidate Chris Christie New Jersey N.J. Governor; Republican Presidential candidate Cornel West Green Party/People's Party candidate Donald Trump Republican former President Doug Burgum North Dakota 2024 Presidential contender; Republican ND Governor Elizabeth Warren Massachusetts Senator Francis Suarez Florida Miami mayor; GOP presidential challenger (withdrew Oct.2023) JD Vance Ohio Republican Vice Presidential nominee Jeff Flake Republican Challenger (retiring) Arizona Jill Stein Green Challenger Joe Biden Democratic President; former V.P.; former Senator Josh Shapiro Pennsylvania Democratic Gubernatorial Challenger Kamala Harris California Democratic nominee;Vice President; former California Senator Larry Elder California Republican presidential contender & talkshow host Nikki Haley South Carolina Republican presidential contender; UN Ambassador 2017-2018 Perry Johnson Illinois CEO & Republican presidential challenger Ro Khanna Democrat U.S. Rep California-17 Robert F. Kennedy Jr. District of Columbia Independent presidential Challenger Ryan Binkley Republican challenger for President; CEO and Pastor Ted Cruz Republican 2016 Primary Challenger Tim Scott South Carolina Republican presidential challenger; SC Senator Tim Walz Minnesota DFL Governor & V.P. nominee Vivek Ramaswamy District of Columbia CEO & Republican Challenger Will Hurd Texas U.S. Rep; GOP presidential challenger (withdrew Oct.2023)