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| 2024 Election: | Joe Biden's book | Kamala Harris' book | Donald Trump's book | JD Vance's book | 2024 Senate Debates |
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| Book Reviews | |||||||||||||||
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(from Amazon.com) | |||||||||||||||
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(click a book cover for a review or other books by or about the presidency from Amazon.com) |
from Past and present Senate candidates from Massachusetts (number of quotes indicated): |
| OnTheIssues.org excerpts: (click on issues for details) |
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Abortion Heidi Wellman: Oppose abortion as an unrestricted right. Brian Herr: Supports abortion rights. Bruce Skarin: Reduce abortions without infringing women's rights to decide. Elizabeth Warren: No Supreme Court nominees who oppose legal abortion. Ed Markey: Champion of woman's ability to make her own decisions. Ed Markey: Massachusetts should lead in protecting right to choose. Geoff Diehl: Conscientious taxpayer objection to abortion. Scott Brown: I'm pro-choice but anti-Elena Kagan. Scott Brown: Birth control ok, but don't force churches to provide it. Scott Brown: I'm a moderate pro-choice Republican & always have been. Shiva Ayyadurai: Personal decision that involves two lives. John Deaton: Out-of-control judges should not be deciding these things. Elizabeth Warren: We need access to abortion, to contraception, to IVF. Elizabeth Warren: Democrats are for IVF access; Republicans oppose it. John Deaton: Massachusetts got this right: unrestricted until viability. |
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Budget & Economy Heidi Wellman: Market-led recovery better than stimulus. Beth Lindstrom: Helped reduce needless business regulations to increase jobs. Bruce Skarin: Top priority: national debt; fiscal conservative. Elizabeth Warren: Balanced approach to deficit reduction. Kevin O`Connor: $2000 monthly payments during pandemic grossly irresponsible. Scott Brown: Stop dividing Americans into haves and have-nots. Shiva Ayyadurai: Budgetary transparency will lead to infrastructure spending. Ed Markey: Pay for $2000 stimulus checks by repealing Trump tax cuts. |
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Civil Rights Heidi Wellman: Comfortable with same-sex marriage. Beth Lindstrom: Supports state law legalizing same sex marriage. Brian Herr: Supports gay marriage as an issue of equal rights. Bruce Skarin: I am not just a supporter, but an advocate for gay rights. Elizabeth Warren: We need a reliable vote for equal pay for equal work. Geoff Diehl: Elizabeth Warren wrongfully claimed a minority appointment. Joe Kennedy III: Kennedy leads task force for transgender equality. Kevin O`Connor: I don't know what systemic racism means, but racism exists. Kevin O`Connor: Racial justice: enforce the lawl problem isn't the police. Richard Tisei: Voted NO on defining marriage as one man and one woman. Richard Tisei: Opposed $200K reduction to blind job program. Richard Tisei: Supported $900K for disability & mentoring aid. Richard Tisei: Opposed "Turning 22" mental disability program. Shiva Ayyadurai: Only a real Indian can defeat a fake Indian. Shiva Ayyadurai: It's about free speech, not against Black Lives Matter. Shiva Ayyadurai: Affirmative action hasn't helped most blacks. Shiva Ayyadurai: Arizona data showed Biden win was statistically impossible. John Deaton: Enshrine equal marriage in law. John Deaton: Supports marriage equality. Seth Moulton: Voted NO on banning transgender athletes as too extreme. |
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Corporations Allen Waters: Free enterprise with lower taxes is the key. Beth Lindstrom: Cut corporate taxes. Brian Herr: 29 years in the commercial construction business. Elizabeth Warren: FactCheck: Insurers should pay victims, plus future immunity. Elizabeth Warren: Proposes new federal limits for corporations. Geoff Diehl: Get government off the back of small business. Heidi Wellman: Accountability of current program funds. Shannon Liss-Riordan: I see the games corporations play to rig the system. Elizabeth Warren: I'm a Democrat capitalist, not a democratic socialist. |
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Crime Ed Markey: Ban "weapons of war" including tear gas from police use. Elizabeth Warren: Criminal justice system is racist front to back. Geoff Diehl: Recognize National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day. Heidi Wellman: Stricter punishment doesn't reduce crime. Karyn Polito: Opposed funding Mass Correctional Legal Services. Kevin O`Connor: Horrified by Floyd murder, but do not defund police. Richard Tisei: Opposed funding Mass Correctional Legal Services. Seth Moulton: Law enforcement needs to go after domestic terrorists. |
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Drugs Allen Waters: Demand for drugs by whites is putting more blacks in jail. Heidi Wellman: Marijuana isn't a gateway drug. Joe Kennedy III: Concerns with marijuana legalization: take a deep breath. John Kingston: Focus on opioid crisis instead of divisive rhetoric. Elizabeth Warren: Rated A+ by NORML on marijuana reform. John Deaton: Opioid addiction is directly related to Border crisis. |
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Education Geoff Diehl: Charter schools have more flexibility. Heidi Wellman: Vouchers for school choice. Karyn Polito: Opposed federal school breakfast supplement. Richard Tisei: Opposed federal school breakfast supplement. Shiva Ayyadurai: Educational-industrial complex not yielding skilled students. Allen Waters: No free college; no government loans. Allen Waters: More choice; more charter schools. John Deaton: We need more opportunities for kids in failing schools. Ed Markey: Administration wants to strip away public school funding. |
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Energy & Oil Bruce Skarin: Top priority: combatting global climate change. Ed Markey: More offshore wind and solar--but no Green New Deal. Ed Markey: Green New Deal has shifted the whole discussion. Gabriel Gomez: I believe that there is global warming. Geoff Diehl: Fought linking gas tax hikes to inflation. Heidi Wellman: Oppose prioritizing green energy. Kevin O`Connor: The Green New Deal will wreck U.S. economy. Kevin O`Connor: Green New Deal would sell out American workers. Mike Lee: I believe that there is global warming. Scott Brown: Ease up on big oil companies to avoid high price of gasoline. Scott Brown: I'm no friend of big oil; I'm a friend of the motorist. Shannon Liss-Riordan: More offshore wind and solar--and Green New Deal. Shiva Ayyadurai: Climate change cause irrelevant; focus on solutions. John Deaton: Energy transition yes; but no Green New Deal. Kevin O`Connor: Net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 through innovation. |
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Environment Ed Markey: Nuclear power is a very expensive way to boil water. Geoff Diehl: Compromise on allowing fishing despite fraud in reporting. Heidi Wellman: Fight EPA regulatory over-reach. John Kingston: Oppose subsidies of uneconomic green technologies. Kevin O`Connor: Need strong federal policy to protect clean air and water. Richard Tisei: Supported cuts in Water Management Act enforcement. Shannon Liss-Riordan: Nuclear power may be carbon free, but it is not risk free. Shiva Ayyadurai: GMOs are destroying our health; establish safety standards. Shiva Ayyadurai: Real problem is not climate change but pollution. John Deaton: Represented people stricken by asbestos-related illnesses. |
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Families & Children Allen Waters: Believes in traditional American values. Shiva Ayyadurai: Ok to believe that marriage is only one man and one woman. Elizabeth Warren: I have spent my whole life fighting for working families. |
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Foreign Policy Allen Waters: Supports Israel and settler movement. Elizabeth Warren: Led bipartisan opposition to China's election interference. Heidi Wellman: American Exceptionalism is too vague. Shiva Ayyadurai: Protect US sovereignty from the UN. Elizabeth Warren: Republicans turned on Ukraine because Trump is still angry. John Deaton: They've got money for Ukraine war, but can't feed the poor. Kevin O`Connor: Failure to criticize China over COVID is weakness. Ed Markey: COVID: Supported travel ban from China. |
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Free Trade Heidi Wellman: Support & expand free trade. Kevin O`Connor: America first means robust free trade. Richard Tisei: Voted YES on International Trade Council to promote exports. John Deaton: Return American jobs lost to China with fair trade deals. Ed Markey: Small businesses face crippling reality from Trump tariffs. |
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Government Reform Ben Downing: Allow online voter registration, early voting, vote by mail. Beth Lindstrom: For Congressional term limits. Brian Herr: Reduce non-military federal workforce by 15% via attrition. Brian Herr: If we want new ideas, send new people, via term limits. Brian Herr: If we want new ideas in Washington, we must send new people. Bruce Skarin: Campaign finance reform to end pervasive corruption. Deval Patrick: Allow online voter registration, early voting, vote by mail. Ed Markey: Ok with outside PAC ads, if positive ads. Geoff Diehl: More public access; more checks on state spending. Geoff Diehl: Term limits for U. S. Senate; no career politicians. Heidi Wellman: Term limits for US Congress. Heidi Wellman: Oppose making voter registration easier. Joe Kennedy III: Necessary regulations costs are crippling. Joe Kennedy III: Proposed pledge to limit spending from outside groups. Joe Kennedy III: Supports People's Pledge: no outside PAC spending. John Kingston: Washington is broken: term limits for members of Congress. Kevin O`Connor: Every vote must count; make ballots more accessible. Shannon Liss-Riordan: Pledge to limit campaign spending from outside groups. Shannon Liss-Riordan: Activist to register new voters. Shiva Ayyadurai: We need term limits against lobbyists & career politician. Shiva Ayyadurai: Pledges to serve one term, not focus on re-election. Sonia Chang-Diaz: Allow online voter registration, early voting, vote by mail. John Deaton: Regulation of crypto another example of government overreach. John Deaton: Strong supporter of term limits . John Deaton: Bottom line: government is the problem most of the time. |
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Gun Control Allen Waters: Opposes strengthening gun laws. Brian Herr: People have a right to defend themselves and their property. Elizabeth Warren: Extend the federal assault weapons ban. Gabriel Gomez: Start with expanded background check tied to mental health. Geoff Diehl: Unwavering support for gun rights. Heidi Wellman: National gun license initiative. Heidi Wellman: Absolute right to gun ownership. Kevin O`Connor: Supports right to bear arms and background checks. Mike Lee: Expanded background check first, not assault weapon ban. Scott Brown: Extend the state assault weapons ban, but not federal. Scott Brown: Reliably pro-gun, but opposed right-to-carry reciprocity. |
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Health Care Al Gross: Alaska has most expensive health care in the world. Al Gross: Public option allows Alaska to compete on equal basis. Beth Lindstrom: Bipartisan cooperation instead of socialized medicine. Ed Markey: Expand online clinical trials registry. Geoff Diehl: Reduce the number of healthcare mandates. Elizabeth Warren: No privatizing Medicare, nor voucher program. Elizabeth Warren: ObamaCare provides free preventive care for women. Geoff Diehl: Opposes single-payer healthcare. Heidi Wellman: Oppose ObamaCare. Joe Kennedy III: ACA has done good things for people in need. Kevin O`Connor: Competitive marketplace will reduce health care costs. Kevin O`Connor: Against mask mandate; "all contact is not equal". Richard Tisei: Opposed tax credits for all smoking regulation costs. Richard Tisei: Supported $10M cut in the uncompensated care pool. Richard Tisei: Voted YES on Constitutional call for universal health care. Shiva Ayyadurai: Patients & doctors determine vaccinations, not government. Shiva Ayyadurai: Real Health can only come when no middle-men are involved. John Deaton: Don�t let ObamaCare tax credits sunset. Kevin O`Connor: Repeal ACA only if pre-existing conditions still covered. Ed Markey: COVID: Trump's response "criminally negligent". |
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Homeland Security Al Gross: Sullivan cut Alaska bases to support border wall. Allen Waters: Congress needs to act on the shameful treatment of veterans. Brian Herr: Hiring freeze for all non-military personnel. Elizabeth Warren: Reduce size of standing army to reduce deficit. Geoff Diehl: 10-point plan to improve veterans' health care & development. Heidi Wellman: Expand the military. Shiva Ayyadurai: Deliver services that our vets need and have been denied. John Deaton: Expand Veterans Choice Program to outside the VA . Ed Markey: Nuclear testing allows China to catch up with technology. |
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Immigration Beth Lindstrom: Against sanctuary cities. Brian Herr: Create a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants. Dan Sullivan: Shift military funding to build border wall. Ed Markey: Would not trade protecting DACA for wall. Ed Markey: Supports comprehensive immigration reform. Elizabeth Warren: Strongly supports the DREAM Act. Elizabeth Warren: Support the DREAM Act: Let kids stay. Geoff Diehl: Build wall; fight illegal immigration. Heidi Wellman: Refugees must be vetted for threats. Heidi Wellman: Oppose pathway to citizenship for illegal aliens. Joe Kennedy III: Kennedy promises to fight for DACA recipients. Kevin O`Connor: Against sanctuary cities, enforce immigration laws. Mike Lee: I will make the "gang of eight" into a "gang of nine". Richard Tisei: Opposed two-way bilingual programs; supported English-only. Scott Brown: DREAM Act provides "back door amnesty". Shiva Ayyadurai: Path to citizenship for those here with clean records. Shiva Ayyadurai: Borders need to be strong, laws need to be enforced. Elizabeth Warren: We need a pathway to citizenship for people who are here. John Deaton: Right to shelter makes MA Ground Zero in migrant crisis. John Deaton: Expand legal immigration; against illegal immigration. |
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Jobs Ben Downing: No disclosure of salary history; equal pay for equal work. Brian Herr: Member of the Repeal The Casino Deal Leadership Team. Charlie Baker: No disclosure of salary history; equal pay for equal work. Ed Markey: Lead petitioner on ballot question mandating sick time. Heidi Wellman: Oppose affirmative action in hiring. Richard Tisei: Voted NO on early retirement for MWRA-work-related cancer. Scott Brown: Proud union member. Shannon Liss-Riordan: Protect tipped workers' wages. Sonia Chang-Diaz: No disclosure of salary history; equal pay for equal work. Shiva Ayyadurai: Government has no responsibility to ensure livable income. John Deaton: Regulations have driven commercial fishermen to bankruptcy. |
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Principles & Values Ed Markey: Legislating is about issues: look at my record. Elizabeth Warren: I know I'm 1/32 Cherokee because my mother told me so. Elizabeth Warren: My family is part Cherokee and I can't change who I am. Elizabeth Warren: My father's family rejected my mother's Indian heritage. Elizabeth Warren: My Indian heritage played no role in Harvard hiring. Elizabeth Warren: DNA test shows Native American ancestry generations back. Elizabeth Warren: Globe review: no use of Native American heritage in hiring. Elizabeth Warren: We will stand up to bigotry against anyone. Heidi Wellman: Keep God in the public sphere. Joe Kennedy III: Co-sponsored Do No Harm Act: keep church and state separate. Joe Kennedy III: Legislating is about which causes we care about first. Kevin O`Connor: MA voters do not want Markey's socialism. Kevin O`Connor: Promises to serve no more than two terms. Mike Lee: Give me 17 months and I will achieve bipartisanship. Scott Brown: Warren claims Native American; but you can see she is not. Shiva Ayyadurai: Rational scientific approach for real solutions. Shiva Ayyadurai: Born in India as an Untouchable. Shiva Ayyadurai: I believe in divinity of Christ; and no Sharia. John Deaton: I come from extreme poverty in a dangerous neighborhood. Ed Markey: Everything I do is based on the Sermon on the Mount. Seth Moulton: Democrats need to ask what they can do differently. |
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Social Security Ed Markey: Opposes privatizing, or any changes that reduce benefits. Ed Markey: Oppose Bush's Social Security benefit cut. Elizabeth Warren: No unnecessary cuts or risky privatization schemes. Heidi Wellman: Don't privatize Social Security. Shiva Ayyadurai: Higher paying jobs ensure future of Social Security. John Deaton: Honor our commitments & replenish our national trust fund. |
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Tax Reform Brian Herr: Proposition 2-1/2 tax under-ride: reduce taxes by $1.2M. Bruce Skarin: Decrease income tax; increase gas tax. Elizabeth Warren: Stop protecting loopholes for millionaires. Geoff Diehl: Voted against all tax increases. Heidi Wellman: Oppose higher taxes on the wealthy. Kevin O`Connor: Trump tax cuts led to greatest economy in last 40 years. Richard Tisei: Voted YES on municipal meals tax, in addition to state tax. Scott Brown: I'm not going to raise taxes on our job creators. Scott Brown: Guilty as charged: I don't want to raise taxes. Scott Brown: Never raise taxes in a recession; it hurts job creators. Allen Waters: Advocate of FairTax system: pay taxes only on what you buy. Elizabeth Warren: For every dollar invested we get $6-10 back from tax cheats. John Deaton: We don't need 87,000 IRS agents for only 735 billionaires. |
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Technology Ed Markey: Expand program to get every child internet access. Richard Tisei: Voted NO on emerging technologies, math & science Fund. Shiva Ayyadurai: Make data from taxpayer funded research accessible. Shiva Ayyadurai: Suspended from Twitter for challenging electronic ballots. Shiva Ayyadurai: Just five major companies now control the digital airwaves. John Deaton: Support Bitcoin; Warren introduced bill to ban it. |
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War & Peace Beth Lindstrom: Why is Sen. Warren dissing U.S. foreign policy in China? Ed Markey: 2003 Iraq war vote was a mistake; 2013 Syria vote was not. Ed Markey: No coherent strategy for exiting from Iraq. Elizabeth Warren: Bring US troops home from Afghanistan before 2014. Elizabeth Warren: Take nothing off the table with Iran's nuclear weapon. Heidi Wellman: They're not merely "foreign entanglements". Joe Kennedy III: Opposed 2003 Iraq war; opposed 2013 Syria war. Scott Brown: No nuance with Iran: no nuclear weapons. Scott Brown: Rely on guidance from generals about Afghanistan withdrawal. Shiva Ayyadurai: Expose the war in Iraq as a fake war. John Deaton: Israel has the absolute right to defend itself . John Deaton: Only finance Ukraine with metrics for tactical independence. Ed Markey: Keep ABM Treaty; abandon Golden Dome. |
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Welfare & Poverty Richard Tisei: Voted NO on allowing parents on welfare to attend school. Elizabeth Warren: Government should partner up to build more housing. John Deaton: Oppose decades-old right-to-shelter law. John Deaton: Authored "Food Stamp Warrior", a memoir. |
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Senatorial winners and losers in each state: AK - AL - AR - AZ - CA - CO - CT - DE - FL - GA - HI - IA - ID - IL - IN - KS - KY - LA - MA - MD - ME - MI - MN - MO - MS - MT - NC - ND - NE - NH - NJ - NM - NV - NY - OH - OK - OR - PA - RI - SC - SD - TN - TX - UT - VA - VT - WA - WI - WV - WY - U.S. House of Representatives winners and losers in each state: AK - AL - AR - AZ - CA - CO - CT - DE - FL - GA - HI - IA - ID - IL - IN - KS - KY - LA - MA - MD - ME - MI - MN - MO - MS - MT - NC - ND - NE - NH - NJ - NM - NV - NY - OH - OK - OR - PA - RI - SC - SD - TN - TX - UT - VA - VT - WA - WI - WV - WY - Gubernatorial winners and losers in each state: AK - AL - AR - AZ - CA - CO - CT - DE - FL - GA - HI - IA - ID - IL - IN - KS - KY - LA - MA - MD - ME - MI - MN - MO - MS - MT - NC - ND - NE - NH - NJ - NM - NV - NY - OH - OK - OR - PA - RI - SC - SD - TN - TX - UT - VA - VT - WA - WI - WV - WY - |
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