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Books by and about 2024 presidential candidates |
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Hillbilly Elegy,
by JD Vance (2017) |
Crippled America,
by Donald J. Trump (2015) |
Fire and Fury,
by Michael Wolff (2018) |
Trump Revealed,
by Michael Kranish and Marc Fisher (2016) |
The Making of Donald Trump,
by David Cay Johnston (2016) |
Promise Me, Dad ,
by Joe Biden (2017) |
The Book of Joe ,
by Jeff Wilser (2019; biography of Joe Biden) |
The Truths We Hold,
by Kamala Harris (2019) |
Smart on Crime,
by Kamala Harris (2010) |
Becoming,
by Michelle Obama (2018) |
Higher Loyalty,
by James Comey (2018) |
The Making of Donald Trump,
by David Cay Johnston (2017) |
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Book Reviews |
(from Amazon.com) |
(click a book cover for a review or other books by or about the presidency from Amazon.com)
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| OnTheIssues.org excerpts: (click on issues for details)
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Abortion
Cal Cunningham: Politicians have no place between woman and her doctor.
Deborah Ross: All employers should cover contraceptives (no RFRA).
Erica Smith: State "born alive" abortion law criminalizes women & doctors.
Marjorie K. Eastman: I'm pro-life; I'm pro-Second Amendment.
Pat McCrory: Promote sanctity of life, religious freedom.
Rett Newton: States would need to enact legislation if Roe overturned.
Sean Haugh: No state nor federal government role in abortion.
Sean Haugh: No role for government in regulating abortion.
Thom Tillis: Human life begins at conception.
Michael Whatley: Proud of anti-abortion activists defending sanctity of life.
Roy Cooper: Vetoed bill banning abortion after 12 weeks of pregnancy.
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Budget & Economy
Chris Rey: As mayor, revitalized downtown & turned around economy.
Erica Smith: Targeted investments to revitalize rural economies.
Erica Smith: Tax cuts, fiscal policy should prioritize job creation.
Pat McCrory: Creating jobs, cutting taxes, spending smarter.
Sean Haugh: Scrap the Federal Reserve.
Thom Tillis: Free enterprise is the key to national prosperity.
Thom Tillis: Continue to hold the line on spending.
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Civil Rights
Cal Cunningham: Restore Voting Rights Act; for automatic voter registration.
Cal Cunningham: Will stand with the LGBTQI community against discrimination.
Cheri Beasley: Acknowledged enduring racial inequalities in judicial system.
Deborah Ross: Introduced gender pay equity bill in state legislature.
Deborah Ross: Transgender individuals use public bathrooms of their choice.
Erica Smith: Supports Equal Rights amendment to Constitution.
Erica Smith: Universal, automatic voter registration.
Erica Smith: We don't have an agenda for addressing minority concerns.
Pat McCrory: Signed anti-transgender "bathroom bill" into law.
Pat McCrory: Identity politics has gone too far, especially on the left.
Richard Burr: Let same-sex marriage be decided by the states.
Sean Haugh: Government has no say over whom consenting adults love.
Ted Budd: Racist policies due to Democrats; GOP brings people together.
Thom Tillis: Government shouldn't redefine marriage.
Thom Tillis: OpEd: Supported tax cuts over help for students and women.
Thom Tillis: Defend the N.C. gay marriage ban.
Roy Cooper: We must find ways to continue to tackle systemic racism.
Thom Tillis: Urged NCAA to ban transgender athletes from women's sports.
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Corporations
Cal Cunningham: Encourage investment in minority businesses.
Cal Cunningham: Early backer of Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
Deborah Ross: Corporations and wealthiest should pay their fair share.
Thom Tillis: AdWatch: began working at 15; postponed college until later.
Thom Tillis: Voted to roll back Dodd-Frank banking regulations.
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Crime
Cal Cunningham: End mandatory minimum sentences for non-violent offenders.
Cheri Beasley: Bail reform shows promising results in pilot programs.
Chris Rey: Started workforce development program for released prisoners.
Deborah Ross: No incarceration for nonviolent misdemeanors.
Erica Smith: No money bonds for misdemeanors, low lever felonies.
Erica Smith: Focus on domestic terrorism, allow capital punishment.
Mark Walker: Support law enforcement, criminal justice reform.
Pat McCrory: No sanctuary cities, support police, election security.
Pat McCrory: Disturbing thing about protests is anarchists in the crowd.
Pat McCrory: We're always going to have some imperfect police officers.
Ted Budd: That whole defund the police thing is crazy.
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Drugs
Cal Cunningham: Let states regulate and tax cannabis.
Cheri Beasley: Drug treatment courts part of solution to substance abuse.
Deborah Ross: Supports medical marijuana.
Erica Smith: Legalize marijuana; reduce or commute prison sentences.
Jeff Jackson: Drug courts give leverage to helping addicts get clean.
Jeff Jackson: Sky doesn't fall when taking regulatory approach on cannabis.
Rett Newton: For medical marijuana, addiction an issue for legalization.
Richard Burr: Marijuana has no value that you can't get thru other things.
Sean Haugh: End the Drug War.
Sean Haugh: War on drugs is a war on our own people.
Thom Tillis: Let states deal with marijuana as with alcohol and tobacco.
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Education
Cal Cunningham: Public education should be an engine of opportunity for all.
Cal Cunningham: Lower cost of college; expand access; reduce burden of debt.
Cal Cunningham: Expand Pell Grants; allow refinancing of student loans.
Cal Cunningham: Phase out school vouchers to pay for private school.
Chris Rey: Read with the Mayor: volunteer program at grade schools.
Deborah Ross: Make first two years of community college free.
Eric Mansfield: Focus education on employment and economy.
Erica Smith: Stop cuts to education; compensate our teachers.
Erica Smith: Strengthen public schools, emphasis on future workers.
Erica Smith: Make Community Colleges as affordable as possible.
Garland Tucker: Criticized Congress for not cutting Education Dept. budget.
Kay Hagan: Repeatedly stressed support for public schools.
Pat McCrory: 2015: For budget cuts, tuition increases at state schools.
Mark Walker: Has championed school choice; empower parents and students.
Sean Haugh: Scrap the Common Core curriculum standards.
Ted Budd: Member of the Home School Legal Defense Association.
Thom Tillis: Oppose Common Core; eliminate U.S. Department of Education.
Thom Tillis: Department of Education is 5,000 overpaid bureaucrats.
Thom Tillis: More loan relief to students during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Thom Tillis: Supports vouchers for students to attend private schools.
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Energy & Oil
Cal Cunningham: Invest in clean energy economy for jobs & reducing pollution.
Cal Cunningham: 100% renewable energy by 2050; rejoin Paris Agreement.
Erica Smith: Supports solar & wind; reduce emissions & carbon.
Erica Smith: Opposed state moratorium on wind farms.
Kay Hagan: Advocate for Keystone XL pipeline.
Pat McCrory: Supported offshore drilling off North Carolina's coast.
Ted Budd: Infrastructure bill is Trojan horse for Green New Deal.
Thom Tillis: No subsidies for wind and solar.
Thom Tillis: Climate change is not an established fact.
Josh Stein: Support rooftop solar; dramatically reduce carbon emissions .
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Environment
Cal Cunningham: Supported state Clean Smokestacks Act.
Pat McCrory: Oversaw decline of Department of Environmental Quality.
Michael Whatley: Obama climate plan an overstep of Congressional authority.
Roy Cooper: Touts benefits of EPA grant's environmental impact.
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Families & Children
Cal Cunningham: Supports Equality Act, and overdue Equal Rights Amendment.
Chris Rey: AdWatch: Faith, family, and service give my life meaning.
Thom Tillis: Defend the institution of the traditional family.
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Foreign Policy
Cal Cunningham: Protect US with smart diplomacy & working with allies.
Deborah Ross: Approach threats in multilateral way, like Iran nuclear deal.
Deborah Ross: Work with Iran on nukes; work with allies on ISIS.
Garland Tucker: Wouldn't think twice about cutting foreign aid.
Richard Burr: 13% on Livable World scorecard; opposed Iran nuke deal.
Sean Haugh: No global policeman; no foreign entanglements.
Roy Cooper: US should press Israel to work toward a two-state solution.
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Free Trade
Deborah Ross: Always against the TPP; we need to stop trade agreements.
Sean Haugh: We need to completely change to free trade.
Thom Tillis: Supports USMCA trade agreement to replace NAFTA.
Michael Whatley: World will adjust to new tariffs trade policy.
Thom Tillis: Seems like we've decided to begin a trade war on all fronts.
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Government Reform
Cal Cunningham: For campaign finance reform & independent redistricting.
Erica Smith: All federal candidates should release tax returns.
Greg Brannon: I believe in a constitutionally limited government.
Marjorie K. Eastman: I believe in term limits; two terms and I'm out.
Marjorie K. Eastman: Signed US Term Limits Congressional Pledge.
Pat McCrory: Blamed election loss on massive voter fraud without proof.
Ted Budd: Deregulate small businesses strangled by big government.
Ted Budd: Falsely claimed bill would allow minors to vote.
Thom Tillis: Helped engineer voter ID legislation.
Thom Tillis: Photo ID for voting.
Michael Whatley: Claimed massive fraud in 2020 presidential election.
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Gun Control
Cal Cunningham: Supports background checks & ban on high capacity magazines.
Cal Cunningham: Endorsed by Everytown for Gun Safety for gun-sense majority.
Dan Forest: Deeply skeptical of laws that undermine 2nd Amendment rights.
Deborah Ross: Tried to block legislation that would allow concealed carry.
Deborah Ross: Supports commonsense gun safety and background checks.
Erica Smith: For universal background checks, ban on assault rifles.
Jeff Jackson: NRA is a morally, financially bankrupt organization.
Ted Budd: Lifetime NRA member; owns gun range and store.
Thom Tillis: Opposes more gun restrictions.
Roy Cooper: Make sure that we have an assault weapons ban.
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Health Care
Cal Cunningham: Add public option to ObamaCare; support Medicaid expansion.
Cal Cunningham: Strengthen Affordable Care Act; create public option.
Cal Cunningham: Extended Medicaid can catch people as they're knocked down.
Chris Rey: Expand Medicaid despite North Carolina's state legislature.
Dan Forest: Coverage is just a piece of plastic--drive down costs.
Eric Mansfield: Supports tort reform & free market competition.
Erica Smith: Affordable health care for all, Medicaid expansion.
Erica Smith: Expand ObamaCare but would not vote against Medicare for All.
Jeff Jackson: More funding for mental health including in schools.
Kay Hagan: AdWatch: Voted against consumers keeping pre-ObamaCare plans.
Kay Hagan: AdWatch: Targeted by RNC robocalls for support of ObamaCare.
Kay Hagan: I'd vote for ObamaCare again, but do "sensible fixes".
Kay Hagan: AdWatch: Hagan promised wrongly that all can keep insurance.
Thom Tillis: Do everything in our power to undo ObamaCare.
Thom Tillis: AdWatch: TV PAC attack on ObamaCare is a "badge of honor".
Thom Tillis: AdWatch: ObamaCare is a disaster.
Thom Tillis: Repeal ObamaCare; it's not a government responsibility.
Thom Tillis: Voting for ObamaCare is a fire-able offense.
Thom Tillis: Enact work requirements for able-bodied adults on Medicaid.
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Homeland Security
Cal Cunningham: Fight for military project funding in NC; support veterans.
Chris Rey: Organized bipartisan "Save the 440th Airlift Wing" coalition.
Chris Rey: Improve support for military veterans.
Deborah Ross: Maintain a strong military & care for veterans.
Mark Walker: Improve care and service to veterans.
Pat McCrory: Invest in military, protect veterans, defend rights.
Richard Burr: OpEd: Quashed release of report about CIA torture.
Sean Haugh: Repeal the abomination of the Patriot Act.
Sean Haugh: Stop drone warfare.
Thom Tillis: Maintain a superior nuclear arsenal.
Michael Whatley: Wants safer communities and a stronger military.
Roy Cooper: Make us nation's most military and veteran friendly state.
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Immigration
Cal Cunningham: Comprehensive immigration reform, protect DREAMers.
Chris Rey: Support giving illegal immigrants a path to citizenship.
Deborah Ross: Support giving illegal immigrants a path to citizenship.
Deborah Ross: Support the DREAM Act.
Erica Smith: Supports DREAM Act for route to citizenship.
Garland Tucker: Biggest issues are immigration & government spending.
Garland Tucker: Agree with Trump on "emergency declaration" to fund wall.
Jeff Jackson: No blanket amnesty, but bring people out of shadows.
Kay Hagan: Inaction is not an option; comprehensive reform is best.
Sean Haugh: Free movement across borders instead of curbs on immigration.
Sean Haugh: I believe in open borders.
Thom Tillis: Protect the borders; prevent illegal entry.
Thom Tillis: Bipartian failure to secure the border.
Thom Tillis: Amnesty shouldn't be on the table.
Michael Whatley: Would push to eliminate sanctuary cities.
Thom Tillis: Introduce bill holding sanctuary jurisdictions accountable.
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Jobs
Cal Cunningham: Raise the minimum wage; support equal pay for equal work.
Cal Cunningham: For workplace protections, supports NC's right to work laws.
Eric Mansfield: Highly skilled work force drives sustained prosperity.
Erica Smith: Raise minimum wage to $15/hour by 2024.
Erica Smith: Supports labor movement & collective bargaining.
Thom Tillis: Opposes federal minimum wage; but let states decide.
Thom Tillis: Co-sponsored National Right to Work Act.
Tim Scott: $1,000 tax credit for job-training apprenticeships.
Tom Cotton: Yes on minimum wage of $8.25, but no minimum-wage-economy.
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Principles & Values
Cheri Beasley: Washington responding only to well-connected needs to end.
Cheri Beasley: First black female chief justice of state Supreme Court.
Dan Forest: Freedom of religion--not freedom from religion.
Erica Smith: I earned my stripes; paid my dues; played by the rules.
Erica Smith: Black women come from hard work; should have more value.
Garland Tucker: Was less pro-Trump than anti-Clinton.
Garland Tucker: Delighted and amazed at Trump's commitment to conservatives.
Greg Brannon: Tea Party supporter of constitutional conservative fighters.
Marjorie K. Eastman: Endorsed by Republican women's VIEWPAC.
Mark Walker: A record of being both a conservative and a bridge builder.
Pat McCrory: How do we leave this place better than when we arrived?
Pat McCrory: Impeachment: would have voted against convicting Trump.
Sean Haugh: YouTube-based campaign as Libertarian party nominee.
Sean Haugh: The spoiler argument is bogus on every level.
Ted Budd: Running to stop US from becoming woke, socialist wasteland.
Thom Tillis: Moral Mondays are for whining losers who oppose GOP agenda.
Thom Tillis: Served on town commission; ousted sitting State House Rep.
Thom Tillis: A self-made man who grew up in a trailer park.
Thom Tillis: Judeo-Christian values established our government framework.
Thom Tillis: Outspoken in my defense of our freedom of religion.
Ted Budd: Biden is president, but "constitutional concerns" about 2020.
Michael Whatley: I don't believe the Republican Party should hide from faith.
Roy Cooper: He taught Sunday School, tutored public school students.
Thom Tillis: I have a habit of mirroring the behavior I'm presented with.
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Social Security
Cal Cunningham: Endorsed by National Committee to Preserve Social Security.
Deborah Ross: Government shouldn't cut nor privatize Social Security.
Thom Tillis: Keep the promises we've already made.
Roy Cooper: Had enough of politicians putting Social Security at risk.
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Tax Reform
Cal Cunningham: Tax cuts for wealthy & corporations fuel income inequality .
Cheri Beasley: Make Child Tax Credit permanent.
Erica Smith: Supports a Service Worker's Tax Act.
Mark Walker: Cut taxes for middle income families, for balanced budget.
Ted Budd: Endorsed by Club for Growth; against tax increases.
Thom Tillis: 2017 tax cuts were "historic tax reform".
Michael Whatley: Trump tax cuts will be a cornerstone of Republican messaging.
Thom Tillis: Extend and expand the Trump tax cuts: largest in history.
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Technology
Cal Cunningham: Invest in high-speed broadband, other infrastructure.
Jeff Jackson: Broadband internet access is most important infrastructure.
Ted Budd: Co-sponsored bill to make websites and apps ADA compliant.
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War & Peace
Cal Cunningham: Congress must reassert role over military operations.
Deborah Ross: Committed to defeating ISIS, with our international partners.
Kay Hagan: US should have more quickly armed the moderate Syrian rebels.
Kay Hagan: Supports Obama's anti-ISIS strategy.
Richard Burr: We have effective oversight of CIA and drone strikes.
Sean Haugh: Opposes US military intervention abroad.
Sean Haugh: Stay out of the Russia-Ukraine imbroglio.
Sean Haugh: Iraq exit plan is to find a door and exit.
Thom Tillis: Too little is known about Syrian rebels to arm them.
Thom Tillis: US should have more quickly armed the moderate Syrian rebels.
Thom Tillis: Withdrawing too quickly from Iraq left vacuum for ISIS.
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Welfare & Poverty
Thom Tillis: No government assistance for those who can help themselves.
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