Lincoln Chafee in Sunday Political Talk Show interviews during 2013-2015
On Drugs:
Uruguay is leading the way on legalizing & regulating pot
- "Uruguay is leading the way on legalization, and taxing and regulating, and Colorado and Washington here in this country. These are all interesting, positive experiments in my view." Iowa candidate's forum, August 29, 2015
- "We'll see what
comes out of the legislature. We're just still putting in the medical marijuana component and we'll certainly see what's happening in Colorado. Certainly the revenue is enticing for all governors.
Somebody was saying to me back with the bad weather we've had back home, and all the potholes, we should have the revenue go to infrastructure. 'Pot for potholes.'" The Huffington Post, February 24, 2014
- "I think it should be an international
discussion over our drug policy, whether its winning or loosing the war on drugs, and the destabilizing effect the illicit drug trade has. It should be an international discussion: is this working?" YouTube, April 2013
Source: Marijuana Policy Project on 2016 presidential hopefuls
Nov 11, 2015
On Foreign Policy:
Work with UN on issues such as climate change & trade
Chafee was the only Republican in the Senate to vote against the Iraq War--like Webb, Chafee is a party-switcher--and he has said he's running to keep Iraq on the public's mind. His website promises to "end drone strikes, torture of prisoners, and
warrantless wiretaps." It also says he wants to work with the U.N. "to pursue strategic international agreements that reduce tensions, increase security, attack climate change, and promote civil liberties and fair trade."
Source: Reason magazine on 2016 presidential hopefuls
Oct 13, 2015
On Gun Control:
Common-ground, commonsense safety legislation
I have a good record of voting for gun commonsense safety legislation, but despite these tragedies that happen time and time again, when legislators step up to pass commonsense gun safety legislation, the gun lobby moves in and tells the people
they're coming to take away your guns. And, they're successful at it. I would bring the gun lobby in and say we've got to change this. Where can we find common ground? We believe in the Second Amendment, but let's find common ground.
Source: Washington Post 2015 coverage of 2016 presidential hopefuls
Oct 13, 2015
On Immigration:
Co-sponsor of DREAM Act
Martin O'Malley would grant more waivers to would-be immigrants, and would have the Department of Homeland Security "provide immediate relief from deportation, with work authorization, to all individuals covered by the Senate's comprehensive
immigration reform proposal." Chafee's policy page notes that he co-sponsored the original DREAM Act. It goes on to reprint that bill's text, so I guess it's a good guide to what he'd like to do in office.
Source: Reason magazine on 2016 presidential hopefuls
Oct 13, 2015
On Jobs:
Minimum wage of $10.10/hr.; $15 would hurt small business
Chafee wants a $10.10 minimum wage. (The $15 favored by Martin O'Malley, Chafee explains, "could have a significant adverse effect on small businesses.") He also wants to spend more money on Head Start and Pell grants, to expand paid medical leave,
to fight gender-based wage discrimination with a Paycheck Fairness Act, and to "work for a fair tax structure that removes excessive loopholes and tax cuts for wealthy citizens and corporations."
Source: Reason magazine on 2016 presidential hopefuls
Oct 13, 2015
On Tax Reform:
End excessive loopholes; tax cuts for wealthy & corporations
Chafee wants a $10.10 minimum wage. (The $15 favored by Martin O'Malley, Chafee explains, "could have a significant adverse effect on small businesses.") He also wants to spend more money on Head Start and Pell grants, to expand paid medical leave,
to fight gender-based wage discrimination with a Paycheck Fairness Act, and to "work for a fair tax structure that removes excessive loopholes and tax cuts for wealthy citizens and corporations."
Source: Reason magazine on 2016 presidential hopefuls
Oct 13, 2015
On Drugs:
Taxing legal pot to fix potholes is appealing
Let's take it step by step. We want to see how it's working in Colorado. Certainly, the revenue is enticing for all governors. Somebody was saying to me with the bad weather we've had back home and all the potholes,
we should have the revenue go to infrastructure--pot for potholes. Fix up our roads and bridges and fill our potholes.
Source: Green Rush Daily 2015 coverage of 2016 presidential hopefuls
Jul 16, 2015
On Gun Control:
2013: Ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines
According to Rhode Island Public Radio, as governor, Chafee supported 2013 legislation that would have banned semi-automatic assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. (That legislation was watered down significantly before it passed the legislature.)
Gun control advocates see Clinton as "an ally who can finish the push for tightened background checks that has stalled in President Obama's second term," The Hill reports.
Source: Rolling Stone magazine on 2016 presidential hopefuls
Jun 18, 2015
On Budget & Economy:
Widening disparity of wealth hurts the middle class
Q: There is a lot of enthusiasm out there for Elizabeth Warren because of her populist approach to economic issues. Do you consider yourself somebody who wants to fill that void since she's saying she's not running?CHAFEE: Yes, absolutely.
There's no doubt that Senator Warren's absolutely right about what's happening to the middle class and she's just been a prophet about this for a number of years.
And that's what makes any community, whether it's a state or a city or a country or anywhere around the world strong: having a robust middle class. I have a great record of voting against the Bush tax cuts which widened that disparity of wealth,
that hurt the middle class, led to the Great Recession. And so I'm proud of my record and would like to have Senator Warren's support and her legion of followers.
Source: CNN SOTU 2015 interviews of 2016 presidential hopefuls
Apr 12, 2015
On Principles & Values:
The Republican Party changed and I never changed
Q: You have an unusual history when it comes to party affiliation. You were appointed to the Senate back in 1999 as a Republican to fill the seat of your late father. You lost to a Democrat then you ran for governor as an independent.
Now, you're a Democrat considering a run for president. Why?CHAFEE: As far as my evolution, certainly the Republican Party changed and I never changed.
And as I became an independent and one governorship as an independent, my values never changed whether it's on fiscal responsibility or on environment issues or on using the tools of government to help the less fortunate,
keeping us out of the quagmires we see overseas. I've never changed. Protecting civil liberties and now I'm a Democrat. I'm very comfortable as a Democrat and look forward to the primaries and the debate ahead.
Source: CNN SOTU 2015 interviews of 2016 presidential hopefuls
Apr 12, 2015
On War & Peace:
Until Iraq War, there was lasting peace ahead of us
Q: You said explicitly that you're challenging Hillary Clinton primarily because of her vote for the Iraq war. Do you really think there's still enough anger left--this was a long time ago--to propel your candidacy based on that?CHAFEE: Well,
I enjoyed working with Sen. Clinton. We overlapped for six years and we served on the environment and public works committee together. But that vote for the Iraq war, that was a moment in time where the Vietnam era had ended, the Berlin wall come down.
There was lasting peace ahead of us if we made good decisions particularly after September 11th when people were angry and they were scared. And that was just a moment in time where the premise for going into Iraq was so false that there were weapons
of mass destruction--she didn't do her homework and we live with the ramifications today. And so you may say that's 12 years ago, but if you show lack of judgment, lack of doing your homework then, what can we expect in the future?
Source: CNN SOTU 2015 interviews of 2016 presidential hopefuls
Apr 12, 2015
Page last updated: Nov 30, 2021