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Decision 2016: Where the Candidates Stand on Social Justice

October 26, 2016

Catharsis Productions does not endorse political candidates. But in this presidential election year, we wanted to highlight the positions of the candidates on issues that are vital to our work to prevent sexual assault and reduce interpersonal violence.

 

SEXUAL ASSAULT PREVENTION ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES

HILLARY CLINTON (DEMOCRAT)

From campaign website: “Hillary’s plan to end campus sexual assault is guided by 3 principles: 1) Provide Comprehensive Support to Survivors 2) Ensure a Fair Process for All 3) Increase Prevention and Education Efforts” Read more.  

DONALD TRUMP (REPUBLICAN)

Candidate has taken no specific position. GOP Party Platform includes the following language on Title IX: “Sexual assault is a terrible crime. We commend the good-faith efforts by law enforcement, educational institutions, and their partners to address that crime responsibly. Whenever reported, it must be promptly investigated by civil authorities and prosecuted in a courtroom, not a faculty lounge. Questions of guilt or innocence must be decided by a judge and jury, with guilt determined beyond a reasonable doubt. Those convicted of sexual assault should be punished to the full extent of the law. The Administration’s distortion of Title IX to micromanage the way colleges and universities deal with allegations of abuse contravenes our country’s legal traditions and must be halted before it further muddles this complex issue and prevents the proper authorities from investigating and prosecuting sexual assault effectively with due process.”

JILL STEIN (GREEN)

Candidate has not addressed the issue specifically in her platform or in public statements. Green Party Platform does not include language on sexual assault on college campuses.

GARY JOHNSON (LIBERTARIAN)

Candidate has not addressed the issue specifically in his platform or public statements. The Libertarian Party Platform does not include language on sexual assault on college campuses.

 

 

MARRIAGE EQUALITY

HILLARY CLINTON (DEMOCRAT)

From campaign website: Will uphold the US Supreme Court ruling recognizing the right of all Americans to marry the person they love.

DONALD TRUMP (REPUBLICAN)

Trump has made public statements that he believes this issue should be decided by individual states.

JILL STEIN (GREEN)

From campaign website (in response to Lavender Caucus candidate questionnaire): supported marriage equality as candidate for Massachusetts governor in 2002 and has continued that support.

GARY JOHNSON (LIBERTARIAN)

From campaign website: Johnson supports marriage equality.

 

RIGHTS OF TRANSGENDER CITIZENS

HILLARY CLINTON (DEMOCRAT)

From campaign website: “Hillary will work to protect transgender individuals from violence, make it easier for transgender Americans to change their gender marker on identification documents, and invest in law enforcement training focused on fair and impartial policing, including in interactions with LGBT people.”

DONALD TRUMP (REPUBLICAN)

In May, Trump called in to Fox and Friends and stated that he believes that states should determine if they will permit transgender students to use the bathroom that matches their gender identity in public schools. He has not taken a position on transgender rights beyond this issue.

JILL STEIN (GREEN)

From campaign website (in response to Lavender Caucus candidate questionnaire): supports the inclusion of transgender, queer, intersex and asexual people in federal non-discrimination and hate crime legislation.

GARY JOHNSON (LIBERTARIAN)

In a June phone interview with ProCon, Johnson said that if he were the governor of North Carolina, he would have vetoed HB2, legislation that forces transgender individuals to use the bathroom of their gender assigned at birth. The Libertarian Party Platform includes the following language: “Sexual orientation, preference, gender, or gender identity should have no impact on the government’s treatment of individuals, such as in current marriage, child custody, adoption, immigration or military service laws.”

 

 

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PREVENTION

HILLARY CLINTON (DEMOCRAT)

From campaign website: Clinton commits to “confronting violence against women,” primarily by fighting sexual assault on campus (see above) and preventing gun violence.

DONALD TRUMP (REPUBLICAN)

Candidate has not put forward a plan or made public statements on this issue. The Republican Party Platform does not include language on domestic violence prevention.

JILL STEIN (GREEN)

Candidate has not put forward a specific plan. The Green Party Platform includes the following: “We must address the root cause of all violence even as we specifically address violence to women. We support stronger legislation, programs and enforcement. We also call for new dialog and re-thinking that can lead to better language, ideas and solutions. We urge that the term “domestic violence” be replaced by the term “violence,” because “domestic violence” is not perceived as real violence, which leads to it not being treated legally and practically for the violence that it is.”

GARY JOHNSON (LIBERTARIAN)

Johnson has not put forth a plan or made public statements on this issue. The Libertarian Party platform does not include language on domestic violence prevention.

 

 

PREVENTING SEXUAL ASSAULT IN THE MILITARY

HILLARY CLINTON (DEMOCRAT)

From campaign website: includes “aggressively combating military sexual assault and harassment” as part of her plan to sustain and strengthen US Armed Forces.

DONALD TRUMP (REPUBLICAN)

In an NBC Commander-In-Chief Forum in September, Trump called sexual assault in the military “a massive problem.” “But we have to do something about that problem. And the best thing we can do is set up a court system within the military. Right now, the court system practically doesn’t exist. It takes too long.” He also stated, “Right now, part of the problem is nobody gets prosecuted. You have the report of rape and nobody gets prosecuted. There are no consequences. When you have somebody that does something so evil, so bad as that, there has to be consequence for that person. You have to go after that person. Right now, nobody’s doing anything. Look at the small number of results. I mean, that’s part of the problem.”

JILL STEIN (GREEN)

From campaign website: “Fully investigate and prosecute cases of Military Sexual Trauma outside of the military judicial system.”

GARY JOHNSON (LIBERTARIAN)

Candidate has not taken public position on this issue. The Libertarian Party Platform does not include language on preventing sexual assault in the military.

 

RACIAL EQUALITY

HILLARY CLINTON (DEMOCRAT)

Clinton’s website outlines a “Racial Justice” agenda that includes Criminal Justice Reform, protecting voting rights, protecting the rights of immigrants and their families, and closing the achievement gap in education. Read More.

DONALD TRUMP (REPUBLICAN)

As part of Trump’s immigration plan, the US would vet applicants to “ensure they support America’s values, institutions and people, and temporarily suspend immigration from regions that export terrorism and where safe vetting cannot presently be ensured.” When asked in the first presidential debate how he would heal the nation’s racial divide, he expressed his support for “bringing back law and order” including expanding “stop and frisk” policing policies in high-crime communities.

JILL STEIN (GREEN)

In response to a League of Women Voters Candidate Questionnaire, Stein outlines her plans to promote racial and social justice, including ending unemployment in low-income communities, criminal justice reform, policing reform, ending the war on drugs, improving education and ending mass incarceration. Read more.

GARY JOHNSON (LIBERTARIAN)

Johnson does not have a specific agenda relating to racial justice. The Libertarian Party Platform includes the following statement: “We condemn bigotry as irrational and repugnant. Government should neither deny nor abridge any individual’s human right based upon sex, wealth, ethnicity, creed, age, national origin, personal habits, political preference or sexual orientation. Members of private organizations retain their rights to set whatever standards of association they deem appropriate, and individuals are free to respond with ostracism, boycotts and other free-market solutions.”

 

No matter which candidate you support, the most important thing you can do this year is to get out and VOTE! The next president will appoint at least one and as many as four justices to the US Supreme Court, guiding the course of our nation for generations. And finally, hundreds of critical local, state and federal contests will be decided this year. In many ways, these down-ticket races are as important if not more important than the presidential election.

Election Day is Tuesday, November 8th, but early voting has already started in many states – click here to find out more.

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