Pete Buttigieg in 6th Democratic Primary Debate
On Budget & Economy:
This economy works for Wall Street, but not for middle class
Where I live folks aren't measuring the economy by how the Dow Jones is looking, they're measuring the economy by how they're doing. When you're doing the bills at the end of the month at your kitchen table,
and you find that, even if your wages have gone up, is not nearly going as fast as the cost of healthcare. This economy is not working for the middle class.
Source: Newshour/Politico/PBS December Democratic primary debate
Dec 19, 2019
On Civil Rights:
Look at reparations to mend generational theft of racism
Q: You said last month that the U.S. owes compensation to children separated from their families at the Southern border. Should the US also compensate descendants of enslaved people? Do you support reparations for African Americans?Pete Buttigieg:
I support H.R. 40 which is the bill that has been proposed in Congress to establish a commission to look at reparations, but we shouldn't wait for that commission to do its work to do things that are reparative. Remember we're not talking about a gift
to anybody. We're talking about mending what was broken. We're talking about the generational theft of the wealth of generations of African Americans. And just crossing out our racist policy and replacing it with a neutral one is not enough.
The United States must act immediately with investments in minority-owned businesses, with investments in health equity, with investments in HBCUs and on the longer term a look at reparations so that we can mend what has been broken.
Source: Newshour/Politico/PBS December Democratic primary debate
Dec 19, 2019
On Energy & Oil:
Make all Americans part of the climate solution
All these plans we have to get carbon neutral by 2050, their impact is multiplied by zero unless something actually gets done.
That is why our vision for climate includes people from the auto worker to a farmer, so that they understand we are asking them to be part of the solution. Not telling them they are part of the problem.
Source: Newshour/Politico/PBS December Democratic primary debate
Dec 19, 2019
On Foreign Policy:
China uses technology for perfection of dictatorship
Q: Should the US do more than protest and issue sanctions against China? Should the US, for example, boycott the 2022 Beijing Olympics?Pete Buttigieg: I think that any tool ought to be on the table, especially diplomatic, economic and social tools
like what you're describing. Look, for the president to let it be known that his silence--whether it's on the rounding up of Muslim Uyghurs in Xinjiang, putting them into camps, or the aspirations of the people of Hong Kong for democracy--for him
to let China know that his silence can be purchased is trashing American values. What message is that sending to the Chinese Communist Party? We have to acknowledge what's going on over there. The use of technology for the perfection of dictatorship. The
Source: Newshour/Politico/PBS December Democratic primary debate
Dec 19, 2019
On Foreign Policy:
Trump welcomes white nationalists, plays at being pro-Israel
What we are seeing are the consequences of this president's failure. It's particularly disturbing in Israel, making US foreign policy choices to interfere in Israeli domestic politics.
Acting as though that somehow makes him pro-Israel and pro- Jewish while welcoming white nationalists into The White House.
Source: Newshour/Politico/PBS December Democratic primary debate
Dec 19, 2019
On Immigration:
Fast-track to citizenship for kids in cages at border
Q: You said that the U.S. owes compensation to children separated from their families at the border. Are you committing to compensation for those children?Buttigieg: Yes, and they should have a fast track to citizenship because what the United States
did was wrong, and we have an obligation to make it right. Look into the eyes of a boy whose father was deported and try to think of something to tell that boy because I couldn't tell him he was going to have his dad back.
Source: Newshour/Politico/PBS December Democratic primary debate
Dec 19, 2019
On Principles & Values:
Congress had no choice but to impeach Trump
This is beyond public opinion, beyond polls, beyond politics. The president left the House with no choice, and I think a lot of us are watching this process, watching Washington go through the motions and not expecting much, but a foregone conclusion
when it gets to the Senate. We cannot give in to that sense of helplessness because that's what they want. They want us to be taken in by that cynicism where we give up on the process altogether.
Source: December Democratic primary debate on impeaching Trump
Dec 19, 2019
On Principles & Values:
I'm the only presidential candidate who's not a millionaire
Sen. Elizabeth Warren [to Buttigieg]: The mayor just recently had a fundraiser that was held in a wine cave full of crystals and served $900 a bottle wine. Think about who comes to that. He had promised that every fundraiser he would do would be open
door, but this one was closed door. We made the decision many years ago that rich people in smoke-filled rooms would not pick the next president of the United States. Billionaires in wine caves should not pick the next president of the United States.
Pete Buttigieg: I am the only person on this stage who's not a millionaire or a billionaire. This is the problem with issuing purity tests you cannot yourself pass. If I pledge never to be in the company of a progressive democratic donor, I couldn't
be up here. Senator Warren, your net worth is 100 times mine. Now, supposing you went home and decided to go on to Pete for america.com and give the maximum allowable by law. Would that pollute my campaign because it came from a wealthy person? No.
Source: Newshour/Politico/PBS December Democratic primary debate
Dec 19, 2019
On Principles & Values:
No purity tests: welcome Republicans and wealthy people
This is our chance to defeat Trump. The way we're going to win is to bring everybody to our side. If that means you're a grad student digging deep to chip in 10 bucks, that's great. If you can drop $1,000 without blinking, that's great too. I'm not
going to turn away anyone who wants to help us defeat Trump. We need Democrats, but we also need independents. If you were Republican, disgusted with what's going on in your party, we're not going to agree on everything, but we need you.
Source: Newshour/Politico/PBS December Democratic primary debate
Dec 19, 2019
Page last updated: Dec 27, 2019