Donald Trump presidential campaign, 2016/Civil liberties
This page was current as of the 2016 election.
Civil liberties are individual rights and freedoms that are guaranteed by law and support the general welfare. These protections from government interference come from the U.S. Constitution, legislation, and case law derived from the courts over time. Examples include the right to privacy, the right to peaceful assembly, and the right to vote. While the Constitution guarantees basic rights and liberties, states are free to enact legislation to provide greater protection of individuals' civil liberties.
As Americans prepared to cast ballots in the 2016 general election, candidates, voters, and in some states, the courts, were focused on the right to vote and Constitutionally permissible restrictions.
In July and August 2016, courts in five states struck down voter ID and proof-of-citizenship laws. A Texas voter ID law was found to have a discriminatory impact. A federal appeals court determined that North Carolina legislators passed the state's voter ID law with discriminatory intent. In Wisconsin, a federal judge overturned portions of the state's strict voter ID law that he found demonstrated how "preoccupation with mostly phantom election fraud leads to real incidents of disenfranchisement." A county judge in Kansas ordered that Kansas residents who failed to show proof-of-citizenship when they registered to vote and who were blocked from voting in state and local elections during the primary, must be allowed to vote in state and local elections in November. And in North Dakota, a federal judge ruled that the state's voter ID law unfairly burdens Native Americans.[2] While some states could appeal, the increased protection of the right to vote stemming from these rulings may have increased voter access in November.
See what Donald Trump and the 2016 Republican Party Platform said about civil liberties.
Trump on civil liberties
- Trump posted a pledge on his Facebook page on August 16, 2016, promising to “reject bigotry and hatred and oppression in all its forms.” The statement said, “This is my pledge to the American people: as your President I will be your greatest champion. I will fight to ensure that every American is treated equally, protected equally, and honored equally. We will reject bigotry and hatred and oppression in all its forms, and seek a new future built on our common culture and values as one American people.”[3]
- On August 9, 2016, Trump stated his support for a voter ID law in North Carolina that a federal appeals court struck down in July 2016. The court argued that the law was “passed with racially discriminatory intent.” Regarding North Carolina’s voter ID law and other like it elsewhere, Trump stated, “Voter ID. What’s with that? What’s with voter ID? Why aren’t we having voter ID. In other words, I want to vote, here’s my identification. I want to vote. As opposed to somebody coming up and voting 15 times for Hillary. And I will not tell you to vote 15 times. I will not tell you to do that. You won’t vote 15 times, but people will. They’ll vote many times, and how that could have happened is unbelievable.”[4]
- Donald Trump said in a 2011 Forbes interview that online gambling "has to happen because many other countries are doing it and like usual the U.S. is just missing out." Additionally, the country could benefit from tax revenue produced by the new gaming outlet. At the time of this interview, Trump had a personal stake in online gaming regulation because of a potential joint venture with hedge fund manager, Marc Lasry.[5]
- In 1990, Trump argued that drugs should be legalized and taxed "to take the profit away" from drug dealers.[6]
Race and ethnicity
- After taking some criticism for not reaching out to the African-American community, Trump made a direct appeal to black voters in a speech in Wisconsin on August 16, 2016. Commenting on the riots in Milwaukee, he said, “Law and order must be restored. It must be restored for the sake of all, but most especially for the sake of those living in the affected communities. The main victims of these riots are law-abiding African American citizens living in these neighborhoods. It’s their job, it’s their homes, it’s their schools and communities which will suffer the most as a result. … It is time for our society to address some honest and very difficult truths. The Democratic party has failed and betrayed the African American community.”[7]
- In 2005, Trump proposed creating a season of “The Apprentice” that would pit a “team of successful African Americans versus a team of successful whites.” He said, “Whether people like that idea or not, it is somewhat reflective of our very vicious world."[8]
- On August 2, 2015, Donald Trump called the number of unarmed black men being killed by police officers “a massive crisis." He added, however, "[W]e have to give power back to the police because we have to have law and order. Hundreds of killings are in Baltimore. Hundreds of killings are in Chicago. And New York is not doing so great in terms of that front. We have to give strength and power back to the police. And you're always going to have mistakes made. And you're always going to have bad apples. But you can't let that stop the fact that police have to regain some control of this tremendous crime wave and killing wave that's happening in this country."[9]
- Trump released several tweets on April 28, 2015, regarding the civil unrest in Baltimore, Maryland. Trump suggested the National Guard should intervene and that the Baltimore police were standing idle. Criticizing President Barack Obama, Trump added, "Our great African American President hasn't exactly had a positive impact on the thugs who are so happily and openly destroying Baltimore!"[10]
- Following the death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, Trump said in August 2014, "This is a racial situation. It’s not covered that way in the press. It’s not even discussed in the press. They don’t want to discuss it. They stay away from it."[11] In November 2014, as the grand jury decision regarding Brown's murder was pending, Trump tweeted, "They’re going to riot in Ferguson no matter what."[12]
Marijuana
| The 2016 Republican Party Platform on civil liberties and voting rights | |||
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Recent news
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See also
Footnotes
- ↑ The Wall Street Journal, "Donald Trump Enters 2016 Presidential Race," June 16, 2015
- ↑ NPR, "As November Approaches, Courts Deal Series Of Blows To Voter ID Laws," August 2, 2016
- ↑ Politico, "Trump issues 'pledge to the American people'," August 16, 2016
- ↑ Politico, "Trump: Without ID law, voters will vote '15 times' for Clinton," August 9, 2016
- ↑ Forbes, "Donald Trump: Internet Gambling Mogul," October 20, 2011
- ↑ The Chicago Tribune, "Trump Backs Legalizing Drugs," April 15, 1990
- ↑ The Guardian, "Trump appeals to black voters in attempt to offset dismal polling," August 17, 2016
- ↑ CBS News, "Donald Trump once proposed a race-based season of 'The Apprentice'," May 19, 2016
- ↑ Talking Points Memo, "Trump: We Must Give 'Power' Back To Police To Fight 'Rampant' Crime," August 3, 2015
- ↑ Salon, "Donald Trump: Obama has failed the city of Baltimore — but 'I would fix it fast!'," April 28, 2015
- ↑ Huffington Post, "Donald Trump Brings His Usual Level Of Wisdom To The Ferguson Conversation," August 18, 2014
- ↑ CBS St. Louis, "Trump: ‘They’re Going to Riot in Ferguson No Matter What’," November 21, 2014
- ↑ Republican Party, "The 2016 Republican Party Platform," accessed August 23, 2016
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
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