8th Democratic Primary Debate: on Government Reform
Bernie Sanders:
Wealthy donors turn their backs on working families
Sanders said of his views of the current state of the country, "Our priorities are determined by the 1 percent and by wealthy campaign contributors. Our priorities are determined by those who want to see the rich get richer and are
turning their backs on the working families of this country."Sanders then touted his campaign platforms: "And what is unique about our campaign is we say unashamedly we
are raising our campaign contributions not from billionaires but from working-class people, that our campaign is about the working families of this country for the working class of this country.
And that is the administration that we will run. It is time to take on the big money interest. It is time to change our national priorities."
Source: Washington Post excerpts of 8th Democrat 2020 primary debate
Feb 8, 2020
Elizabeth Warren:
FactCheck: prolific past presence with high-dollar donors
Warren has rejected holding high-dollar private fundraisers during her presidential campaign, after raising money through such events throughout her Senate career. Warren has faced criticism for her prolific past presence on the high-dollar donor
circuit and for the money she transferred from her Senate campaign to her presidential campaign account.Warren also attacked her opponents for being supported by independent groups that can raise and spend unlimited amounts of money: "[Most] on this
stage are either a billionaire or receiving help from PACs that can do unlimited spending. So if you really want to live where you say, then put your money where your mouth is and say no to the PACs."
She is not backed by a super PAC, but
Warren is supported by the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, a political action committee that is limited in the amount of money it can raise. An affiliated nonprofit, P Street Project, can raise and spend unlimited amounts of money.
Source: Washington Post excerpts of 8th Democrat 2020 primary debate
Feb 8, 2020
Amy Klobuchar:
Automatic voter registration stops racist voter suppression
I have been leading on these bills to automatically register every kid to vote in this country when they turn 18. There is no reason that we can't do that across this country. To stop the gerrymandering by
setting up independent commissions in every single state, and yes, to stop the voting purges. We are not going to be able to get any of these things done if we don't give people the right to vote.
Source: 8th Democrat 2020 primary debate, St. Anselm College in NH
Feb 7, 2020
Amy Klobuchar:
Overturn Citizens United
I can't stand big money in politics, and one of my major focuses is going to be passing that constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United. I didn't come from money, and I think people don't look at the guy in the White House and say "Can we
get someone richer?" They want someone they can understand. No matter where you come from, you should be able to make it.
Source: 8th Democrat 2020 primary debate, St. Anselm College in NH
Feb 7, 2020
Elizabeth Warren:
Now, our government is corrupt, works for rich only
People, whether they're Democrats, independents, or Republicans, understand that we've got a government works great for those at the top. Works great for drug companies, not for people trying to get a prescription filled.
Works great for oil companies, not for the rest of us who see climate change bearing down on us. When you see a government that works great for those who can hire lobbyists and make big campaign donations and it's not working so great for everyone else,
Source: 8th Democrat 2020 primary debate, St. Anselm College in NH
Feb 7, 2020
Joe Biden:
Cannot allow laws restricting black voters to stand
There should be automatic registration, turning 18, you get a driver's license, you automatically are registered. There are 35 states that have come up with a total of 78 laws to restrict voting just in the last five years to try to keep
African Americans from voting, and brown as well, black and brown people from voting. And that will be an enormous priority in my administration as it was in ours.
Source: 8th Democrat 2020 primary debate, St. Anselm College in NH
Feb 7, 2020
Pete Buttigieg:
End political battlefield of Supreme Court nominations
What I've called for is not only reforming the number of justices on the bench, but structural reform so that some of the justices are not appointed through a partisan process. We cannot allow the
Supreme Court to continue to become one more political battlefield as we are seeing today. Also remember that the founders gave us the power to amend the Constitution for a reason and we shouldn't be afraid to use it.
Source: 8th Democrat 2020 primary debate, St. Anselm College in NH
Feb 7, 2020
Tom Steyer:
GOP is stacking courts, need Dem win to stop it
That's why Mr. Trump has appointed so many federal judges, because in fact the Republicans refused to allow President Obama to get his due. Republicans are in control. They're stacking the Court for a generation with young right-wing radicals, and the
question is what are we going to do about it? The heart and soul of this party is diversity. The question we have is how are we getting that diverse group of people to the polls? The question is how do we beat Trump?
Source: 8th Democrat 2020 primary debate, St. Anselm College in NH
Feb 7, 2020
Page last updated: Mar 23, 2020