Tim Ryan in Democratic candidates debate in Detroit Michigan, July 30-31, 2019

On Energy & Oil: We have to invent our way out of this

Sen. Bernie SANDERS: I get a little bit tired of Democrats afraid of big ideas. We've got to ask ourselves a simple question, "What do you do with an industry that knowingly, for billions of dollars in short-term profits, is destroying this planet?"

Ryan: All I'm saying is we have to invent our way out of this thing. If we're waiting for 2040 for a ban to come in on gasoline vehicles, we're screwed. That's why I'm saying get a chief manufacturing officer, align the environmental incentives with the financial incentives, and make sure that people can actually make money off of the new technologies that are moving forward. And then cut the worker in on the deal. Make sure these are union jobs.

SANDERS: I don't disagree with Tim. What that means is we got to, A, take on the fossil fuel industry, B, it means we have to transform our energy system away from fossil fuel to energy efficiency and sustainable energy. We got to transform our transportation system, and we have to lead the world.

Source: July Democratic Primary debate (first night in Detroit) Jul 30, 2019

On Energy & Oil: Regenerative agriculture sequesters carbon in soil

You cannot get there on climate unless we talk about agriculture. We need to convert our industrial agriculture system over to a sustainable and regenerative agriculture system that actually sequesters carbon into the soil. We can move away from all the subsidies that we're giving the farmers. They haven't made a profit in five years. And we could start getting good food into our schools and into our communities. And that's going to drive health care down. Source: July Democratic Primary debate (first night in Detroit) Jul 30, 2019

On Free Trade: China steals intellectual property; out compete 'em

Q: President Trump's tariffs have boosted the U.S. steel industry but hurt auto manufacturers like those here in Michigan, which could drive up the cost of cars. As president, would you continue President Trump's steel tariffs?

RYAN: I think President Trump was onto something when he talked about China. China has been abusing the economic system for a long time. They steal intellectual property. They subsidize goods coming into this country. They've displaced steel workers, auto workers, across the board, eroded our manufacturing. And we basically transferred our wealth of our middle class either up to the top 1% or to China for them to build their military. So I think we need some targeted response against China. But you know how you beat China? You out-compete 'em. And that's why I'd put a chief manufacturing officer in place to make sure that we rebuild the manufacturing base.

Source: July Democratic Primary debate (first night in Detroit) Jul 30, 2019

On Free Trade: China steals intellectual property & steals steel jobs

Q: What about President Trump's trade war with China?

RYAN: China has been abusing the economic system for a long time. They steal intellectual property. They subsidize goods coming into this country. They've displaced steel workers, auto workers, across the board, eroded our manufacturing. I think we need some targeted response against China. But you know how you beat China? You out-compete 'em. I'd put a chief manufacturing officer in place to make sure that we rebuild the manufacturing base.

Q: Would you continue President Trump's steel tariffs, yes or no?

RYAN: I would have to re-evaluate. I think some of them are effective. But he's bungled the whole thing, obviously. Here's the problem with President Trump. He has a tactical move. What's the grand strategy for the United States? China has 100-year plan, a 50-year plan, a 30-year plan, a 20-year plan. We live in a 24-hour news cycle. That spells disaster for our economy and disaster for our global politics.

Source: July Democratic Primary debate (first night in Detroit) Jul 30, 2019

On Health Care: Unions fought for healthcare; let them keep their plans

RYAN: This Medicare-for-All plan that's being offered by Senator Sanders will tell Union members who gave away wages in order to get good healthcare that they're going to lose their healthcare because Washington's going to come in and tell them they got a better plan.

Sen. Bernie SANDERS: It will be better because Medicare-for-all is comprehensive -- it covers all healthcare needs.

RYAN: But you don't know that, Bernie.

SANDERS: I do know it; I wrote the damn bill.

RYAN: Senator Sanders does not know all of the union contracts in the United States. These union members are losing their jobs, their wages have been stagnant, the world is crumbling around them -- the only thing they have is possibly really good healthcare. And the Democratic message is going to be, we're going to go in and the only thing you have left we're going to take it and we're going to do better. I do not think that's a recipe for success for us, it's bad policy and it's certainly bad politics.

Source: July Democratic Primary debate (first night in Detroit) Jul 30, 2019

On Health Care: Medicare for 50-year-olds, and allow buy-in

This plan that's being offered by Senator Warren and Senator Sanders will tell union members who gave away wages in order to get good healthcare that they're going to lose their healthcare because Washington's going to come in and tell them they got a better plan. New and better is this: move Medicare down to 50. Allow people to buy-in, Kaiser Permanente said that if 60 million people do that, they will see a 40% reduction. Source: July Democratic Primary debate (first night in Detroit) Jul 30, 2019

On Health Care: Focus on working class people who take showers after work

We've talked about taking private health insurance away from union members in the industrial Midwest, we've talked about decriminalizing the border, and we've talked about giving free healthcare to undocumented workers when so many Americans are struggling to pay for their healthcare. We've got to talk about the working class issues, the people that take a shower after work, who haven't had a raise in 30 years. If we focus on that, we'll win the election. Source: July Democratic Primary debate (first night in Detroit) Jul 30, 2019

On Immigration: Don't decriminalize people just walking into the US

If you want to come into the country, you should at least ring the doorbell. We have asylum laws. Even if you decriminalize, which we should not do, you still have statutory authority. The president could still use his authority to separate families. So we've got to get rid of Donald Trump. But you don't decriminalize people just walking into the United States. If they're seeking asylum, we want to welcome them. We're a strong enough country to be able to welcome them. Source: July Democratic Primary debate (first night in Detroit) Jul 30, 2019

On Jobs: Create national Chief Manufacturing Officer

Q: Your state of Ohio has around 96,000 workers in auto manufacturing. Senator Sanders is co-sponsoring a bill that would eliminate new gas-powered car sales by 2040. Given the number of auto manufacturing workers in your state, how concerned are you about Senator Sanders' plan?

RYAN: Well, if we get our act together, we won't have to worry about it. My plan is to create a chief manufacturing officer so we could actually start making things in the United States again, that would pull the government [to] work with the private sector, work with investors, emerging tech companies, to dominate the electric vehicle market. China dominates it now, 50% to 60%. I want us to dominate the battery market, make those here in the United States and cut the workers in on the deal. The charging stations, solar panels, same thing; China dominates 60% of the solar panel market.

Source: July Democratic Primary debate (first night in Detroit) Jul 30, 2019

On Jobs: Middle-class need 2 or 3 jobs just to get by

America is great, but not everyone can access America's greatness. The systems that were built to lift us up are now suffocating the American people. The economic system that used to create $30, $40, $50 an hour jobs that you can have a good, solid middle-class living now force us to have two or three jobs just to get by. Source: July Democratic Primary debate (first night in Detroit) Jul 30, 2019

The above quotations are from Democratic candidates debate in Detroit Michigan, July 30-31, 2019. Click here for main summary page. Click here for a profile of Tim Ryan. Click here for Tim Ryan on all issues.
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Page last updated: Sep 08, 2019