News, 10/31/13] Negotiated the fiscal cliff deal that left the sequester in place. [Congressional Quarterly News, 12/11/13] Opposed the sequester. [Politico, 7/30/12] 8/2/11] Opposed the sequester. [Military Times, 3/11/15] 11/19/13] Criticized cuts to defense spending under the sequester. [Providence Journal, 2/28/13] Defense cuts Criticized cuts to defense spending under the sequester. [The Hill, 8/16/10] 2007: Voted for bill to only cut military funding if it did not undermine troop safety or mission. [S.Con.Res. 20, Vote 77, 110th Congress, 3/15/07] 2014: Opposed the idea that it was “inherently more important to spend money on the military than on domestic needs.” [TIME, 7/16/14] 2012: Criticized Romney for wanting to raise defense spending by $2 trillion. [CNN, 10/12/12] Criticized cuts to defense spending under the sequester. [Face the Nation, CBS, 2/24/13] 2010: Criticized Pentagon plans to close the Joint Forces Command headquartered in Virginia. [Boston Globe, 8/10/10] 1988: Resigned as Navy Secretary over cutbacks in the Reagan administration’s defense budget. [Los Angeles Times, 2/23/88] 2015: Opposed increases in defense spending at the expense of domestic programs. [Defense News, 1/16/15] 2007: Voted against bill to only cut military funding if it did not undermine troop safety or mission. [S.Con.Res. 20, Vote 77, 110th Congress, 3/15/07] Criticized cuts to defense spending under the sequester. [Providence Journal, 2/28/13] National debt 2010: Said the national debt was a national security threat and weakened the country. [Fox News, 9/8/10] 2013: Cited debt reduction as a goal of the administration. [White House, 2/2/13] Called Romney and Ryan hypocritical for focusing on debt reduction but being unwilling to raise taxes on millionaires. [Democratic National Convention, 9/6/12] Said the Bush tax cuts were the primary driver of the national debt. [Stateline, 2/28/12] Proposed taxing high bonuses in order to help pay down national debt. [Virginian-Pilot, 3/10/10] Said Social Security had not contributed a dime to the national debt. [@SenSanders, Twitter, 7/3/13] Said that we cannot continue tax breaks for billionaires with such a high national debt. [@SenSanders, Twitter, 7/25/12] 2006: Said it was “extremely important” to make debt reduction a priority. [Lincoln Chafee, New York Times, 11/12/06] SENIORS 2016 Dem Position Hillary Clinton Senator: 2001-2009 Joe Biden Senator: 1973-2009 VP: 2009- Martin O’Malley Governor: 2007-2015 Jim Webb Senator: 2007-2013 Elizabeth Warren Senator: 2013- Bernie Sanders Rep.: 1991-2007 Senator: 2007- Lincoln Chafee Senator: 1999-2007 Governor: 2011-2015 Social Security 2007: Opposed cutting benefits. [The Hill, 8/24/14] 2007: Opposed privatization. [The Hill, 8/24/14] 2007: Opposed raising retirement 2012: Promised no change to Social Security. [NBC News, 8/14/12] 2008: Opposed raising retirement age. [Remarks at Early Vote for Change Rally, 10/29/08] Supports expanding Social Security benefits. [Salon, 3/13/15] Opposed Social Security cuts. [Washington Post, 8/19/14] Did not sign letter opposing Social Security cuts as part of deficit grand bargain. [The Hill, 9/20/12] Supports expanding Social Security benefits. [Politico, 11/18/13] Opposed Social Security cuts as part of deficit grand bargain. [The Hill, 9/20/12] Wanted to raise the income cap on Social Security tax, have people making 2011: Signaled that he supported President Obama’s compromise to raise the retirement age. [Providence Journal, 8/12/11] 2005: Supported Bush plan to cut