2019-2021 Town Halls: on Technology


Pete Buttigieg: National data security policy, don't leave it to companies

We don't have a national policy on data security or on data privacy. Different states have them. We're relying on very outdated legal protections. We need to set a national standard, even when you give your data to a company, on what they can and can't do with it, certain rights that we have over data, especially when companies are making money off of it. We can't just leave it to the companies to regulate themselves.
Source: CNN Town Hall 2020 with Erin Burnett Feb 18, 2020

Andrew Yang: Hold Facebook accountable and invest in local news

I would hold Facebook to the same standard as cable news networks where they have verify the truth of a political ad on their network. It's unfathomable that they don't realize that they are the largest disseminator of information to the American people. We need to rebuild local journalism. Almost 2,000 local papers have gone out of business over the last number of years because all of their advertising revenue went up to the cloud and you can't run a newspaper on that.
Source: CNN Town Hall 2020: Presidential/NYC Mayoral race Feb 5, 2020

Tom Steyer: Collect census data on LGBTQ status

Q: LGBTQ Americans will not be counted on the 2020 census. What is your plan to account for this?

STEYER: What do you mean by they won't be counted on the census? They will not be identified on the census?

Q: Correct; LGBTQ identities will be removed from being asked the question on the census in 2020.

STEYER: I think it's clear that this administration is scared of data that contradicts their underlying beliefs. Look, it is absolutely critical to get the data on subjects like this, because I think that kind of information gives a power to this community politically that is really important. And when I said, how do you make change here? My answer is "grassroots." This kind of data is the proof that at the grassroots the LGBTQ community has real power. So it's absolutely critical that we, in fact, get this information. This is going to be the data that empowers this community to make the changes and to scare the politicians into doing what's right.

Source: CNN LGBT Town Hall 2020 Oct 10, 2019

Kamala Harris: Cybersecurity crucial to protect elections & infrastructure

Cyberattacks can take a number of forms, but usually to our critical infrastructure. We are vulnerable in terms of our electrical grids, in terms of the systems that hold together our financial systems, our medical care systems. We have got to pay greater attention. I have a bipartisan bill designed to strengthen states' election systems to prevent the next attack. The leader in the Senate will not put it on the floor for a vote. As president that will be one of my number-one issues.
Source: CNN Town Hall 2020: 5 candidates back-to-back Apr 22, 2019

Pete Buttigieg: Automation is changing the workplace; we need to adapt

We got to be honest about the fact that for every job and manufacturing that has been lost as a consequence of trade, there are several more that have been lost as a result of technology and automation. And that's not going to change. Manufacturing can continue to grow stronger in this country, but it's going to be less labor intensive, less human beings on the floor per dollar of output. And that's why we need policies that can get ahead of the economic shifts to come and recognize that our generation's not going to be able to count as our parents' generation often did on the idea of a single relationship with a single employer or a couple employers across the course of your entire career.
Source: CNN Town Hall 2020 Democratic primary Apr 22, 2019

  • The above quotations are from 2020 Presidential Primary CNN Town Halls.
  • Click here for definitions & background information on Technology.
  • Click here for other issues (main summary page).
  • Click here for more quotes by Bernie Sanders on Technology.
  • Click here for more quotes by Pete Buttigieg on Technology.
2020 Presidential contenders on Technology:
  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