Political positions of Karen Bass

The political positions of Karen Bass have been reported from her career in the United States House of Representatives (representing California's 33rd congressional district) and in the California State Assembly (where she served as Speaker). Many of these positions have been brought to prominence during the 2020 vice presidential search of Joe Biden. Some of these policy positions have changed, while others remain unchanged.
Economic issues
Healthcare
Bass is a founding member of the Medicare for All Caucus in the House of Representatives. However, it has been claimed that she supports a more moderate transition to universal healthcare and does not believe single-payer healthcare is the only path.
Foreign policy
Cuba
During Joe Biden's 2020 vice presidential search, a statement emerged from Bass calling Fidel Castro "Comandante en Jefe" ("Commander in Chief") after the Cuban leader's death. This sparked criticism for appearing to downplay the negative aspects of the Castro regime, or even praising Fidel Castro, and she subsequently apologized.
Israel
Bass criticized Israel's plan to annex parts of Palestinian territory in the occupied West Bank.
Social issues
Drugs
Bass has expressed support for an end to the criminalization of marijuana, largely citing the harm that drug laws do to communities of color. She notably squared off with Attorney General William Barr over DEA enforcement of cannabis laws and the racial discrepancies therein. Bass has also spoken on the damage that strict money laundering laws have done to legal marijuana businesses, forcing them to operate cash-only and without solid banking system support.
LGBTQ community
Bass is a supporter of the LGBTQ community. Bass was awarded the Public Official of the Year award by the Los Angeles Stonewall Democratic Club. She supported the Equality Act in 2019 to ban discrimination against LGBTQ Americans.
Policing
Bass is an advocate for police reform, and shepherded a "sweeping police reform bill" after the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. Bass described "defund the police" as "probably one of the worst slogans ever" amidst protests in June 2020. She later walked back some of her criticism, stating that she believed the term generated confusion.

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