Joe Sestak in Interviews during 2018-2020

On Budget & Economy: Tax breaks for investment in small business, startups

Sestak supports tax incentives to push venture capital funding toward small businesses and startups. He calls for cutting fees for minority-owned businesses on any loans from the Small Business Administration. And he backs more federal support for job training and apprenticeship programs. Source: PBS News Hour on 2020 Democratic primary Jul 16, 2019

On Civil Rights: Military should welcome transgendered "with open arms"

Sestak's campaign website says that if any transgender Americans "are called to join and serve in the military, we should welcome them with open arms--and a customary salute--not a cold shoulder." Source: PBS News Hour on 2020 Democratic primary Jul 16, 2019

On Education: Push colleges to limit tuition increases

Sestak would require colleges to limit tuition increases to below the rate of inflation, if they want access to federal student aid or student loans. He would also adjust the way interest rates on those student loans are calculated. He also calls for early childhood education to be expanded to include 4-year-olds. Source: PBS News Hour on 2020 Democratic primary Jul 16, 2019

On Foreign Policy: Procurement of Chinese tech endangers national security

Countering geopolitical threats from China should be done in concert with America's allies, advised Sestak. "We need our allies. It's not just us with China. The greatest power we have is the ability to lead people around our values and how we want the rules to be done." America's procurement of certain technologies from China with military applications undermines national security, assessed Sestak. "Or if you own an Android phone, everything you're talking on is going back to China." Source: Breitbart.com on 2020 Democratic primary Jul 16, 2019

On Health Care: Create "public option," allow Canadian drug imports

Sestak voted for the Affordable Care Act, but while the law was being debated in Congress, he also said that he supported a "public option" for health insurance. As president, he would also prioritize allowing cheaper drugs to be imported into the U.S. from Canada and directing more Medicaid funding toward addiction treatment services. Source: PBS News Hour on 2020 Democratic primary Jul 16, 2019

On Immigration: Establish path to citizenship, end family separation

Sestak tweeted that he supports allowing a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, and new border security measures. He would end the Trump administration's family separation practices, which his campaign website calls "shameful." And he has called on U.S. officials to do more to ensure that Central American governments are using U.S. foreign aid effectively. Source: PBS News Hour on 2020 Democratic primary Jul 16, 2019

On Abortion: Secure reproductive rights; pass family leave

Sestak's website says that he wishes to "secure reproductive rights and reproductive health services for all women," close the gender wage gap, "advance women's opportunities in the military," and "pass family and medical leave legislation." Source: Townhall.com on 2020 Democratic primary Jul 9, 2019

On Education: Universal pre-K; create "Training for a Lifetime"

Sestak wants to establish universal preschool, protect Common Core, increase broadband Internet connectivity (especially in rural areas), restructure student loans and provide grants for tuition at community colleges and public universities, establish a national college credit transfer system, and create a "'Training for a Lifetime' program to increase opportunities for job training and continuing education." Source: Townhall.com on 2020 Democratic primary Jul 9, 2019

On Energy & Oil: Rejoin Paris Accord, ban offshore drilling

As president, Sestak will rejoin the Paris Accord, stop subsidies to the fossil fuel industry, fine carbon polluters with proceeds going to research renewable energy sources and strategies, ban offshore drilling, and give the EPA "full authority to regulate substances (like HFCs) that contribute to global warming." Source: Townhall.com on 2020 Democratic primary Jul 9, 2019

On Foreign Policy: Rejoin Iran deal; strengthen trade with allies

Sestak calls for re-joining the Iranian nuclear deal, modernizing our military by focusing on cyberspace capabilities, and supporting our military servicemembers (including LGBTQ individuals). Sestak also advocates for "reestablishing" ties and trade with allies "because countries that trade and do business with each other are much less likely to fight wars." Source: Townhall.com on 2020 Democratic primary Jul 9, 2019

On Free Trade: Would rejoin Trans-Pacific Partnership

On his website, Sestak says that he will re-join the Trans-Pacific Partnership "while improving the agreement to ensure that it serves our people, not merely our corporations." Source: Townhall.com on 2020 Democratic primary Jul 9, 2019

On Gun Control: Reform background checks to keep guns out of wrong hands

Sestak wishes to close the gun show loophole and re-institute the assault weapons ban. He also wants to make changes to National Instant Criminal Background Check System "to ensure guns stay out of the wrong hands." Source: Townhall.com on 2020 Democratic primary Jul 9, 2019

On Health Care: For public option as path to single payer

Sestak wants to restore the Affordable Care Act and include a public option to "expand access to health insurance." He wants the success of his public option to engender the transition to a national healthcare system based off the Veterans Health Administration. He advocates for allowing Medicare to bargain for the drug prices with the pharmaceutical industry. Sestak also wishes to import less expensive drugs from Canada. Source: Townhall.com on 2020 Democratic primary Jul 9, 2019

On Immigration: Secure borders & due process for asylum seekers

Sestak wants to "Secure our borders with smart technology such as drones and sensors, and sections of fencing where needed and appropriate; increase guest worker visas; create a path to naturalization for undocumented immigrants willing to pay back taxes, pass criminal background checks, prove gainful employment, and pass a basic English language test; end practice of separating children from their parents or guardians; grant all immigrants and asylum-seekers the right to an attorney; assure timely due process for all immigrants and asylum-seekers; explore innovative solutions to address the root causes of migration, including climate change, violence, and poverty." Source: Townhall.com on 2020 Democratic primary Jul 9, 2019

On Technology: Invest $1 trillion on infrastructure

Sestak wishes to invest $1 trillion in an infrastructure expansion over 10 years. He also wants to create a national infrastructure bank "for loans and credit partnerships; a Build American Bonds program; and an expansion of the New Markets Tax Credit for underserved communities." He also wants to ensure that all Americans have access to broadband Internet. Source: Townhall.com on 2020 Democratic primary Jul 9, 2019

On Immigration: Expand involvement of the Office of Refugee Resettlement

We need to expand the involvement of the Office of Refugee Resettlement to better match migrants with host families in the United States, as many U.S. families are willing to open their homes to such people in need. We are a caring country. Finally, we need immigration reform. I will engage on this immediately, similar to what I supported in past bi-partisan efforts by Senators McCain and Kennedy, to get our undocumented residents on a path to citizenship with border security measures, as appropriate. Source: Twitter posting on 2020 Democratic primary Jul 6, 2019

On War & Peace: America broke its word with departure from Iran agreement

"America broke its word when he withdrew us from an accord with Iran where they kept theirs," he said, referring to the president [Trump] and his decision to scrap the 2015 nuclear agreement the Obama government brokered with Tehran and other major world powers. Sestak said robust diplomatic engagement is the only way to permanently solve decades of geopolitical enmity. "Militaries might stop a problem, but they don't fix a problem," he said. Source: CBS News on 2020 Democratic primary Jun 24, 2019

On Foreign Policy: Building liberal world order is what makes America First

Sestak, who graduated from the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, in 1974 and earned a Ph.D. from Harvard, said in a campaign video released Sunday that "America's retreat from the world today" is "dangerous and damaging to our American Dream." He said that "building the liberal world order based upon the rules of individual and human rights, open and fair markets, fair and just governments" is "what really makes 'America First.' " Source: USA Today on 2020 Democratic primary Jun 23, 2019

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 Joe Sestak. Click here for Joe Sestak on all issues.
*Joe Sestak on other issues:*
Abortion Budget/Economy Civil Rights Corporations Crime Drugs Education Energy/Oil Environment Families Foreign Policy Free Trade	Govt. Reform Gun Control Health Care Homeland Security Immigration Jobs Principles/Values Social Security Tax Reform Technology/Infrastructure War/Iraq/Mideast Welfare/Poverty
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Page last updated: Dec 01, 2021