2019-2021 Town Halls: on Jobs


Joe Biden: Require federal contractors to buy American products

We spent $600 billion a year federal money for federal contracts. As president of United States, I've got to make sure they're all those contracts are all products made in America, including the [supply] chain that provides for every one of those products. I'm going to do away with the tax break that the President gave people who send jobs abroad, to make sure that if you in fact, have a contract, if you get taxpayer's money, you must use American products, you must buy American products, and you must not be in a position where you're exporting. We have 25--we have over 50% more people moving jobs overseas as a consequence of these contracts, so it's all backwards. And this is going to provide a lot of good paying jobs for people in the trades.
Source: CNN Town Hall 2020 drive-in with Anderson Cooper Sep 17, 2020

Joe Biden: No one should have to work two jobs to get out of poverty

Q: I work in a cancer center. I make under $15.00 an hour. I'm barely making ends meet. Do you have plans to stand up for healthcare workers?

BIDEN: The idea you're not making a minimum of $15.00 an hour is wrong. No one should have to work two jobs to get out of poverty. I view this campaign as a campaign between Scranton and Park Avenue. All that Trump could see from Park Avenue is Wall Street. We have to make sure healthcare workers are paid a decent wage, and 15 bucks an hour isn't enough.

Source: CNN Town Hall 2020 drive-in with Anderson Cooper Sep 17, 2020

Joe Biden: $15 an hour is too little for healthcare workers

Q: I work in a cancer center. I make under $15.00 an hour. I'm barely making ends meet. Do you have plans to stand up for healthcare workers?

BIDEN: The idea you're not making a minimum of $15.00 an hour is wrong. No one should have to work two jobs to get out of poverty. I view this campaign as a campaign between Scranton and Park Avenue. All that Trump could see from Park Avenue is Wall Street. We have to make sure healthcare workers are paid a decent wage, and 15 bucks an hour isn't enough.

Source: CNN Town Hall 2020 drive-in with Anderson Cooper Sep 17, 2020

Andrew Yang: Help youth get access to trade and technical training

I would invest in technical, vocational, and apprenticeship training at the high school levels. Only 6 percent of American high school students are in technical or trade programs in the U.S. Think how many unfilled jobs would be filled if young people steered towards college would be better served by heading into the trades and technical and apprenticeship programs.

Technology is ramping up faster and faster. It has already eliminated 4 million manufacturing jobs in the Midwest and is in the process of transforming economies right here in New Hampshire and around the country, as Amazon alone closes 30 percent of your stores and malls. Retail clerks, the most common job in the economy, and 30 percent of those jobs are disappearing as we speak.

Source: CNN Town Hall 2020: Presidential/NYC Mayoral race Feb 5, 2020

Amy Klobuchar: Enact laws to assure equal pay & equal opportunity

Pass the Equal Pay Act. That would be a very good thing. We already passed the Lilly Ledbetter Act. That was something that we were really proud of that made it easier for women to contest these kinds of cases when they're in the work place. I think also making it easier for women to get the kind of jobs they should. I would love to pass the ERA right. Get that cemented into law across the country and then make sure we have role models across the country.
Source: CNN Town Hall 2020: 5 candidates back-to-back Apr 22, 2019

  • The above quotations are from 2020 Presidential Primary CNN Town Halls.
  • Click here for definitions & background information on Jobs.
  • Click here for other issues (main summary page).
  • Click here for more quotes by Bernie Sanders on Jobs.
  • Click here for more quotes by Pete Buttigieg on Jobs.
2020 Presidential contenders on Jobs:
  Democrats running for President:
Sen.Michael Bennet (D-CO)
V.P.Joe Biden (D-DE)
Mayor Mike Bloomberg (I-NYC)
Gov.Steve Bullock (D-MT)
Mayor Pete Buttigieg (D-IN)
Sen.Cory Booker (D-NJ)
Secy.Julian Castro (D-TX)
Gov.Lincoln Chafee (L-RI)
Rep.John Delaney (D-MD)
Rep.Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI)
Sen.Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
Gov.Deval Patrick (D-MA)
Sen.Bernie Sanders (I-VT)
CEO Tom Steyer (D-CA)
Sen.Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)
Marianne Williamson (D-CA)
CEO Andrew Yang (D-NY)

2020 Third Party Candidates:
Rep.Justin Amash (L-MI)
CEO Don Blankenship (C-WV)
Gov.Lincoln Chafee (L-RI)
Howie Hawkins (G-NY)
Gov.Gary Johnson(L-NM)
Howard Schultz(I-WA)
Gov.Jesse Ventura (I-MN) 		Republicans running for President:
Sen.Ted Cruz(R-TX)
Gov.Larry Hogan (R-MD)
Gov.John Kasich(R-OH)
V.P.Mike Pence(R-IN)
Gov.Mark Sanford (R-SC)
Pres.Donald Trump(R-NY)
Rep.Joe Walsh (R-IL)
Gov.Bill Weld(R-MA & L-NY)

2020 Withdrawn Democratic Candidates:
Sen.Stacey Abrams (D-GA)
Mayor Bill de Blasio (D-NYC)
Sen.Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)
Sen.Mike Gravel (D-AK)
Sen.Kamala Harris (D-CA)
Gov.John Hickenlooper (D-CO)
Gov.Jay Inslee (D-WA)
Mayor Wayne Messam (D-FL)
Rep.Seth Moulton (D-MA)
Rep.Beto O`Rourke (D-TX)
Rep.Tim Ryan (D-CA)
Adm.Joe Sestak (D-PA)
Rep.Eric Swalwell (D-CA)
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Page last updated: Apr 07, 2021