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Books by and about 2020 presidential candidates |
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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) |
Guide to Political Revolution,
by Bernie Sanders (2017) |
Where We Go From Here,
by Bernie Sanders (2018) |
Our Revolution,
by Bernie Sanders (2016) |
This Fight Is Our Fight,
by Elizabeth Warren (2017) |
United,
by Cory Booker (2016) |
Conscience of a Conservative,
by Jeff Flake (2017) |
Two Paths,
by Gov. John Kasich (2017) |
Every Other Monday,
by Rep. John Kasich (2010) |
Courage is Contagious,
by John Kasich (1998) |
Shortest Way Home,
by Pete Buttigieg (2019) |
Becoming,
by Michelle Obama (2018) |
Higher Loyalty,
by James Comey (2018) |
The Making of Donald Trump,
by David Cay Johnston (2017) |
Higher Loyalty ,
by James Comey (2018) |
Trump vs. Hillary On The Issues ,
by Jesse Gordon (2016) |
Outsider in the White House,
by Bernie Sanders (2015) |
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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
Don Beyer: Politicians have no business interfering in right to choose.
Ed Gillespie: I never supported a Personhood amendment.
Ed Gillespie: Sell contraceptives over-the-counter to avoid Hobby Lobby.
Ken Cuccinelli: Human life begins at conception.
Ed Gillespie: Opposes abortion.
Ken Cuccinelli: I believe life begins at conception.
Ken Cuccinelli: No new abortion restrictions as governor.
Terry McAuliffe: Supports abortion rights.
George Allen: Define that life begins at conception, but contraception ok.
Tim Kaine: If life begins at conception, we must outlaw contraception.
Robert Sarvis: Supports embryonic stem cell research.
Robert Sarvis: Early term abortions ok, but parental consent for minors.
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Budget & Economy
Ken Cuccinelli: Free enterprise is key to national prosperity.
Robert Sarvis: Free enterprise is key to national prosperity.
Mark Warner: Sequester was stupidest way to cut; shutdown cost even more.
Tim Kaine: Tea Party's reckless economic policies create uncertainty.
Jamie Radtke: Congress should have reformed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
Jamie Radtke: Focus on cutting spending; Allen voted to spend trillions.
Jamie Radtke: We need someone who is going to focus on cutting spending.
George Allen: FactCheck: Vvoted against the Alaskan Bridge to Nowhere.
George Allen: No future debt-limit increases until spending is restrained.
George Allen: Stimulus spending failed to create promised jobs.
Jamie Radtke: If we do not deal with spending, nothing else matters.
Tim Kaine: I cut state spending $5B while investing in infrastructure.
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Civil Rights
Justin Fairfax: Wrong to honor Robert E Lee in VA state senate.
Ralph Northam: Ratify the Equal Rights Amendment.
Don Beyer: Support the Paycheck Fairness Act: equal pay for women.
Don Beyer: Full GLBT equality; repeal DOMA; support ENDA.
Ed Gillespie: Maintain state same-sex marriage ban, but leave it to states.
Mark Warner: Switched to supporting same-sex marriage in 2013.
Ken Cuccinelli: Government shouldn't redefine marriage.
Robert Sarvis: Government has authority to redefine marriage.
Ed Gillespie: Increase share of African-American vote in midterm elections.
Robert Sarvis: Libertarian platform: allow same-sex couples to marry.
Ed Gillespie: OpEd: Lobbied for company that paid women 39% less than men.
Ed Gillespie: Marriage is the legal union of one man and one woman.
Ken Cuccinelli: Traditional marriage ought to be protected.
Ken Cuccinelli: Homosexuality is against nature and harmful to society.
Terry McAuliffe: Supports marriage equality for gays.
George Allen: Gay judges ok; activist judges not ok.
Bob Marshall: Blocked gay judge's nomination.
Tim Kaine: No discrimination against nominating gay judges.
Tim Kaine: GOP agenda on gay marriage is divisive social legislation.
Robert Sarvis: Supports gay marriage.
Robert Sarvis: Opposes affirmative action.
James Webb: Supports civil unions; opposes constitutional ban.
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Corporations
Terry McAuliffe: Made 267 economic development deals, with $5.58B in capital.
Don Beyer: Close corporate tax loopholes.
Robert Sarvis: End ALL government subsidies of specific industries.
George Allen: Encourage corporations to repatriate their foreign earnings.
George Allen: Focus on small business and job creation.
Ed Gillespie: Lobbied to restrict class action lawsuits on corporate fraud.
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Crime
Terry McAuliffe: Second chance for youthful offenders.
Tom Perriello: Replace school-to-prison pipeline with school-to-workforce.
Terry McAuliffe: Restore voting rights to former offenders.
Robert Sarvis: Reverse the militarization of law-enforcement tactics.
Bob McDonnell: Tough punishment and no parole works.
Robert Sarvis: Capital punishment should be legal but rare.
Bob McDonnell: Tough statutes and sentences; but also re-entry programs.
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Drugs
Ralph Northam: Think innovatively about treating pain, to avoid opioids.
Ralph Northam: Make marijuana possession a civil penalty only.
Tom Perriello: Lead the fight to take on our backwards marijuana laws.
Ralph Northam: Be open-minded about medicinal plants like marijuana.
Tom Garrett: Decriminalize pot at the federal level.
Tom Perriello: Has spoken favorably towards marijuana decriminalization.
Ed Gillespie: Opposes decriminalization, but align penalty to pot offense.
Ralph Northam: Blacks are twice as likely to be arrested for pot possession.
Robert Sarvis: Libertarian platform: Legalize marijuana.
Robert Sarvis: Legalize marijuana & decriminalize harder drugs.
Bob McDonnell: Tough sentences for dealers; but new drug courts too.
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Education
Ralph Northam: Pay raise for teachers, to retain the best and brightest.
Ralph Northam: More tuition assistance; protect consumers on student loans.
Ralph Northam: Borrower's Bill of Rights to manage student debt.
Terry McAuliffe: Borrower's Bill of Rights to manage student debt.
Terry McAuliffe: Don't wait until kindergarten to prepare for success.
Don Beyer: Department of Education makes colleges stronger.
Ken Cuccinelli: Teach intelligent design in schools.
Ken Cuccinelli: Free market competition for education dollars.
Robert Sarvis: Free market competition for education dollars.
Ed Gillespie: We spend $12 on safe sex ed for every $1 on abstinence.
Robert Sarvis: Bad schools persist because politicians are in charge.
Robert Sarvis: Supports vouchers, tax credit, charters, & parental triggers.
Bob McDonnell: Top Jobs for the 21st Century: STEM-H degrees.
Bob McDonnell: Zero tolerance policy for failing schools.
Jamie Radtke: Would vote against No Child Left Behind as too expensive.
George Allen: Lower student loan rates; freeze tuition rates.
Jamie Radtke: Feds should not be in the student loan business.
Tim Kaine: More student loan interest cuts; more tuition assistance.
Tim Kaine: FactCheck: Cut college funding & led to 30% tuition increase.
Mark Warner: Involve whole communities in schools.
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Energy & Oil
Frank Wagner: Enable more utility-based solar power & renewable projects.
Terry McAuliffe: Signed 11 bills to promote solar & renewable energy.
Terry McAuliffe: Diversify our fuel mix with zero-carbon emitting sources.
Don Beyer: Reduce carbon emissions with tax on carbon pollution.
Ed Gillespie: Sea levels are rising, but it's debatable what causes it.
Mark Warner: All-of-the-above approach, including pro-coal.
Terry McAuliffe: Co-founded GreenTech electric car company, in Mississippi.
Terry McAuliffe: 2012: Started GreenTech electric car company & soon resigned.
Bob McDonnell: Replace gas tax with sales and use tax.
George Allen: If you use electricity, you should vote for me.
Tim Kaine: Cut subsidies to big oil companies.
George Allen: Energy independence instead of cap-and-trade.
George Allen: Use the blessings of our plentiful American energy.
George Allen: We are blessed to be #1 in energy resources: so use them.
Tim Kaine: We are producing more energy than ever; find alternatives.
Robert Sarvis: Humans cause climate change, but don't regulate CO2.
Ken Cuccinelli: Opposes tailpipe emission rules for CO2 reductions.
Ed Gillespie: Democrats' energy policy is an attack on our quality of life.
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Environment
Don Beyer: Humane treatment of animals is element of civilized society.
Ed Gillespie: OpEd: Lobbied for company that received 50 EPA warnings.
Robert Sarvis: No open space funding, but environmental harm regulations ok.
Ken Cuccinelli: Kill rats around Occupy DC camps; don't move them to VA.
Bob McDonnell: $5 million for open space land conservation.
Ken Cuccinelli: EPA should stand for "the Employment Prevention Agency".
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Families & Children
Terry McAuliffe: Children's Cabinet, and Council on Childhood Success.
Terry McAuliffe: Allow same-sex couples to adopt.
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Foreign Policy
Don Beyer: Oppose any UN declaration of Palestinian statehood.
Don Beyer: As Swiss Ambassador, negotiated release of Iranian hostages.
Don Beyer: Served as Ambassador to Switzerland and in Dept. of Commerce.
Don Beyer: Outlook of engagement toward the world.
Robert Sarvis: Libertarians want less intervention in foreign policy.
George Allen: End foreign aid to Egypt until they join War on Terror.
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Free Trade
Terry McAuliffe: Travel the globe selling VA agricultural & forestry products.
Terry McAuliffe: Rebuild shipping container gateway at Port of Virginia.
Ed Gillespie: Opposes the Export-Import Bank.
Mark Warner: Renew Export-Import Bank to support U.S. businesses globally.
Bob McDonnell: Trade missions worked in London, Shanghai, and Mumbai.
Bob McDonnell: Compete more vigorously to attract jobs from abroad.
Ed Gillespie: Lobbied to remove tariffs on Canadian softwood lumber.
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Government Reform
Ralph Northam: Finally allow no-excuse absentee voting.
Ralph Northam: Make absentee voting easier.
Terry McAuliffe: Make absentee voting easier.
Terry McAuliffe: $100 cap on gifts to public officials & families.
Don Beyer: 18-year term limits for Supreme Court justices.
Ken Cuccinelli: Photo ID for voting.
Jamie Radtke: Country's biggest problem is activist judges.
George Allen: Sexual orientation not a factor in judges' qualifications.
George Allen: Judges shouldn't invent law or impose their political views.
Jamie Radtke: FactCheck: Yes, George Allen voted for 52,000 earmarks.
Jamie Radtke: Line-item veto to get rid of earmark spending.
Jamie Radtke: No more blank checks for Congress.
Robert Sarvis: No limit on campaign contributions; limit government instead.
James Webb: Increasing number of lobbyists is a problem.
Ed Gillespie: Paid $27M in lobbying fees in early 2000s.
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Gun Control
Justin Fairfax: Spoke for strong gun control after Virginia Beach shooting.
Ralph Northam: More deaths due to guns than car accidents: so let's act.
Ralph Northam: Supports universal background checks.
Terry McAuliffe: Supports universal background checks.
Terry McAuliffe: Restore the one handgun a month law.
Don Beyer: Close gun show loophole; ban high capacity magazines.
Ed Gillespie: Fight UN gun ban treaty, & fight bans on guns or ammunition.
Mark Warner: Restrict but don't ban high-capacity magazines.
Robert Sarvis: Gun-control measures fail to reduce violent crime.
George Allen: Instant criminal records check on all gun purchases.
George Allen: Endorsed by NRA for record of defending Second Amendment.
Jamie Radtke: Oppose the Clinton-Feinstein gun ban.
Jamie Radtke: Second Amendment avoids infringement on civil liberties.
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Health Care
Justin Fairfax: VA should have expanded Medicaid for 400,000 people.
Ed Gillespie: Ebola: Impose a flight ban from West Africa.
Mark Warner: Ebola: screen passengers on flights from West Africa.
Don Beyer: Support & improve ObamaCare.
Ed Gillespie: Benefits from GOP resistance to the new health law.
Mark Warner: AdWatch: Targeted by RNC robocalls for support of ObamaCare.
Robert Sarvis: Focus on catastrophic insurance & cash subsidies.
Ken Cuccinelli: Opposes ObamaCare and opposes delaying its implementation.
Terry McAuliffe: Supports ObamaCare's expanding the state's Medicaid program.
Bob McDonnell: ObamaCare is expensive, bureaucratic, and inflexible.
Frank Wagner: Expand Medicaid as long as federal share stays overs 90%.
George Allen: ObamaCare hurts seniors by taking $700B from Medicare.
Tim Kaine: Let Medicare negotiate rates for prescription drug prices.
George Allen: I want to be the deciding vote to repeal ObamaCare.
Tim Kaine: Inaction was not a solution for healthcare.
Jamie Radtke: Repeal Obama's health care overhaul.
Ken Cuccinelli: Challenged & won on Constitutionality of ObamaCare's mandate.
Ken Cuccinelli: ObamaCare has 6 years of costs vs. 10 years of tax revenue.
Mark Warner: Answer seniors’ questions with “Senior Navigator”.
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Homeland Security
Ralph Northam: Tuition assistance for National Guard, plus Tech Talent.
Terry McAuliffe: Foolish sequestration cost VA $9.8B in military contracts.
Don Beyer: We owe veterans and families the best our nation can offer.
Don Beyer: Be wise in defense budget & achieve efficiencies.
Tim Kaine: Budget cuts made us vulnerable to Libya embassy attack.
Tim Kaine: Let Bush tax cuts expire instead of automatic defense cuts.
Bob Marshall: Against "don't ask, don't tell" as Navy officer in 1990s.
George Allen: Military readiness more important than congressional consent.
George Allen: More concerned with army's readiness than war authorization.
George Allen: Spending necessary to bolster the military, post-9-11.
Tim Kaine: All-cuts approach leaves TRICARE & nat'l defense vulnerable.
George Allen: 52,000 earmarks, but mostly for defense & security.
Jamie Radtke: Creating Department of Homeland Defense was not necessary.
Bob McDonnell: In-state tuition for all members of Virginia National Guard.
James Webb: Supports don’t ask, don’t tell rule for military.
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Immigration
Tom Perriello: Welcome immigrants; they make up 1 in 9 Virginians.
Tom Perriello: Commonsense policies for immigrants like drivers licenses.
Don Beyer: I fully support the DREAM Act & a path to citizenship.
Ed Gillespie: Send migrant kids back to parents in Central America.
Mark Warner: Send migrant kids back to Central America, after processing.
Ken Cuccinelli: Protect the borders; prevent illegal entry.
Robert Sarvis: Protect the borders; prevent illegal entry.
Robert Sarvis: Liberalize immigration; population growth lowest since 1930s.
Ed Gillespie: Unapologetic supporter of comprehensive immigration overhaul.
Ken Cuccinelli: Path to citizenship ok as part of compromise.
Terry McAuliffe: Support the DREAM Act for legalizing minors.
Tim Kaine: Make it easier for foreign students to get green cards.
Harris Miller: Tamper-proof ID card; limited enforcement against employers.
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Jobs
Justin Fairfax: Increase minimum wage to $15 per hour.
Terry McAuliffe: Workforce development package: apprenticeships and training.
Bob McDonnell: Campaign bumper sticker: "Bob's for Jobs".
Bob McDonnell: $38 million to spur job creation in targeted programs.
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Principles & Values
Ed Gillespie: Don't let the Left fill the vacuum of minority voters.
Bob McDonnell: Indicted on corruption charges days after leaving office.
Tim Kaine: Smash-mouth partisanship is yesterday's politics.
Tim Kaine: Served as a missionary in Honduras.
Jamie Radtke: Career politicians are part of the problem.
Bob McDonnell: Create a Commonwealth of Opportunity for all Virginians.
Ed Gillespie: Planned political reporting career at Catholic U. of America.
Ed Gillespie: Raised a Democrat; first job with Democrat; switched to GOP.
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Social Security
Mark Warner: Opposes privatizing social security.
Don Beyer: I oppose any effort to privatize Social Security.
George Allen: Raise retirement age, plus options for younger people.
Tim Kaine: Fight against any privatization proposals.
George Allen: Raise retirement age & end benefits to wealthy.
Tim Kaine: Lift the payroll tax cap.
George Allen: Raise retirement age; more retirement security options.
Jamie Radtke: Raise retirement age; private retirement security options.
Tim Kaine: No dangerous privatization schemes for Social Security.
Bob McDonnell: 5% additional retirement contribution from state employees.
Tom Perriello: Our promise lets seniors retire with security and dignity.
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Tax Reform
Ed Gillespie: Use 40% of projected revenue growth for tax relief.
Frank Wagner: More taxes to pay for chronic lack of transportation funding.
Don Beyer: Restore highest personal income tax rate to 39.6%.
Ed Gillespie: Believes in conservative ideas of lower taxes.
Robert Sarvis: Eliminate or dramatically reduce the income tax.
Ken Cuccinelli: Cut taxes by $1.4 billion a year.
George Allen: Letting Bush tax cuts expire is a tax hike.
Tim Kaine: Keep Bush tax cuts except for the wealthy.
George Allen: No tax increases; no defense cuts; no bargaining.
Tim Kaine: Open to some minimum income tax level for everyone.
George Allen: Freedom-to-choose flat tax: present tax code or flat rate.
Tim Kaine: Balance taxes: let Bush tax cuts expire at the top end.
Tim Kaine: No need for millionaire's tax: just let Bush cuts expire.
Bob McDonnell: I will veto any bill or budget which raises taxes.
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Technology
Ralph Northam: Ensure universal broadband access.
Justin Fairfax: Transportation infrastructure crucial to state's economy.
Terry McAuliffe: $4.2M to compete for high energy Electron Ion Collider.
Terry McAuliffe: Launched Cybersecurity Commission & bioscience summit.
Robert Sarvis: 21st-century transportation policy based on user-pays.
Bob McDonnell: $14B on 900 transportation projects, including more Amtrak.
George Allen: Keep taxes off Internet.
George Allen: No online sales tax for out-of-state websites.
Tim Kaine: Force online retailers to collect sales taxes.
Bob McDonnell: $4 billion for 6-year highway and rail project plan.
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War & Peace
Don Beyer: Iranian development of nuclear weapons is unacceptable.
Ed Gillespie: Keep troops in Afghanistan; military on table with Iran.
Mark Warner: Keep military action on the table against Iran.
George Allen: Iran is a threat; prevent getting nuclear weapons.
Bob Marshall: No US military in Libyan war without congressional consent.
Jamie Radtke: No US military in Libyan war without congressional consent.
Bob Marshall: Opposes sending troops overseas without declaration of war.
Jamie Radtke: Opposes sending troops overseas without declaration of war.
Bob McDonnell: 230 Virginians gave lives for War on Terror, including Iraq.
Tim Kaine: Supported Obama's stopping the Iraq War.
Ed Gillespie: As Bush spokesperson, defended Iraqi surge & al Qaeda link.
James Webb: It was a mistake to go to Iraq; said so before Senate vote.
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Welfare & Poverty
Don Beyer: Expand the EITC, a successful anti-poverty program.
Robert Sarvis: Foster a competitive market for community-based services.
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