Bill de Blasio in Interviews during 2018-2020

On Families & Children: Signed a paid sick leave and safe leave plan into law

De Blasio believes everyone should be guaranteed the right to health care, including undocumented immigrants.

He has repeatedly called for a national single-payer healthcare plan. De Blasio also signed a paid sick leave and safe leave plan into law, one of his signature accomplishments as mayor.

Source: PBS News Hour 2019 coverage of 2020 Democratic primary May 17, 2019

On Immigration: Created city ID so undocumented immigrants get healthcare

On immigration: Backs protections for undocumented immigrants.

De Blasio believes everyone should be guaranteed the right to health care, including undocumented immigrants.

As mayor, de Blasio pushed to make New York City a so-called "sanctuary city" that limits cooperation with federal immigration authorities. It's a practice the Trump administration has vigorously opposed. He also announced a health care plan and created a city ID for undocumented immigrants. Under de Blasio, the city also sued the Trump administration when it attempted to withhold of federal grants that were tied to cooperation with U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement.

Source: PBS News Hour 2019 coverage of 2020 Democratic primary May 17, 2019

On Abortion: Crucial to protect women's right to choose in 2019

New York lawmakers have passed one of the nation's strongest protections for abortion rights, saying the women of New York need legal safeguards if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade. The Democrat-led Senate and Assembly passed the bill on the 46th anniversary of the Roe decision. Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo was expected to quickly sign it into law.

The bill was first introduced back in 2007 and removes abortion from the state criminal code and ensures women the right to an abortion in New York should that federal right ever be changed by the Supreme Court. For years, the law would pass the Assembly but fail in the Republican-controlled Senate. That all changed last fall when voters put Democrats firmly in charge in Albany.

"I support this act. It's crucial that we protect a woman's right to choose, particularly at this moment in history, when women's rights are under attack," NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio said.

Source: Associated Press on ABC7NY on 2020 Democratic primary Jan 22, 2019

On Gun Control: Gun laws are necessary to protect the city and ourselves

Mayor Bill de Blasio, responding to a reporter's question about the Supreme Court's decision to hear the case, said at a news conference on Tuesday that the city would vigorously defend its law [limiting residents from transporting their guns outside the home]. "We, every single day, are working to make this the safest big city in America," he said. "We need the laws that we have that protect against guns being on our streets and we will fight to protect ourselves, that's the bottom line." Source: N. Y. Times, "NYC Gun Law," on 2020 Democratic primary Jan 22, 2019

On Families & Children: Launched universal free lunch in NYC schools

De Blasio first began advocating for universal free lunch in 2014, when he launched a pilot program in middle schools. Although other school districts already offer free lunch to every student, New York City's will be the largest program of its kind. According to Chalkbeat.org, more than two thirds of the city's students were eligible to receive a free lunch, though an estimated 250,000 didn't participate in the program due to a stigma associated with it or complicated paperwork. Source: Mother Jones magazine on 2020 Democratic primary Sep 6, 2017

On Abortion: Women, not politicians, should control their bodies

Yet again, legislators are attempting to turn back the hands of time and violate the constitutional rights of women. Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin is currently considering legislation that would revoke the medical license of any doctor performing abortions in the state, except in the most extreme cases where the woman's life is at risk. Women, regardless of where they live, should be able to make their own private health care decisions and have control over their bodies--not politicians. Source: NYC.gov mayoral press release for 2020 Democratic primary May 3, 2016

On Principles & Values: Religious identity: spiritual but not religious

From its historic black churches to large Jewish enclaves to landmark Catholic and Protestant churches, New York City is the ultimate religious melting pot. And now, overseeing it all is a new mayor whose only religious identity seems to be "spiritual but not religious."

Mayor Bill de Blasio is now perhaps the nation's most visible "none," an icon of one of the nation's fastest-growing religious groups--those without any formal religious identification.

His election could reflect a new kind of American politician--one who is shaped by religion and religious values but is not expected to talk about or bow to religion as in years past.

[His transition team's spiritual advisor says], "What drives him are his fundamental beliefs about liberation theology when it comes to social justice, our responsibility to care for all who are on this earth. I heard him on several occasions say 'Amen' when he felt very strongly about something."

Source: Religion News Service on 2020 Democratic primary Jan 6, 2014

The above quotations are from Interviews during 2018-2020, interviewing Democratic presidential hopefuls for 2020. Click here for main summary page. Click here for a profile of Bill de Blasio. Click here for Bill de Blasio on all issues.
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Page last updated: Dec 01, 2021