Diversity and progress vs. racism and hatred
Last night, as Trump gave yet another divisive speech, the most diverse and representative field of candidates in U.S. history shared their visions for America.
In stark contrast to a racist, hateful president who spends his days tweeting lies and vitriol, progressive leaders proposed solutions for issues that impact working families: health care, gun violence, trade, immigration, and more—and condemned the damage Trump has done along the way.
Health care
- Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) laid out her vision for universal health coverage and gave a grave reminder about what’s at risk: “Trump’s Department of Justice is trying to get rid of the Affordable Care Act…trying to get rid of the ban that we placed on denying people who have preexisting conditions coverage.”
- Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) highlighted the urgent need to protect and expand health coverage for Americans: “There is an urgency right now in this nation. Everyone feels it…People in my community, they need help right now. They have high blood pressure right now. They have unaffordable insulin right now.”
Gun violence
- Former Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D-TX) decried inaction to reduce gun violence in America and spoke about his hometown of El Paso, which suffered a mass shooting just weeks ago: “A racism and violence that had long been a part of America was welcomed out into the open and directed to…El Paso, Texas, where 22 people were killed, dozens more grievously injured by a man carrying a weapon he should never have been able to buy, inspired by our president.”
- Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) blasted the corruption in Washington that prevents action on this deadly issue: “Americans want to see us…do background checks…get assault weapons off the streets. Why doesn’t it happen? And the answer is corruption, pure and simple. We have a Congress that is beholden to the gun industry.”
- Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) held Senate Majority Leader McConnell to account for his obstruction on gun violence prevention: “Right now, on Mitch McConnell’s desk, are three bills: Universal background checks, closing the “Charleston loophole,” and…my bill to make sure that domestic abusers don’t get AK-47s. So, we want to get something done.”
Trade
- Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-VT) criticized Trump’s reckless approach to trade policy: “Trump thinks that trade policy is a tweet at 3:00 in the morning. What we have got to do is develop a trade policy that represents workers [and] represents the farmers in the midwest and elsewhere who are losing billions right now because of Trump’s policy.”
- Harris condemned Trump’s dangerous trade-policy-by tweet: “He conducts trade policy by tweet, frankly born out of his fragile ego. It has resulted in farmers in Iowa with soybeans rotting in bins, looking at bankruptcy.”
- Klobuchar cited a new report that Trump’s trade war has already cost the U.S. 300,000 jobs: “He’s put us in the middle of the trade war, and he is treating our farmers and workers like poker chips in one of his bankrupt casinos. If we are not careful, he’s going to bankrupt this country…It has already cost us 300,000 jobs.”
Immigration
- Warren, discussing the crisis at the southern border, denounced Trump’s cruel immigration agenda: “Why do we have a crisis at the border? In no small part because we have withdrawn help from people in Central America who are suffering. We need to restore that help…so that people don’t feel like they have to flee for their lives.”
- Mayor Pete Buttigieg (D-IN) blasted Trump’s divisive, hateful rhetoric on immigration: “The only people, though, who actually buy into this president’s hateful rhetoric around immigrants are people who don’t know any. We have an opportunity to build an American majority around immigration reform.”
Climate inaction
- Vice President Joe Biden demanded immediate action on issues like education and climate change: “I refuse to postpone giving every single child in America—no matter their zip code—pre-K…I refuse to postpone any longer taking on climate change and leading the world in taking on climate change. This is the United States of America.”
Economic opportunity
- Former HUD Secretary Julian Castro (D-TX) advocated for an economy that works for all Americans—not just the rich and powerful: “We need a bold vision: Universal pre-k and universal health care. Unleashing millions of new jobs in the clean energy economy. A tax system that rewards people who have to work for a living.”