Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Historical Details
Position on Issues
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"Kennedy said that he would get behind a bipartisan assault weapons ban, which the overwhelming majority of Democrats support, but has little chance of getting through Capitol Hill given widespread GOP opposition.
"'If we can get a consensus on it, if Republicans and Democrats agree to it and it passes Congress, I would sign it,' he said."
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"There is no incentive for individuals to change bad behavior. We need systemic changes. We need to remove qualified immunity, which would make it necessary for an individual to consider his liability with every interaction. Every good economic system [should] incentive good behavior and punish bad behavior. We need to have that."
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"During the Iowa State Fair over the weekend, Kennedy Jr. told NBC News reporter Ali Vitali that he believes 'a decision to abort a child should be up to the women during the first three months of life.' When asked whether he would sign a federal ban on abortion at 15 weeks or 21 weeks, the presidential hopeful said 'yes, three months.'
"'You know, once a child is viable, outside the womb, I think then the state has an interest in protecting the child…I’m for medical freedom. Individuals ought to be able to make their own choices,' Kennedy Jr. said.
"The campaign said that Kennedy Jr. allegedly 'misunderstood' the question 'in a crowded, noisy exhibit hall' at the Iowa State Fair.
"'Mr. Kennedy’s position on abortion is that it is always the woman’s right to choose. He does not support legislation banning abortion,' the campaign said in a statement."
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Candidate's Website, 2023
"Finally, we will protect wild lands from further development, by curbing mining, logging, oil drilling, and suburban sprawl."Other| Read My Position
Kennedy has not taken a clear position on this issue. At a Town Hall he said, "I do not believe that there is, within that second amendment, that there’s anything we can meaningfully do to reduce the trade in the ownership of guns, and I’m not going to take people’s guns away." However, he also said he would sign an assault weapons ban if it passed Congress.
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"In the conversation last month with Ball and her cohost Saagar Enjeti, Ball asked Kennedy if he would support 'universal health care through a Medicare for All program.' ... 'I would say,' he said, '[that] my highest ambition would be to have a single-payer program . . . where people who want to have private programs can go ahead and do that, but to have a single program that is available to everybody.'"
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"In the conversation last month with Ball and her cohost Saagar Enjeti, Ball asked Kennedy if he would support 'universal health care through a Medicare for All program.' ... 'I would say,' he said, '[that] my highest ambition would be to have a single-payer program . . . where people who want to have private programs can go ahead and do that, but to have a single program that is available to everybody.'"
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"I'm not a big fan of Donald Trump's. I did not like his wall. But what the Border Patrol and everybody else said is, 'You don't need to build a physical barrier from San Diego 2,200 miles around Texas. You do need a physical barrier in certain places where there's high density populations. The rest of it you can monitor with ground monitoring."
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Candidate's Website, 2023
"In Ukraine, the most important priority is to end the suffering of the Ukrainian people, victims of a brutal Russian invasion, and also victims of American geopolitical machinations going back at least to 2014. We must first get clear: Is our mission to help the brave Ukrainians defend their sovereignty? Or is it to use Ukraine as a pawn to weaken Russia? Robert F. Kennedy will choose the first. He will find a diplomatic solution that brings peace to Ukraine and brings our resources back where they belong. We will offer to withdraw our troops and nuclear-capable missiles from Russia's borders. Russia will withdraw its troops from Ukraine and guarantee its freedom and independence. UN peacekeepers will guarantee peace to the Russian-speaking eastern regions. We will put an end to this war. We will put an end to the suffering of the Ukranian people. That will be the start of a broader program of demilitarization of all countries."Other| Read My Position
When asked about a new wealth tax proposal, Kennedy said he would need to read more specifics. However, he also said, "I definitely think that the gap between rich and poor in this country is much too large, that we've destroyed the middle class, and that the very wealthy people ought to be paying more in taxes and corporations."
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Candidate's Twitter Feed, 2023
"The unfortunate SCOTUS ruling striking down President Biden's #studentloan forgiveness program was the predictable result of Biden's failure to bring Congress together on this issue of crucial importance to young Americans."
"President Biden knew his plan wouldn't survive a legal challenge. His plan gave the appearance of action, while accomplishing nothing.
"This is an issue of grave importance to our country. As President, I will galvanize public support to pressure Congress to put down their partisan positions and legislate meaningful relief to the tens of millions of Americans who are drowning in student debt."
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