FeelTheBern grassroots website: on Homeland Security

Bernie Sanders: NSA is unconstitutionally out of control

A: He voted against the USA PATRIOT Act (which permits the government broad surveillance powers with little oversight) and its reauthorization:
• In 2005, Bernie introduced a House amendment to prevent funds from being used to obtain library and book-buying records.
• In 2008, Bernie voted against the FISA Amendments Act, which gave the NSA almost unchecked power to monitor Americans' international phone calls and emails.
• Bernie later introduced the Restore Our Privacy Act to limit overbroad surveillance requests.
• Bernie has tweeted his thoughts on the NSA: "In my view, the NSA is out of control and operating in an unconstitutional manner. I worry very much about kids growing up in a society where they think 'I'm not going to talk about this issue, read this book, or explore this idea because someone may think I'm a terrorist.' That is not the kind of free society I want for our children." Source: 2016 grassroots campaign website FeelTheBern.org, "Issues" Sep 5, 2015

  Bernie Sanders: Reduce nuclear budget by $100B; end proliferation worldwide

  Bernie has stated unequivocally that we must limit nuclear proliferation and work towards a safer world free of nuclear weapons: "I strongly agree with President Obama's call for 'a world without nuclear weapons.' As has been made apparent by recent provocative actions by North Korea and Iran, the threat of nuclear weapons is a present threat to the security of America and the world. We must limit nuclear proliferation, now and in the future. We must end the production of weapons-grade uranium. And we must heed what President Obama has called our 'moral responsibility' to lead the way toward reducing, and eventually eliminating, nuclear weapons."

  It is with this vision in mind that Bernie supports the Iran nuclear pact. Similarly, Bernie has been working to reduce nuclear weapons stockpiles around the world. In 2015, Bernie co-sponsored the Smarter Approach to Nuclear Expenditures Act, which would reduce the nuclear weapons budget by $100 billion over the next ten years.

  Source: 2016 grassroots campaign website FeelTheBern.org, "Issues" Sep 5, 2015

  Bernie Sanders: 2009: Voted against closing Gitmo; 2015: supports closing it

  Bernie supports closing the Guant namo Bay detention camp the United States maintains on the Cuban island, noting it has "significantly damaged the United States' moral standing, undermined our foreign policy, and encourage terrorism rather than effectively combated it." His opinion refers to abuse and torture, as well as the unlawful detention of inmates at the military prison Amnesty International has called a "gulag of our times."

  In 2009 Bernie voted against the proposals the Obama administration suggested for closing the prison. The bill was defeated with strong bipartisan support (90-6). Given Bernie's human rights concerns regarding the facility, he likely voted against it because the plans did not address the human rights violations--including being held indefinitely without trial--that he and so many other Americans are most concerned about with regards to Guant namo.

  Source: 2016 grassroots campaign website FeelTheBern.org, "Issues" Sep 5, 2015

  Bernie Sanders: Costs of endless war detract from citizens' well-being

  Q: What does Bernie believe about current levels of defense spending?

  A: While Bernie appreciates a strong defense system, he has also views the cost of endless wars and tremendous peacetime defense spending as detracting from facing "some of the most pressing economic issues affecting the well-being of ordinary Americans." Bernie firmly rejects any increase to defense spending at the cost of cuts to domestic social spending.

  Q: Why is Bernie so concerned with the defense budget?

  A: Bernie sees a lack of accountability on defense spending. Explaining his "no" vote on the 2015 National Defense Authorization Act, which set the military's budget at $560 billion, Bernie expressed concern that "the military is unable to even account for how it spends all of its money." Bernie also voted against the 2012 and 2013 defense authorization bills, voicing alarm at the size of the defense budget despite the US having withdrawn all military members from Iraq.

  Source: 2016 grassroots campaign website FeelTheBern.org, "Issues" Sep 5, 2015

  The above quotations are from FeelTheBern.org grassroots presidential campaign website. Click here for definitions & background information on Homeland Security. Click here for other issues (main summary page). Click here for more quotes by Bernie Sanders on Homeland Security.
  2016 Presidential contenders on Homeland Security:
  	Republicans: Gov.Jeb Bush(FL) Dr.Ben Carson(MD) Gov.Chris Christie(NJ) Sen.Ted Cruz(TX) Carly Fiorina(CA) Gov.Jim Gilmore(VA) Sen.Lindsey Graham(SC) Gov.Mike Huckabee(AR) Gov.Bobby Jindal(LA) Gov.John Kasich(OH) Gov.Sarah Palin(AK) Gov.George Pataki(NY) Sen.Rand Paul(KY) Gov.Rick Perry(TX) Sen.Rob Portman(OH) Sen.Marco Rubio(FL) Sen.Rick Santorum(PA) Donald Trump(NY) Gov.Scott Walker(WI)	Democrats: Gov.Lincoln Chafee(RI) Secy.Hillary Clinton(NY) V.P.Joe Biden(DE) Gov.Martin O`Malley(MD) Sen.Bernie Sanders(VT) Sen.Elizabeth Warren(MA) Sen.Jim Webb(VA) 2016 Third Party Candidates: Gov.Gary Johnson(L-NM) Roseanne Barr(PF-HI) Robert Steele(L-NY) Dr.Jill Stein(G,MA)
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  Page last updated: Sep 13, 2016