Tom Steyer in 5th Democratic Primary Debate

On Corporations: Spent $300M to take on unchecked corporate power

STEYER: What I've done over the last decade is to put together coalitions of ordinary American citizens to take on unchecked corporate power. We have a broken government in Washington, D.C. It's been purchased by corporations. Over the last decade, with the help of the American people, we have taken on and beaten the oil companies, the tobacco companies, utilities, drug companies.

I've also built one of the largest grassroots organizations in the United States. Last year, NextGen America did the largest youth voter mobilization in American history, also, in partnership with seven national unions, knocked on 15 million doors in 2016 and 10 million in 2018.

On Energy & Oil: I've spent a decade fighting oil companies & pipelines

V.P. Joe BIDEN: I think it is the existential threat to humanity. While I was passing the first climate change bill, while I managed the $90 billion recovery plan, investing more money in infrastructure that related to clean energy than any time we've ever done it, my friend was introducing more coal mines and produced more coal around the world, according to the press, than all of Great Britain produces.

On Government Reform: I'm the only candidate who'll talk about term limits

If you want bold change in the United States, you're going to have to have new and different people in charge. I'm the only person on this stage who will talk about term limits. Vice President Biden won't. Senator Sanders won't. Even Mayor Pete Buttigieg will not talk about term limits and structural change. I would let the American people pass laws themselves through direct democracy. It's time to push the power back to the people and away from D.C.

On Government Reform: Electoral victories require high turnout among young people

But what we've found at NextGen America is that is the start of a conversation about why votes are so important. And if you look at 2018 and flipping the House, what really happened was Democratic voting went up. In the 38 congressional districts where NextGen America was turning out young people, the turnout went up by more than 100%, more than double.

So for us to win, for whoever's the candidate, to have a Senate that's Democratic, it's a turnout question. We're going to have to tell the truth and we're going to organize across this country.

On Principles & Values: Coalitions of ordinary American citizens beat corporations

On Welfare & Poverty: When you look at inequality, you have to start with housing

STEYER: When you look at inequality in the United States, you have to start with housing. Where you put your head at night determines so many things about your life. It determines where your kids go to school, the air you breathe, where you shop. What we've seen in California is, as a result of policy, we have millions too few housing units. And that affects everybody in California. It starts with a homeless crisis, but it also includes skyrocketing rents. We need to apply resources here to make sure that we build literally millions of new units. We are going to change policy and make sure that the localities and municipalities who have worked very hard to make sure that there are no new housing units built in their towns, that they have to change that and we're going to have force it, and then we're going to make sure that those units are affordable.