Cory Booker in 5th Democratic Primary Debate
On Drugs:
Deal with impact of pot on blacks not privileged whites
Marijuana is already legal for privileged people. The war on drugs has been a war on black and brown people. These are the kind of issues that mean a lot to our community. We lost in Wisconsin because of a massive diminution in the
African-American vote. We need to have someone that can inspire, as Kamala said, to inspire African-Americans to the polls in record numbers.
Source: November Democratic primary debate in Atlanta
Nov 20, 2019
On Foreign Policy:
Call out China for human rights violations
Q: China is using force against demonstrators in Hong Kong. Would the U.S. help their movement, and how?BOOKER: We need a stronger policy, one that's led by American values. Yes, we will call China out for its human rights violations. It is about
time that this country is led by someone who will say the values of freedom and democracy are what we are going to lead with and begin to check China, Putin, and the other folks that are trying to undermine democratic values.
Source: November Democratic primary debate in Atlanta
Nov 20, 2019
On Government Reform:
Black voters are pissed off and worried about Dems
I have a lifetime of experience with black voters; I've been one since I was 18. Nobody on this stage should need a focus group: Black voters are pissed off, and they're worried. They're pissed off because the only time our issues seem to be really paid
attention to are when politicians are looking for their vote. And they're worried because the Democratic Party, we don't want to miss this opportunity and lose because we are nominating someone that isn't trusted, doesn't have authentic connection.
Source: November Democratic primary debate in Atlanta
Nov 20, 2019
On Government Reform:
Voter suppression most affects low-income minorities
In Georgia, it was the voter suppression, particularly of African-American communities, that prevented us from having Governor Stacey Abrams. The heartbeat bill here -- opposed by over 70 percent of Georgians, is the result from voter suppression.
This gets back to the issue about making sure we are fighting every day, that whoever is the nominee, they can overcome the attempts to suppress the votes, particularly of low-income and minority voters.
Source: November Democratic primary debate in Atlanta
Nov 20, 2019
On Principles & Values:
Unlike Trump who demeans, will bring country together
This president uses his platform to demean, degrade, and divide this country in ways that are repugnant and appalling. I will bring this country together. We are a nation that achieves great things when we stand together and work together and fight
together. In my city, we have racial divides, we have geographic divides that go from wealth to people that are struggling. The success of my city was because we brought us together and did things that people said couldn't be done.
Source: November Democratic primary debate in Atlanta
Nov 20, 2019
On Tax Reform:
No wealth tax, but raise estate tax
BOOKER: I think we all agree that we need to bring in a lot more revenue in this country. We have a real problem with the tax rates, tax loopholes, tax cheats. I don't agree with the wealth tax, the way that Elizabeth Warren puts it, but I agree that we
need to raise the estate tax. We need to tax capital gains as ordinary income. We as Democrats need to fight for a just taxation system. We Democrats also have to talk about how to grow wealth.WARREN: With that two-cent wealth tax on the top
one-tenth of 1% in this country: we can provide universal childcare. We can raise the wages of every pre-schoolteacher. We can make college tuition-free for every kid.
BOOKER: If I am president, we're going to have a fair, just taxation where
millionaires pay their fair share, but we're going to have pathways to prosperity for more Americans. We're going to see a change in what we see right now. Small businesses, new startups are going down. We need to give new entrepreneurs access to wealth.
Source: November Democratic primary debate in Atlanta
Nov 20, 2019
On Welfare & Poverty:
Refundable tax credit for difference from average rent
As a mayor who was a mayor during a recession, who was a mayor during a housing crisis, who started my career as a tenants' rights lawyer, we're not talking about something that is going on all over America, which is gentrification & low-income families
being moved further and further out, often compounding racial segregation.We've got to start empowering people. We use our tax code to move wealth up, the mortgage interest deduction. My plan is very simple. If you're a renter who pays more than 1/3
of your income in rent, then you will get a refundable tax credit between the amount you're paying and the area median rent. That empowers [renters] in the same way we empower homeowners.
And it actually slashes poverty, 10 million people out.
And by the way, for those people who are facing eviction, it is about time that the only people when they show up in rentals court that have a lawyer is not the landlord, it is also low-income families struggling to stay in their homes.
Source: November Democratic primary debate in Atlanta
Nov 20, 2019
Page last updated: Dec 23, 2019