Marianne Williamson says majority of Americans will come to agree with increased spending to address climate change - WMUR Manchester

Marianne Williamson supports raised spending for climate change

Marianne Williamson says majority of Americans will come to agree with increased spending to address climate change
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Updated: 7:26 PM EDT Jun 30, 2023

CONTINUES RIGHT NOW. WELCOME BACK TO OUR CONVERSATION WITH THE CANDIDATE WITH DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT, MARY ANN WILLIAMSON. WE HAVE QUESTIONS NOW FROM OUR STUDIO AUDIENCE. ALL NEW HAMPSHIRE VOTERS WILL JUMP IN WITH A FOLLOW UP OR TWO. BUT WE REALLY WANT TO GET TO THEM FOR AS MANY QUESTIONS AS POSSIBLE. SO LET’S START THINGS OFF WITH JOAN WENTWORTH. GOOD EVENING. WELCOME TO NEW HAMPSHIRE. THANK YOU. ON YOUR WEBSITE, YOU DISCUSS THE CRITICAL NEED FOR A FULL SCALE MOBILIZATION TO COMBAT GLOBAL WARMING POLLS. HOWEVER, INDICATE THAT AS MANY AS A THIRD OF AMERICANS DO NOT BELIEVE THAT HUMAN CAUSED CLIMATE CHANGE EXISTS. THAT’S HOW DO YOU PLAN TO CONVINCE PEOPLE THAT THERE REALLY IS A NEED FOR EXTREME AND EXPENSIVE MEASURES AND GET FUNDS APPROPRIATED TO PAY FOR THEM? OFTEN IN AMERICAN HISTORY, THERE HAS BEEN A GAP BETWEEN THE RIGHT THING TO DO AND WHAT PEOPLE SAW AS THE RIGHT THING TO DO. THE MAJORITY OF AMERICANS DIDN’T SEE AT THE BEGINNING THAT WE NEEDED TO ERADICATE SLAVERY. THE MAJORITY OF AMERICANS DIDN’T SEE AT THE BEGINNING THAT WOMEN SHOULD BE GIVEN THE RIGHT TO VOTE. THE MAJORITY OF AMERICANS DIDN’T SEE AT THE BEGINNING THAT SEGREGATION SHOULD END IN THE AMERICAN SOUTH. SOMETIMES IT TAKES TIME AND OFTEN THAT GAP IS CLOSED BY LEADERSHIP, BY GREAT PRESIDENTIAL LEADERSHIP. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT ALWAYS FASCINATED ME ABOUT PRESIDENT FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT, WHO WAS IN A SIMILAR SITUATION AT THE BEGINNING OF HITLER’S DRIVE THROUGH EUROPE, THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WERE IN AND ISOLATE MODE. THEY HAD BEEN THROUGH WORLD WAR ONE, DIDN’T WANT TO GO TO WAR AGAIN. SO PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT BEGAN WHAT WERE CALLED THE FIRESIDE CHATS, AND HE TALKED TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. AND HE EDUCATED THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, THE AMERICAN PEOPLE HAVE SIMPLY BEEN UNDEREDUCATED AND MISINFORMED. WE NOW KNOW THAT BIG OIL KNEW DECADES AGO THE DAMAGE THAT THEY WERE DOING TO THE ENVIRONMENT. BILLIONS AND BILLIONS OF DOLLARS ARE SPENT BY THE FORCES OF BIG OIL TO CONFUSE PEOPLE, TO MISINFORM PEOPLE. AT A CERTAIN POINT, SOCIETAL CHANGE DOESN’T BEGIN IMMEDIATELY BECAUSE THE THE MAJORITY GETS IT. IT BEGINS BECAUSE ENOUGH PEOPLE GET IT. AND WE NOW HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE WHO UNDERSTAND WE DO HAVE A PROBLEM. AND WITH A RIGHT PRESIDENT TALKING TO PEOPLE ABOUT WHAT IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING AND EXPLAINING TO PEOPLE, WE CAN DO THIS. WE CAN AFFORD TO TAMP DOWN. WE SHOULD BE TAMPING DOWN FOSSIL FUEL EXTRACTION, NOT TAMPING IT UP THE WAY SOMEONE LIKE PRESIDENT BIDEN IS DOING. FOR INSTANCE, WHY WOULD CANCEL THE WILLOW PROJECT ON DAY ONE? AND YES, I WANT TO SEE A MASS MOBILIZATION, A JUST TRANSITION TO TAKE US FROM A DIRTY ECONOMY TO A CLEAN ECONOMY. WE CAN DO IT WITH ENOUGH INVESTMENT. THIS IS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. WE HAVE BEEN TAUGHT TO LIMIT OUR IMAGINATIONS POLITICALLY. WE HAVE FORGOTTEN THAT AMERICANS CAN DO WHATEVER IT IS WE NEED TO DO. WHEN THE SOLAR, GEOTHERMAL, WE CAN DO THIS. WE CAN CREATE MILLIONS OF JOBS. WE CAN INVEST THE MONEY AND SAVE OUR PLANET FOR OUR CHILDREN AND OUR CHILDREN’S CHILDREN. BUT IT WOULD HELP TO HAVE A PRESIDENT WHO WILL EXPLAIN THAT TO ENOUGH PEOPLE IN A WAY THAT THEY WOULD UNDERSTAND IT. THANK YOU. NEXT QUESTION FROM CAROLYN MOORE. HI THERE. YOU ENDORSE FREE HEALTH CARE, FREE COLLEGE AND FREE CHILDCARE. HOW DO YOU PLAN ON PAYING FOR THIS WITHOUT CREATING A BIGGER DEFICIT THAN WE ALREADY HAVE? AND I’M NOT SURE THAT THE WEALTHY TAX WOULD EVER PASS WHERE 50% OF CONGRESS ARE WEALTHY PEOPLE TO. GOOD POINT. OKAY. FIRST OF ALL, LET’S TAKE ON THAT WORD FREE. THIS IS NOT FREE. THIS IS YOUR OWN TAX DOLLARS THAT ARE PAYING FOR THESE THINGS. THAT’S FIRST OF ALL. SECOND OF ALL, HOW DID THEY PAY FOR THAT $2 TRILLION TAX CUT IN 2017, WHERE $0.83 OF EVERY DOLLAR WENT TO THE HIGHEST EARNERS AND THE RICHEST CORPORATIONS? IT IS NOW ESTABLISHED IT WILL NEVER PAY FOR ITSELF. THE CANARD WAS, OH, YOU LET THESE PEOPLE HAVE ALL THAT MONEY, THEY WILL REINVEST, THEY WILL CREATE JOBS. THAT IS NOT WHAT HAPPENED. THEY DO NOT REINVEST. THEIR BUSINESS MODEL IS NOT JOB CREATION. IT IS JOB ELIMINATION. THAT MONEY WENT TO THEIR STOCKHOLDERS AND TO STOCK BUYBACKS. TAKE THE TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS SPENT IN AFGHANISTAN FOR 20 YEARS LONGER THAN WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN. AND THAT WAS SUCH A SPECTACULAR FAILURE. LOOK AT THE TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS SPENT IN IRAQ. WE’RE ALREADY SPENDING MONEY THAT IS WASTED MONEY. THAT IS TRUE LOGICALLY MISSPENT MONEY, MONEY THAT HAS CAUSED TREMENDOUS DAMAGE AND TREMENDOUS SQUANDERING OF AMERICA’S RESOURCES ON EVERY POSSIBLE LEVEL. WE SHOULD BE SPENDING MONEY WE HAVE. AND YES, WE HAVE THE MONEY TO HELP PEOPLE THRIVE. YOU KNOW, AGAIN, QUOTING PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT, HE SAID THAT WE WOULD NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT A FASCIST TAKEOVER IN THIS COUNTRY AS LONG AS DEMOCRACY DELIVERED ON ITS PROMISES. THAT’S WHY WE SHOULD BE SPENDING THE MONEY ON HEALTH CARE. THAT’S WHY WE SHOULD BE SPENDING THE MONEY ON TUITION FREE COLLEGE AND TECH SCHOOL. THAT’S WHY WE SHOULD BE SPENDING THE MONEY ON OUR PEOPLE. THIS IS WHAT THE POLITICAL ELITE DON’T WANT YOU TO KNOW, EVEN THOUGH YOU DO KNOW IT. PLEASE. PEOPLE’S LIVES ARE FALLING APART. PEOPLE ARE DYING AND DEATHS OF DESPAIR. IN THE 1970S, THE AVERAGE AMERICAN WORKER COULD AFFORD A HOUSE. THEY COULD AFFORD A CAR, COULD AFFORD A YEARLY VACATION, COULD AFFORD FOR ONE PARENT TO STAY HOME IF THEY WANTED, AND COULD AFFORD TO SEND THEIR KIDS TO COLLEGE. THAT WAS CALLED A THRIVING MIDDLE CLASS. IT HAS NOW BEEN DECIMATED, HOLLOWED OUT BY THIS MASSIVE TRANSFER OF WEALTH TO THE TUNE OF $50 TRILLION INTO THE HANDS OF 1% OF AMERICANS. AND THEY’RE GOING TO ASK US, HOW ARE YOU GOING TO PAY FOR IT? PEOPLE ARE PAYING FOR THIS WITH THEIR LIVES AS WE SHOULD NOT BE JUST SPENDING ALL THIS MONEY SO THAT THOSE WHO ALREADY HAVE THEY HAVE AN EASIER TIME GETTING MORE AND THOSE WHO DO NOT HAVE HAVE A HARDER TIME EVEN SURVIVING. TOO MANY AMERICANS ARE LIVING ON ON A LEVEL OF ECONOMIC SURVIVAL IN THE RICHEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD. THAT’S WHAT NEEDS TO STOP. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT QUESTION COMES FROM BENJAMIN BOULGER. HI, I’M BEN BOULGER. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. I APPRECIATE IT. FOR SOME PEOPLE, THEIR FAITH AND PERSONAL BELIEFS ARE VERY IMPORTANT AND GUIDE ALL ASPECTS OF THEIR LIFE. HOW DO YOU HOW DO YOUR VIEWS ON FAITH AND RELIGION IMPACT THE WAY YOU WOULD LEAD AS PRESIDENT? UNITED STATES AND AS A FOLLOW UP IN A MODERN CONTEXT, HOW SHOULD WE SEPARATE OR BALANCE RELIGION AND GOVERNMENT? WELL, I THINK WHAT’S IMPORTANT IS THAT THE FIRST QUESTION IS VERY DIFFERENT THAN THE SECOND. THE FIRST HAS TO DO WITH WHAT GOES ON IN YOUR HEART. AND MY FAITH WOULD GUIDE ME EVERY MOMENT OF EVERY DAY AS TO BE HONEST, IT DOES ALREADY OR WOULDN’T BE RUNNING. SO AS PRESIDENT, I WOULD SEEK TO MAKE LOVE ONE ANOTHER. SEEK TO DO JUSTICE, TO LIVE WITH MERCY, AND TO BE HUMBLE BEFORE THY GOD TO BE EXPRESSED THROUGH PUBLIC POLICY. THAT’S MY POINT. RIGHT NOW, OUR PUBLIC POLICIES ARE GOVERNED BY A PRINCIPLE OF SHORT TERM PROFIT FOR HUGE CORPORATE ENTITIES. I BELIEVE THAT OUR PUBLIC POLICY SHOULD BE GUIDED BY PRINCIPLES OF DEMOCRACY AND HUMANITARIAN VALUES. THE AUTOCRACY HAS TO DO. THAT’S THE WHOLE POWER, ISN’T IT, OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE THAT GOD CREATED ALL OF US WERE CREATED EQUAL WITH INALIENABLE RIGHTS OF LIFE, LIBERTY AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS. THOSE ARE NOT POLITICAL PRINCIPLES. THOSE ARE SPIRITUAL PRINCIPLES THAT EVERYONE SHOULD BE ABLE TO SOAR TO AND TO BRING POLICY INTO ALIGNMENT WITH THAT WHICH HELPS PEOPLE TO THRIVE IN THEIR LIVES. TO ME, THAT IS A SPIRITUAL AS WELL AS A POLITICAL COMMITMENT. NOW, SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE IS SOMETHING DIFFERENT. SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE IS ONE OF THE MOST ENLIGHTENED PRINCIPLES IN OUR IN OUR CONSTITUTION. IT HAS A DOUBLE MEANING. NUMBER ONE. IT MEANS THAT THERE IS NO MINISTER, PRIEST, RABBI, IMAM THAT’S GOING TO WALK INTO THE HALLS OF CONGRESS, SUCH AS IN IRAN, WHERE THE AYATOLLAH HAS THE FINAL SAY. NO RELIGIOUS LEADER OR CLERGY MEMBER IS GOING TO COME INTO THE HALLS OF CONGRESS AND SAY, YOU CAN’T PASS THAT LAW OR YOU HAVE TO PASS THIS LAW. THAT’S VERY IMPORTANT. PROTECTION OF THE GOVERNMENT FROM ANY INTERFERENCE BY INSTITUTIONAL RELIGION. BUT IT ALSO HAS A SECONDARY MEANING, WHICH IS JUST AS IMPORTANT. THERE IS NO CHURCH, THERE IS NO MOSQUE, THERE IS NO SYNAGOGUE, THERE IS NO AA MEETING. THERE IS NO YOGA STUDIO. AND INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, THERE IS NO YOUNG ATHEIST MEETING EITHER BECAUSE THE FREEDOM OF WORSHIP ALSO MEANS THE FREEDOM NOT TO WORSHIP. NO, NO. POLICEMAN’S GOING TO COME IN AND SAY, BREAK IT UP. THAT’S NOT ON OUR LIST. SO NO SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE IS EXTREME, REALLY IMPORTANT. BUT SPIRITUAL VALUES ARE A WHOLE OTHER THING. THE FOUNDERS WERE NOT TRYING TO SUPPRESS THE RELIGIOUS CONVERSATION. THEY WERE ACTUALLY TRYING TO PROTECT IT. THANK YOU. NEXT QUESTION COMES FROM CHRISTY WATSON. GOOD EVENING. THANKS FOR COMING. WHAT WOULD YOUR ADMINISTRATION DO TO ADDRESS THE ONGOING OPIOID EPIDEMIC IN THE UNITED STATES? YOU KNOW, WE THOUGHT WHEN THE ATTORNEY GENERAL AROUND THE COUNTRY CAME DOWN HARD, PURDUE PHARMACY, SACKLER FAMILY, WE RECOGNIZE THE PREDATORY BEHAVIOR OF SO MANY OF THESE PHARMACEUTICAL EXECUTIVES THAT LED TO THE OPIOID CRISIS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE, AS WELL AS OTHER PLACES. UNFORTUNATELY, THE FACT THAT SO MUCH OF THAT HAS BEEN STEMMED HAS NOT BROUGHT DOWN THE NUMBER OF OPIOID DEATHS NEARLY AS MUCH AS WE ALL HOPE THAT IT WOULD. AN OPIOID DEATH IS A DEATH BY DESPAIR. ULTIMATELY, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO ADDRESS WHY ARE SO MANY AMERICANS HOPELESS? WHAT IS GOING ON IN THIS COUNTRY AND I BELIEVE THAT ECONOMIC DESPAIR DOES PLAY A LARGE PART IN THAT WE HAVE TOO MANY PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY WHO ARE JUST LIVING LIVES OF HOPELESSNESS TO MANY PEOPLE IN THIS STATE LIVING LIVES OF HOPELESSNESS. I’M NOT SAYING THAT GREATER ECONOMIC JUSTICE WILL FIX EVERYTHING, BUT IT WILL FIX A LOT. TOO MANY YOUNGER PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY DON’T KNOW HOW THEY’LL EVER GET INTO THE GAME. TOO MANY WORKERS IN THIS COUNTRY HAVE TO WORK AND IN THIS STATE HAVE TO WORK MORE THAN ONE JOB JUST TO MAKE ENDS MEET. TOO MANY CHILDREN DON’T HAVE A MEANINGFUL EXPERIENCE AT SCHOOL BECAUSE THE RESOURCES AREN’T AT THE SCHOOL. YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE SCHOOLS, INCLUDING HERE, WHERE YOU DON’T HAVE THE RESOURCES TO FEED, TO TEACH YOUR CHILDREN TO READ BY THE BY THE AGE OF 8 OR 10. IF A CHILD CANNOT LEARN TO READ BY 8 OR 10, THE CHANCES OF HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION IS DRASTICALLY INCREASED AND THE CHANCES OF IT’S GREATLY DECREASED. HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION DECREASE, AND THE CHANCES OF INCARCERATION GREATLY INCREASED. WHAT DO YOU EXPECT? WE I DON’T KNOW HOW OVER THE LAST FEW DECADES WE THOUGHT WE COULD WITHHOLD SO MANY RESOURCES FROM THE FROM THE PUBLIC SECTOR AND EXPECT PEOPLE’S LIVES TO NOT BEGIN TO FALL APART. SO WE’RE GOING TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS ON MANY DIFFERENT LEVELS. DEFINITELY, WE HAVE TO GET HOLD OF THE OF THE OF EVERY WAY THAT PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES, PSYCHO PHARMACOLOGIST, PHARMACISTS, DOCTORS OR ANYONE IS ABUSING THE SYSTEM. WE KNOW THAT THAT HAPPENS THERE ARE EFFORTS CERTAINLY BEING MADE TO STEM IT. BUT EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US HAVE TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE FACT THAT THERE ARE SIMPLY TOO MANY HOPELESS PEOPLE IN AMERICA AND FOR THE FACT THAT OUR POLITICAL SYSTEM DOES AS AS IT CURRENTLY STANDS, DOES AS MUCH TO EXACERBATE THAT AS TO ERADICATE IT. THANK YOU. QUICK FOLLOW UP FOR YOU THERE, MS. WILLIAMSON. DOES ANYTHING NEEDS TO CHANGE AT THE BORDER WHERE WE SEE SO MANY OF THESE DRUGS CROSSING? MY OPINION STOP THE DRUG WAR. IT’S ACTUALLY NOT HELPING. THE DRUG WAR IS ACTUALLY CONTRIBUTE TO THE VIOLENCE BECAUSE THE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ESCAPING UNIMAGINABLE HORROR. THIS VIOLENCE IS CREATED BY THE DRUG CARTELS. THIS IS NOT HELPING. THE DRUG WAR IS NOT HELPING. IT WON’T FIX EVERYTHING. BUT THE WHOLE DRUG ISSUE THAT THE DRUG WAR IS NOT HELPING. AND I THINK THAT THE BEST EXPERTS BELIEVE IF YOU ACTUALLY STOP THE DRUG WAR, WE’D HAVE A BETTER CHANCE. NEXT QUESTION COMES FROM GAYLE TAYLOR. WHAT IS YOUR STANCE ON CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM AND WHAT IS YOUR APPROACH TO ADDRESSING THE INFLUENCE OF MONEY IN POLITICS? UNFORTUNATELY, EVER SINCE THE CITIZENS UNITED DECISION AND THERE WERE SOME BAD DECISIONS BEFORE THAT, BUT I THINK ULTIMATELY THE CITIZENS UNITED DECISION WILL BE SEEN ONE DAY AS ONE OF THE WORST SUPREME COURT DECISIONS EVER MADE. SEVERAL YEARS AGO WHEN THE SUPREME COURT ESSENTIALLY GAVE HUGE CORPORATE FORCES UNLIMITED POWER TO INFLUENCE OUR OUR CAMPAIGNS. IT HAS TURNED OUR OUR OUR CONGRESS INTO LITTLE MORE THAN A SYSTEM OF LEGALIZED BRIBERY. PEOPLE WHO DO NOT VOTE CERTAIN WAYS DO VOTE CERTAIN OTHER WAYS BECAUSE OF THE HUGE ECONOMIC INFLUENCE OF THEIR FINANCIAL DONORS. IT IS BRIBERY. IT IS CORRUPTION. NOW, IT IS NOT REASONABLE TO ASSUME, GIVEN THE CURRENT MAKEUP OF THE SUPREME COURT, THAT THAT’S GOING TO END ANYTIME SOON. ALTHOUGH IF I’M PRESIDENT AND I HAVE THE CHANCE, BELIEVE ME, I WOULD APPOINT SUPREME COURT JUSTICES WHO WOULD BE AS ADAMANT AND THEIR CONVICTION THAT WE MUST OVERTURN CITIZENS UNITED AS OTHER CITIZENS IN THIS COUNTRY WERE SO ADAMANT FOR YEARS THAT WE MUST OVERTURN ROE V WADE. WE NEED THAT KIND OF CONSCIOUSNESS THAT DECISION IS RUINING OUR COUNTRY. IT IS AN ATTACK ON OUR DEMOCRACY. IN THE MEANTIME, THERE ARE OTHER THINGS THAT WE CAN DO. BUT IN CONGRESS, JUST AS SOMEONE WAS MENTIONING EARLIER, HOW ARE YOU GOING TO HAVE WEALTH TAX WHEN YOU HAVE SO MANY WEALTHY PEOPLE? THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO DON’T WANT TO NOT GET ALL WEALTHY PEOPLE. BY THE WAY, WOULD BE AGAINST THAT. THINK THAT’S IMPORTANT TO SAY. BUT WE HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE IN CONGRESS WHO ACTUALLY WIN FROM THE SYSTEM AS IT IS. IF PEOPLE WHO CAN’T GET IN WHO ARE LOSING FROM THE SYSTEM AS IT IS, MANY THINGS CONTRIBUTE TO THIS. THERE ARE THERE IS LEGISLATION THAT NEEDS TO BE PASSED. OBVIOUSLY. BUT RIGHT NOW, AS LONG AS CITIZENS UNITED EXISTS, WE’RE IN TROUBLE. WHAT WE WILL ULTIMATELY NEED IS A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT ESTABLISHING PUBLIC FUNDING FOR FEDERAL CAMPAIGNS. THAT’S WHAT THE YOUNGER GENERATION IS GOING TO ACHIEVE. I BELIEVE THAT IT’S NOT GOING TO BE RIGHT AWAY, BUT ONE DAY AND I DON’T KNOW IF IT’LL BE IN MY LIFETIME, BUT ONE DAY, A GENERATION OF AMERICANS WILL RISE UP AND SAY THIS NEEDS TO STOP AND WE’LL PASS A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT, GET MONEY OUT OF POLITICS. WE HAVE AN ONLINE QUESTION COMING IN FROM KEN QUINN, WHO ASKS SOMEWHAT ALONG THESE SAME LINES, WOULD YOU SUPPORT LIMITING THE TERMS OF OFFICE FOR U.S HOUSE AND SENATE MEMBERS? YOU KNOW, DIDN’T USED TO, BUT THINK I’M GETTING THERE BECAUSE I USED TO THINK, WELL, ACTUALLY WHAT WE NEED IS JUST OUR DEMOCRACY TO WORK BETTER, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE AS ABRAHAM LINCOLN SAID, THERE’S NOT THAT MUCH EVIL THAT ANY PARTICULAR GOVERNMENT CAN PERPETRATE AS LONG AS THE PEOPLE REMAIN VIGILANT. WHAT HE WAS REFERRING TO IS THE FACT THAT EVERY TWO YEARS WE CAN ELECT AN ENTIRELY NEW HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. ON THE OTHER HAND, NOW BECAUSE OF GERRYMANDERING, BECAUSE OF THE POWER OF THE INCUMBENCY, WHICH WE’RE ALSO SEEING IN THE PRESIDENTIAL, THERE ARE SO MANY INSTITUTIONAL FORCES THAT MAKE IT DIFFICULT. NOW, HAVING SAID THAT, THERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE WHO POINT OUT, EVEN IF YOU LIMIT EVEN IF YOU HAVE TERM LIMITS, WHO’S TO SAY THAT THE PEOPLE WHO CAN ONLY BE THERE FOR FOUR YEARS OR SIX YEARS WOULDN’T BE PULLING THE SAME KIND OF CORRUPT SHENANIGANS? SO IT’S A TOUGH DECISION, BUT AT THIS POINT I AM LEANING INTO, YEAH, THERE SHOULD BE SOME LIMITS. WE HAVE ABOUT 2 TO 3 MINUTES LEFT AND I’M GOING TO FINISH WITH THIS QUESTION HERE. 1974, GERALD FORD MADE A VERY CONTROVERSIAL DECISION TO PARDON RICHARD NIXON. AND A LOT OF PEOPLE DIDN’T LIKE THAT DECISION AT ALL. BUT PRESIDENT FORD SAID IT WAS FOR THE GOOD OF THE COUNTRY TO MOVE THE COUNTRY FORWARD. IF YOU’RE PRESIDENT IN 2025 AND DONALD TRUMP IS NOT JUST CONVICTED BUT POTENTIALLY IMPRISONED, WOULD YOU CONSIDER PARDONING HIM TO MOVE THE COUNTRY FORWARD? GERALD FORD WAS A NICE MAN, BUT I THINK THAT WAS A TERRIBLE DECISION. IT LEFT US ALL WITH THIS EMPTINESS BECAUSE JUSTICE WAS ULTIMATELY NOT DONE. MANY OF NIXON’S LIEUTENANTS WENT TO JAIL. REMEMBER HALDEMAN, ERLICHMAN, THOSE GUYS, THEY WENT TO JAIL. IT’S NOT FAIR THAT HE WAS PARDONED. AND THE PEOPLE WHO ENABLED HIM WERE NOT PARDONED. NO, I WOULD NOT. THE POLITICS SHOULD BE SEPARATE FROM OUR LEGAL SYSTEM AND OUR LEGAL SYSTEM IS PLAYING IT OUT. NO MAN SHOULD BE ABOVE THE LAW. EVERYBODY IS INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY. IT SHOULD BE A JURY THAT DECIDES THE CASE OF DONALD TRUMP AND MY HANDS WOULD BE KEPT OFF. THE IDEA, THOUGH, THAT A FORMER PRESIDENT COULD BE BEHIND BARS. DO YOU THINK THAT WOULD BE JARRING AT ALL TO AN AMERICAN PUBLIC THAT’S NEVER SEEN THAT BEFORE? WELL, IT WOULD BE JARRING. YES. IT WOULD MAKE PEOPLE THINK, BUT IT WOULD ALSO MAKE US REALLY HAVE FAITH IN A SYSTEM THAT THAT MAKES IT OBVIOUS THAT NO MAN IS ABOVE THE LAW. AND YEAH, THE FACT IT’S JARRING, I’LL TELL YOU WHAT’S JARRING, THE FACT THAT 85 MILLION AMERICANS ARE UNDER-INSURED AND UNINSURED. I’LL TELL YOU WHAT’S JARRING IS THE FACT THAT WE HAVE A A MILITARY BUDGET THAT IS SO MUCH LARGER THAN IT NEEDS TO BE. SO, NO, I’M NOT CONCERNED THAT IT WOULD BE JARRING, IT WOULD BE MATURE, IT WOULD BE ADULT, AND IT WOULD MAKE A LOT OF AMERICANS HAVE TO THINK HARD ABOUT WHAT KIND OF PEOPLE WE ARE ELECTING TO OFFICE. WHAT ABOUT THAT PART OF THE COUNTRY THAT BELIEVES ALL OF THIS RIGHT NOW IS A MISCARRIAGE OF JUSTICE AND WELL, THEY HAVE FACTS. FACTS ASIDE, THESE THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE THAT THE PRESIDENT IS BEING UNFAIRLY TARGETED. WELL, LET’S LOOK AT THE FACTS. THERE IS AN INDEPENDENT COUNSEL, JACK SMITH. HE IS NOT AN INSTRUMENT OF THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION. THIS MAN IS A REGISTERED INDEPENDENT. HE WORKED AT THE HAGUE AND HE DECIDED TO BRING THIS PROSECUTION. AND THEN A GRAND JURY DECIDED TO INDICT. THESE ARE CITIZENS. A GRAND JURY DECIDED TO INDICT AND IN FLORIDA, BY THE WAY, WHERE IT COULD NOT BE SAID THAT PEOPLE ARE EXACTLY OUT TO GET DONALD TRUMP. AND NOW IT WILL BE A JURY OF HIS PEERS. THAT’S THE BRILLIANCE OF OUR SYSTEM. IT WILL BE A JURY OF HIS PEERS WHO MAKE THAT DECISION. AND THINK THAT WE SHOULD ALL RESPECT THE US LEGAL SYSTEM. IT’S NOT PERFECT, BUT CERTAINLY AT TIMES LIKE THIS WE SHOULD BE LEANING LEANING INTO OUR FAITH IN THE SYSTEM AND OUR SUPPORT FOR EVERY AMERICAN, NO MATTER WHAT YOUR POLITICS, SHOULD HOPE THAT THE PRESIDENT HAS A FAIR TRIAL. THAT’S TIME. WE’VE GOT DOUG BURGUM ON THE PROGRAM NEXT. BUT THANK YOU. WE’RE GOING TO CONTINUE THIS CONVERSATION ONLINE. AND YOU CAN CHECK THERE. BUT FOR NOW, HAVE A GOOD EVENING.

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Marianne Williamson says majority of Americans will come to agree with increased spending to address climate change

During the televised town hall portion of her "Conversation with the Candidate" event, Democrat Marianne Williamson addressed a number of questions, including about climate change. She details how she'd convince Americans that increased government spending for climate change initiatives is the way to go. See the full "Conversation with the Candidate" event through the following links:Watch Part 1: Williamson says why she should be Democrats' choiceWatch Part 2: Williamson says how she'll convince public about climate plansWatch online exclusive: Williamson shares how she'd handle opioid crisisOther "Conversation with the Candidate" events will be held throughout the campaign season. The full list of candidates who participate will be updated here.Conversation with the Candidate is a town hall-style program. It is intended to allow the candidate to convey their points of view on a wide range of topics. During the program, the moderator may challenge the candidates’ assertions, but every fact may not be checked in real time. WMUR News 9 is committed to holding the candidates accountable on their claims throughout the election cycle.
MANCHESTER, N.H. —

During the televised town hall portion of her "Conversation with the Candidate" event, Democrat Marianne Williamson addressed a number of questions, including about climate change. She details how she'd convince Americans that increased government spending for climate change initiatives is the way to go.

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See the full "Conversation with the Candidate" event through the following links:

Other "Conversation with the Candidate" events will be held throughout the campaign season. The full list of candidates who participate will be updated here.

Conversation with the Candidate is a town hall-style program. It is intended to allow the candidate to convey their points of view on a wide range of topics. During the program, the moderator may challenge the candidates’ assertions, but every fact may not be checked in real time. WMUR News 9 is committed to holding the candidates accountable on their claims throughout the election cycle.