Marianne Williamson
Running for: US President
Williamson has been described as a self-help author, spiritual advisor, and activist. She criticizes Biden and other Democratic Party leaders for policies that favor wealthy donors over working class voters – including efforts to bump New Hampshire later in the presidential primary calendar. She suspended her campaign in early February, then "un-suspended" her campaign after the Michigan primary on February 27. She acknowledged her slim chances at victory but said, "something so much more important than the horse race is at stake here. And we must respond."
Awaiting response to our 2024 Presidential Primary Survey
Position on Issues
No Response
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2023
Do you support ending China's Permanent Normal Trade Relations status?
Other| Read My Position
"First of all, I don't like the saber rattling that's even involved in that question. China's economy is not doing well. We must keep our competition with China off the battlefield. China knows that we and other Western and Western allies could cause a lot of problems for them economically, if they were to do that, just as we know that they could mess with us. We must be very careful, we must be very firm, we must not let them bully us or our allies. But we -- as much as we must make a stand for such things as human rights. At this point, we must be committed that this not spill over into a military confrontation. ... There are ways to defend Taiwan other than military. And I don't think I don't think that Taiwan appreciates that Americans are having this conversation the way they are. They have played this very carefully. They keep their heads down."
Against| Read My Position
Williamson generally opposes military action and supports the creation of a Department of Peace. She writes on her website, "While America has some serious enemies – and it’s certainly our responsibility to protect our country and our children – I believe our country’s way of dealing with security issues is increasingly obsolete. We cannot simply rely on brute force to rid ourselves of international enemies. In so doing, we overburden our military by asking them to compensate for the work we ourselves are not doing."
Against| Read My Position
Candidate's Website, 2019
"Another canard is that building a wall across our entire southern border is needed. In fact, unauthorized immigrants are increasingly entering the United States perfectly legally, then simply overstaying visas. No increase in border security will impact this most common route into our nation. Yes, we can invest in smart border security when it's actually needed, while also looking at underlying causes of the displacement of so many people south of our border, including our long failed war on drugs, which has created rampant crime and violence among our neighbors. A wall is expensive, impractical, and unlikely to address any of the real challenges we face."
For| Read My Position
"With the Battle of Bakhmut raging, both Russia and Ukraine are intent on winning this war. Diplomatic options are severely limited until the war begins to break one way or the other. Regardless how we got here, our only choice at this point is to either support Ukraine or to not. While the United States should do everything possible to support a negotiated settlement, our goal should also be a negotiated settlement in which Ukraine still has a chance to exist."
For| Read My Position
Candidate's Website, 2023
"Eliminate the sale of assault rifles and semi-automatic weapons, ban bump stocks, high-capacity magazines, and 3-D printing of firearms. Assault weapons are used as weapons of war, and should not be sold to private citizens. 74% of Americans want to raise the minimum legal age to buy any guns to 21. In accordance with the ban on these weapons and accessories, the age to purchase guns that are legal under these laws should be raised unilaterally to 21. There should not be an age discrepancy in the type of firearm an individual can buy."
For| Read My Position
"The U.S. Army defines assault rifles as 'short, compact, selective-fire weapons that fire a cartridge intermediate in power between submachine gun and rifle cartridges.' I support a ban on assault weapons."
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Candidate's Twitter Feed, 2023
"I would de-schedule cannabis from a Schedule One drug on my first day in office.
"Release all nonviolent drug offenders.
"Expunge their records.
"End the War on Drugs.
"Happy 4/20!"
For| Read My Position
Although she has not directly addressed an electric vehicle mandate, Williamson states on her website, "Accelerate the production of Electric Vehicles, invest in charging infrastructure, and continue efforts to maximize fuel efficiency until we can move away from internal combustion engines. All parking spaces on either private or public land would have to have access to electric charging stations by 2035."
Against| Read My Position
Candidate's Website, 2023
"Federal data shows that as of 2022 over 3,500 permits for gas and oil drilling on public lands have been issued. This is more than the previous administrations approved number of permits. A Williamson administration will sign an executive order to change the parameters for the Bureau of Land Management’s issuing of permits.
"End all new oil and gas leases in federal lands and waters. Plan the phaseout of existing oil and gas leases on federal lands."
Against| Read My Position
"These government supports that have proven time and again to be successful at staving off poverty for millions of Americans, are being cut – by Democrats no less – at a time when rents are spiraling out of control for the poorest families, wages are stagnant due to the assault on unions and working people; while poor people are being preyed on by rapacious financial institutions via higher interest rates and paralyzing fees, and we have a legal system that traps people into a cycle of poverty for the most minor of infractions. ... A Williamson administration will:
"Cap interest rates at 10 percent across all financial institutions."
Other| Read My Position
Williamson has not addressed tariffs as part of her 2024 economic agenda, but during then-president Trump's 2018 tariff hikes she said, "I am not inherently closed to the idea of tariffs, but I question the president's heavy-handed use of them in the current case."
No Response
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2023
Should the federal government combat inflation by capping price increases by large businesses?
Other| Read My Position
Williamson supports increased government spending in many areas, from housing to the environment. However, she also supports cutting defense spending. In a 2023 interview she said, "I think what we need to have as a serious conversation about the fact that it was $858 billion, that it is today, so much more than any other nation, there are people within the military themselves. Who would say that this is more than we need for actual security."
For| Read My Position
Other| Read My Position
Candidate's Twitter Feed, 2017
Williamson has not made a statement on the Jones Act overall. However, she did support waiving the Jones Act in Puerto Rico following a storm in 2017.
Against| Read My Position
"Eliminating the cap will immediately secure the long term solvency of the Social Security program and allow the program to expand benefits without raising the retirement age."
No Response
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2023
Should the federal government reform Social Security by requiring means testing?
For| Read My Position
- "The cap on social security taxation is reverse means testing. The cap is currently set at $160,200. Even if the cap is raised to $250,000 (as has been proposed) that means 95% of wage earners have their entire income subject to taxation, while the richest 5% are able to avoid a huge tax liability. How is this fair?
- "Eliminating the cap will reduce the extremes of poverty and wealth that are inherently undemocratic (This isn’t about the first and second yacht, it’s about the 3rd, 4th, 5th yachts…)
- "Eliminating the cap will immediately secure the long term solvency of the Social Security program and allow the program to expand benefits without raising the retirement age."
Against| Read My Position
"I will veto any attempts to privatize Social Security. The move from guaranteed pensions to 401k plans for workers that started in the 1980’s under Ronald Reagan has been disastrous. It has left the retirement money of working people at the mercy of the fluctuations of the stock market. This makes the money people put away for their retirement security a plaything for the trading class. Consider what happened to tens of thousands of Enron workers when that company collapsed due to its own financial malfeasance. We cannot continue to allow this level of risk with essential retirement funds."
For| Read My Position
Against| Read My Position
"Regarding abortion rights, I am one hundred percent pro-choice."
For| Read My Position
"Codify Roe v. Wade into a federal law"
Other| Read My Position
Williamson does not directly address transgender women and sports on her website, but she is generally supports legal protections for LGBTQ+ for individuals. For example, she writes, "Certain parts of the LGBTQIA+ population, particularly transgender women of color, are at higher risk for marginalization and even violence. This makes them a population that needs not only equal rights but the specific status of special protection. Under a Williamson administration, they would have that."
For| Read My Position
Candidate's Twitter Feed, 2023
Marianne Williamson supports the creation of new federal departments, such as a Department of Peace. However, she also supports abolishing some existing departments. Shortly after January 6th she wrote, "The Department of Homeland Security has been a disaster and should be abolished. We’ve seen it treat protests like threats and real threats as though they didn’t exist."
No Response
Citizens Count Issue Survey, 2023
Do you support mandatory competency tests for federal candidates over age 75?
Against| Read My Position
"No, I do not believe a president should be able to pardon herself. And no, I would not pardon former President Trump if elected, nor would I otherwise direct the Justice Department to drop the case against him."
Against| Read My Position
"In a perfect world, term limits are elections. So what term limits would do, is it treats the symptom. But I believe first we need to treat the cause."
