Candidate Quiz - Guides.vote

MINIMUM WAGE: Raise federal minimum from $7.25 an hour?

Yes. Supports Congress raising the national minimum wage to $15. Administration raised to $15 for federal contractors.

No. A $15 minimum wage would “eliminate jobs.” Threatened to veto. Questioned need for a federal minimum wage: let the states decide.

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MARIJUANA: Ban or legal?

Legal. “Nobody should have to go to jail for smoking weed.” Legalize and regulate. Supports easing federal prohibition.

Unclear. It does “significant damage.” Reversed rule to not prosecute in states where legal, but ultimately didn’t prosecute.

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ECONOMY: How to improve the economy and make daily life more affordable.

Expand child tax credit. Give tax credits for affordable housing builders and subsidize first-time home buyers. Restrict price gouging on groceries and lower drug costs by negotiating prices. Supported bipartisan infrastructure bill.

Increase taxes (tariffs) on imported goods. Cut housing demand with mass deportations. To lower prices, would deregulate businesses, rein in “wasteful federal spending” and unleash American energy. Opposed infrastructure bill.

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CLIMATE CHANGE: Should climate change be a top priority?

Yes. We’re seeing the climate crisis “every day…in real time.“ “We must do more.” Supported $369 billion in climate and clean energy, the biggest investment in US history. Supported $1.2 trillion in infrastructure; includes reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

No. Climate change is a “hoax.” The world will “start getting cooler.” Withdrew from the Paris climate pact. Will expand coal and oil production. “I want to drill, baby, drill.” Asked oil and gas executives to donate $1 billion so he could reverse existing climate initiatives.

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UKRAINE/RUSSIA: Support defending Ukraine against Russian invasion?

Yes. “Regarding Putin’s unprovoked, unjustified war against Ukraine… we are committed to… defend democratic values and stand up to dictators.”

Mostly no. To end the war, will push Ukraine to give up territory to Russia. Russia should “do whatever the hell they want” to NATO countries that

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SOCIAL SECURITY: Cut Social Security or raise retirement age to stabilize program?

Mostly yes. There’s “a lot you can do in… cutting.” Also flags bad management. Proposed $35 billion cuts in Social Security disability programs. But “will never do anything” to “hurt Social Security.”

No. Would protect and stabilize Social Security by making wealthier Americans pay into Social Security at the same rate as everyone else; they’d keep paying in above their current $168,600/year income cap.

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VOTING RULES: Make voting harder or easier?

Harder. Has long supported stronger voter ID requirements. Sued to bar ballot drop boxes. Encouraged Republicans to vote early but said early ballots “get lost” or are “phony.”

Easier. Pass bills to protect voting rights and make voting and registration easier. Biden administration directed federal agencies to help people register.

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GUN LAWS: Loosen or tighten gun regulations?

Tighten. “Every person deserves the freedom to live safe from gun violence.” Supported the bipartisan gun safety bill and required background checks for gun show & online sales.

Loosen. To NRA, “no one will lay a finger on your firearms.” Plans to roll back Biden gun restrictions. Reversed Obama-era background checks for those with mental illnesses.

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IMMIGRATION: How to handle immigration? Support a path to citizenship for “DACA” participants brought to the US as children?

Illegal immigrants are “poisoning the blood of our country.” Will use the National Guard and local police, with possible detention camps, to deport 15 to 20 million illegal immigrants. Opposed the bipartisan Senate immigration bill. Tried to end DACA; Supreme Court overruled. Would renew his Muslim ban and end automatic citizenship for everyone born in US.

Supports “comprehensive immigration reform.” Backed the bipartisan Senate border security bill. Rejects mass deportation of undocumented immigrants. “We are a nation of immigrants…. let us all address [the issue] with the urgency and seriousness it requires.” Supports pathways to citizenship for DACA participants and undocumented spouses of citizens.

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ELECTIONS: Did Joe Biden win the 2020 Presidential election?

No. Called the election a “Big Lie” and a ”Massive Fraud” that would justify “termination” of parts the Constitution. Called those who stormed U.S. Capitol “unbelievable patriots.” Would pardon them fully.

Yes. “The [election] results were certified by state after state and reaffirmed by court after court.” “On January 6, we all saw what our nation would look like if the forces who seek to dismantle our democracy are successful.”

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ISRAEL/GAZA: Response to Israel’s invasion of Gaza following October Hamas attack?

Has supported Israeli action, “get the job done.” Says Israel releasing images of bombed Gaza buildings loses “the PR war.” Gaza protesters are “raging lunatics and Hamas sympathizers.” Would deport student protesters.

“We need” a cease-fire & a two-state solution. “Israel has a right to defend itself.” But “too many innocent Palestinians have been killed… Civilian suffering… [is] devastating.” Palestinians and Israelis both “are entitled to security.”

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HEALTHCARE: Repeal or expand the Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare?

Repeal. “Terminate.” “Obamacare is a catastrophe.” Promised to replace it with “something terrific,” but repeal failed in the Senate by one vote. Supported an unsuccessful lawsuit to overturn it.

Expand. “Health care is a right, not a privilege.” Voted to expand ACA & lower Medicare drug prices, including a $35 monthly insulin cost. Would link drug costs to costs that comparable wealthy nations pay.

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CRIMINAL JUSTICE: How to ensure effectiveness and fairness in law enforcement?

Police are “under siege.” Cut back active federal oversight of excess force, though supported a database to track it. Admires Chinese approach of quick trials and a death penalty for drug dealers so there will be a “zero drug problem.”

Police are dedicated public servants. As a prosecutor increased felony convictions by one third. But “public safety requires community trust.” Has supported better training, banning choke holds, and prosecuting police misconduct.

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ABORTION: Ban or legal?

Legal. “Every woman should have the right to make decisions about her own body.” “This fight is about freedom.” Strengthened abortion pill access and abortion patient protections, overturned Planned Parenthood federal funding ban. Would sign national abortion rights bill if Congress passed.

Ban. “After 50 years of failure, I was able to kill Roe v. Wade.” Did so by appointing three anti-abortion Supreme Court Justices. It was “a miracle.” States should decide for themselves, potentially monitoring women’s pregnancies and prosecuting women for getting abortions. Abortion is “really not that big of an issue.”

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TAXES: Raise or lower taxes on the wealthy and corporations?

Raise. Voted against 2017 tax cuts, which included the largest corporate cut in US history. Increase corporate tax rates to 28%. To boost teacher salaries, proposed raising estate taxes on the very wealthy.

Lower. Their 2017 tax cut included the largest corporate cuts in US history and major tax cuts for the wealthy. Would extend and expand when they expire in 2025. Raising business taxes “will lead to the destruction of your jobs.”

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EDUCATION: Limit teaching about racism and gender identity?

Yes. Certify teachers who “embrace patriotic values.” Would “cut federal funding” for any school “pushing critical race theory, gender ideology.” Restricted diversity training for federal employees and contractors.

No. In Florida “extremists… passed a law, ‘Don’t Say Gay,’ trying to instill fear in our teachers.” Now, “they want to replace history with lies,” teaching “that enslaved people benefited from slavery.” Children should be “taught the truth.”

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ENVIRONMENT: Loosen or tighten environmental regulations?

Tighten. Supports “environmental justice.” In CA prosecuted polluters. Biden admin issued more than 100 environmental regulations.

Loosen. Weakened or ended more than 125 environmental protections, including wetlands and wildlife. Will reverse Biden policies.

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LABOR: Make it easier or harder for unions to organize?

Easier. “Unions built” the American middle class. “We are fighting to protect the sacred right to organize.” Backs pro-union laws. Walked UAW picket line. Build “an economy where every person, not just the wealthy,” can thrive.

Harder. Made it harder for unions to organize. Restricted federal employee collective bargaining. Praised employers who fire striking workers: “They go on strike…and you say… ‘You’re all gone.’” Striking Auto Workers were “sold down the river by their leadership.”

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STUDENT FINANCIAL AID: Support lowering interest on student loans and/or forgiving them?

Yes. Supported forgiving $144 billion for over 4 million borrowers, after the Supreme Court blocked $430 billion forgiveness plan.

No. Called student loan forgiveness “unfair” to those not attending college. Vetoed forgiving loans of defrauded students. Proposed cutting support programs for student borrowers.

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LGBTQ RIGHTS: Limit or expand LGBTQ rights?

Limit. Weakened order protecting LGBTQ federal contractors from discrimination. Banned transgender military servicemembers and ended anti-discrimination protections for transgender patients.

Expand. In 2004, officiated some of the nation’s first same-sex marriages. Helped repeal anti-gay marriage initiative. Protected LGBTQ medical patients from discrimination.

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Presidential Quiz: Who Said What & Where Do You Stand?