Beto O`Rourke in September Democratic candidates debate

On Civil Rights: Racism is endemic and foundational in America, since 1619

Racism in America is endemic. It is foundational. We can mark the creation of this country not at the Fourth of July, 1776, but August 20, 1619, when the first kidnapped African was brought to this country against his will and in bondage and as a slave built the greatness and the success and the wealth that neither he nor his descendants would ever be able to fully participate in and enjoy.

We have to be able to answer this challenge. It is found in our education system, where in Texas, a 5-year-old child in kindergarten is five times as likely to be disciplined or suspended or expelled based on the color of their skin. In our health care system, where there's a maternal mortality crisis three times as deadly for women of color, or the fact that there's 10 times the wealth in white America than there is in black America. I'm going to follow Sheila Jackson Lee's lead and sign into law a reparations bill that will allow us to address this at its foundation.

Source: September Democratic Primary debate in Houston Sep 12, 2019

On Gun Control: Ok to confiscate guns that are designed for battlefields

Q: You've said "Americans who own AR-15s and AK-47s will have to sell them to the government, all of them." You're for confiscation?

O'ROURKE: I am, if it's a weapon that was designed to kill people on a battlefield. If the high velocity round shreds everything inside of your body, because it was designed to do that, so that you would bleed to death on a battlefield and not be able to get up and kill one of our soldiers. When we see that being used against children shot by that AR-15 in Odessa and Midland, there weren't enough ambulances to get to them in time, hell, yes, we're going to take your AR-15, your AK-47.

The day after I proposed doing that, I went to a gun show to meet with those who were selling AR-15s and AK-47s and those who were buying those weapons. And you might be surprised, there was some common ground there, folks who said, "I would willingly give that up; I don't need this weapon to hunt, to defend myself. It is a weapon of war."

Source: September Democratic Primary debate in Houston Sep 12, 2019

On Gun Control: Death in El Paso due to a gun that should not be legal

On August 3rd, a racism and violence that had long been a part of America was welcomed out into the open and directed to my hometown of El Paso, Texas, where 22 people were killed, dozens more grievously injured by a man carrying a weapon he should never have been able to buy in the first place. Source: September Democratic Primary debate in Houston Sep 12, 2019

On Health Care: People can choose Medicare or not

I think we're being offered a false choice between those who propose an all-or-nothing gambit, forcing tens of millions off of insurance that they like. My proposal, Medicare for America, says everyone who's uninsured will be enrolled in Medicare. Everyone who's insufficiently insured, cannot afford it, can move over to Medicare. Source: September Democratic Primary debate in Houston Sep 12, 2019

On Immigration: Legalize DREAMers and their families

I will lead an effort to rewrite our immigration laws in that way. Begin with DREAMers, make them U.S. citizens right now in this, their true home country and extend that to their parents, their sisters and their brothers, and ensure that we have a legal, safe, orderly system to come to this country and add to our greatness here. Source: September Democratic Primary debate in Houston Sep 12, 2019

The above quotations are from ABC News and Univision Democratic candidates debate. Click here for main summary page. Click here for a profile of Beto O`Rourke. Click here for Beto O`Rourke on all issues.
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Page last updated: Dec 01, 2021