The end to wars and duties: what the Democrats argued during the debate in Texas

Democratic presidential hopefuls have criticized Donald Trump's China policies, saying his proposed tariffs on a wide range of Chinese goods would hurt American consumers.Voice of America«.

Candidates also promised to put an end to US military campaigns abroad, noting the negative consequences of the “endless wars”.

Leading 10 candidates voiced their views during a three-hour debate on Thursday evening in Houston, Texas.

“It’s clear that the president has no strategy,” said Pete Buttidzhich, mayor of South Bend in Indiana, talking about the situation with China.

He said that if elected, he would develop a strategy that would include duties as a lever of pressure, but would not be based solely on them.

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“Now the president has reduced the entire Chinese problem to duties, although we know that duties themselves hit us the most, and there is no larger strategy,” Buttijic said.

Minnesota Senator Amy Klobushar said that the announced fees have already cost the Americans 300 000 jobs.

“Unsold soybeans are deposited throughout the Midwest, including in my state of Minnesota and Iowa,” she said.

Former mayor of the Texas city of San Antonio, Julian Castro, noted that due to fees, American families will lose an average of 600 dollars.

“Just a couple of days ago, 60 percent of Americans expressed the opinion that a recession awaits us next year,” Castro warned. “So when I become president, I will immediately begin negotiations with China to de-escalate this trade war.”

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According to California Senator Kamala Harris, the United States needs to work with China on climate change and the North Korean issue.

When the conversation turned to Afghanistan, Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren said it was necessary to bring American troops back from the country where they had been operating for 18 years.

“We cannot continue to ask our military to solve problems that cannot be solved by military means,” Warren emphasized. “With the help of bombs, we cannot find a solution in Afghanistan.”

“We need to put an end to the endless war,” Buttigic supported her position.

Former vice president Joe Biden, considered the favorite of the race, expressed the view that Afghanistan “will not be able to unite, these are three different countries,” and said that if elected he intends to return the US military to his homeland.

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He also expressed regret that in 2003, he supported the resolution on the introduction of troops into Iraq under the pretext of destroying stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction, which the country never found.

“I should not have given Bush the authority to send troops into the country and do what he intended to do,” Biden said.

One of the most memorable phrases of the evening said former congressman from Texas, Beto O'Rourke.

Answering a question about his position regarding the assault weapon and the right to carry it, he categorically declared: “Yes, damn it, we will take your AR-15 rifles, your Kalashnikovs and will no longer allow you to use them against fellow citizens.”

At the very beginning of the debate, Biden and Warren entered into a discussion about health - one of the contentious issues that democrats share. Joe Biden criticized his party rival for her idea of ​​universal free health care - Medicare for All.

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Former vice president of Barack Obama’s administration said he plans to complement Obamaker, an affordable healthcare law drafted by the former president, and accused Warren and Sanders of wanting to end Barack Obama’s initiative.

“I know Senator [Warren] will say she's for Bernie [Sanders]. Okay – I'm for Barack [Obama]. I think Obamacare worked. It's about sincerity, honesty, big ideas,” Biden said.

Warren noted that she did not criticize Obama for his health care reforms, but added: “Now the question is how we can best improve [this law].” The senator said that the idea of ​​“Medicare for all” is the best way out of this situation.

In previous debates, which took place in June and July, 20 candidates participated immediately. However, now the party has tightened the criteria for participation in the event, which has reduced the number of participants and allowed race leaders to draw voters' attention to their programs.

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The debate was attended by ten candidates considered leaders of the race: in addition to Biden and Warren, Bernie Sanders, Kamala Harris, Cory Booker, Pete Buttigic, Julian Castro, Amy Klobushar, Andrew Young and Beto O'Rourke participated in the debate.