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WHO Stands
for WHAT?
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U.S. Presidential Candidates
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Real Issues, Hard Specifics
The charges are true: U.S. political campaigns get covered like a "horse race." Forget issues—it's who's ahead today, who's behind? It's lazy and shallow.
Who's up in this week's polls? Who raised the most money? Who misspoke, or fell down, or got angry, or looked silly?
Don't you care about something bigger? Where do candidates stand on real issues? What would they do, if actually elected?
In the matrix below, you'll find hard positions of all 18 announced 2008 U.S. presidential candidates on 12 progressive issues.
We hope this comparison helps you understand their differences better, see "who stands for what," and find your best candidate to support.
After checking their positions, compare your own views against EdgyBear's Candidates Scorecard.
| ISSUE | Rudy Giuliani (Rep) | John McCain (Rep) | Mitt Romney (Rep) |
|---|---|---|---|
#1 Saving Planet Earth
|
GIULIANI: Says he "definitely believes in global warming," but also that "the big question has always been how much of it is happening because of natural climate changes and how much of it is happening because of human intervention." Would consider nuclear power as a solution.
Has embraced the approach in Gov. Arnold Schwarzzenegger's bill in California to reduce greenhouse has emissions by 2010. His approach addresses global warming indirectly; seems more focused on efforts to get energy independence. |
McCAIN: Testified within the U.S. Senate that "more and more Americans are acknowledging that climate change is not only real, but that our action is critical. . . . The science tells us that urgent and significant action is needed."
The McCain Plan on Global Warming: (1) To set mandatory emission reduction targets and timetables based on atmospheric concentration levels. (2) To use a market-based "cap and trade" system to limit greenhouse gas emissions. (3) To apply ways to minimize costs and work with other markets on future costs of compliance. (4) To spur the advanced development and deployment of nuclear, solar, and other alternative energy technologies. (5) To facilitate international efforts to solve the problem, with action by other countries, like China and India. |
ROMNEY: Says that "thoughtful environmentalism need not be anti-growth and anti-jobs. But Kyoto-style sweeping mandates, imposed unilaterally in the United States, would kill jobs, depress growth and shift manufacturing to the dirtiest developing nations. . . . Instead of sweeping mandates, we must use America's power of innovation to develop alternative sources of energy and new technologies that use energy more efficiently."
Would allow drilling for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWAR) and the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). |
#2 Peace and War
|
GIULIANI: Defines "success in Iraq" as the creation of "a stable Iraq that will act as an ally for us in the terrorist war against us."
Supported President Bush's Iraq War surge of 2007. Regarding Iran, he suggested the United States and its allies would do everything necessary to prevent Iran from going nuclear with the "absolute assurance that we will—if they get to the point where they are going to become a nuclear power—we will prevent them or we'll set them back five or 10 years. And that is not said as a threat. That should be said as a promise." |
McCAIN: Strongly supports the Bush strategy in Iraq, including the 2007 Surge. Believes "more troops are necessary."
Believes "the current force structure and power vacuum persisting in many areas of the country demands a more robust counter-insurgency strategy." Would make "building a capable Iraqi army" a central requirement for ensuring Iraq's ability to govern and protect itself "long after American forces have withdrawn." Would speed up "the training and equipping of Iraqi armed forces and police." Would add greater emphasis on "non-military components" like reconstruction, employment, and political campaigning. Would keep U.S. generals longer in Iraq before they are rotated out. Would "win the homefront" by "explaining precisely what is at stake in this war to ensure that Americans fully understand the high cost of a military defeat." |
ROMNEY: Believes withdrawal from Iraq would be a mistake.
In Iraq, would "surge," then move to support bases in Kuwait. Would "keep options open" on whether or not to attack Pakistan. |
#3 Global Living Conditions
|
GIULIANI: Stated that: "the most important thing we can do to help Africa is to increase trade with the continent."
Says "it is better to give people a hand up than a handout." Believes "U.S. government aid is important, but aid not linked to reform perpetuates bad policies and poverty." Says he would seek to help overcome AIDS and malaria and end the genocide in Darfur. |
McCAIN: Would be reluctant to appropriate money to fight AIDS in Africa because he believes it would mean taxpayers' money would be lost to corruption. | ROMNEY: Stated "we need to dramatically and fundamentally transform our civilian capabilities to promote peace, security, and freedom around the world." |
#4 Human Rights
|
GIULIANI: Would require a "tamper-proof, singular I.D. card that every single person who comes into this country has to have--their name, address, what they're doing here, our ability to check them out has to be in a database that every single person has to be entered into."
Supports the 2nd Amendment right to bear arms, but has also stated: "Just as a motorist must have a license, a gun owner should be required to have one as well. Anyone wanting to own a gun should have to pass a written exam that shows that they know how to use a gun, that they're intelligent enough and responsible enough to handle a gun." Says he is pro-choice but will appoint "strict constructionist" judges (to rule on abortion) to the Supreme Court. Stated he is "pro-gay rights," but does not support gay marriage: says marriage is between a man and a woman. Supports George Bush's tactics in using domestic surveillance. |
McCAIN: Opposes restrictions on "assault rifles" and has voted consistently against such bans.
Opposes bans on certain types of ammunition magazines. Voted against banning "armor-piercing" ammunition. Would lift the ban on firearms in the District of Columbia. Opposes imposing liability on gun manufacturers for crimes committed with a firearm by third parties. Supported "instant background checks" for the people who buy firearms at gun shows. Opposes "waiting periods" for people who want to buy guns. Believes that the Roe v. Wade decision should be overturned. Will promote adoption "as a first option for women struggling with a crisis pregnancy." Voted to make it a federal crime for researchers to use stem cells or fetal tissues from an embryo created for research purposes. Voted to ban attempts to use or obtain human cells gestated in animals, and strongly opposes human cloning. Believes "marriage is a union between one man and one woman." Supports legislation to protect children from pornography on the Internet and online predators. |
ROMNEY: In a Republican debate (5/3/07), when asked about using torture on terrorist suspects in Guantanamo, Romney answered: "I'm glad they're at Guantanamo. I don't want them on our soil. I want them at Guantanamo where they don't get the access to lawyers that they'd get when they're on our soil. I don't want them in our prisons, I want them there. Some people say that we should close Guantanamo, my view is: We ought to double Guantanamo. Enhanced interrogation techniques need to be used."
Is "pro-life." Believes abortion is "the wrong choice except in cases of incest, rape, and to save the life of the mother." Says he would overturn Roe v. Wade, "then change hearts and minds." Believes that states should set their own abortion laws "and not have them dictated by judicial mandate." Opposes U.S. membership in the United Nations Human Rights Council. |
#5 Economic Justice
|
GIULIANI: Believes in supply-side economics.
Would reform the tax code and cut taxes "lower and lower." |
McCAIN: Believes that "intelligently-formulated tax cuts and sensible tax reform will deliver much higher growth when they are accompanied by lower spending."
Fears Social Security, Medicaid, and Medicare obligations will grow as large as the entire current federal budget. Favors a comprehensive bipartisan reform of U.S. entitlement programs. |
ROMNEY: As Governor of Massachusetts, vetoed $141,000 for the state Just-a-Start program that would have helped prevent homelessness (Budget Item 7004-3036) and vetoed $80,925 for the Central Massachusetts Housing Alliance, a state-run homelessness project.
For welfare reform, he suggested that welfare recipients should go to work immediately; that capital gains should be eliminated for firms that invest in inner-city enterprise zones and award tax credits for hiring poor residents of those areas; and that a crime crackdown was needed with tough mandatory minimum sentences. |
#6 Opportunity for All
|
GIULIANI: Stated he supports affirmative action; however, as mayor of New York, he halted or scaled back efforts at minority representation in contracting for city services, with the argument that affirmative-acton programs do not necessarily contribute to diversity. | McCAIN: On 10/2/07, voted against State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), designed to help extend health insurance to families whose incomes are too high to get Medicaid but too low to afford private insurance. | ROMNEY: When Governor of Massachusetts, regarding a ballot question banning gay marriage, he stated that it is the job of voters—not the courts or lawmakers—to define what constitutes a civil right: "Who's going to tell us what a civil right is and what's not? Well, the people will." |
#7 International Balance
|
GIULIANI: Would "end illegal immigration, secure our borders, and identify every non-citizen" in America. | McCAIN: Would arm, train, equip, both from without and from within, military forces that would eventually overthrow the "rogue" governments and install free and democratically elected governments.
Said it is naive to exclude the use of nuclear weapons and naive to exclude an attack on Pakistan. |
ROMNEY: Has called the United Nations "a failure" and stated he would support "a new coalition of the free nations of the world." |
#8 Democratic Reform
|
GIULIANI: Would put an end to anonymous earmarks. Would require mandatory sunset clauses for all federal programs.
Would require Congressional Budget Office cost estimates for all legislation, create separate capital and operating budgets, and bring "generally accepted accounting principles" to the Federal Government. Would reduce the federal civilian workforce by 20% through attrition and retirement. Would require agencies to impose at least 5% to 20% spending reductions in each annual budget. Would propose a constitutional amendment for a line-item veto. |
McCAIN: Sponsored the original Senate bill (S. 27) that became the McCain-Feingold Campaign Finance Reform Act (Public Law 107-155), covering soft-money campaign finance, issue ads, campaign practices, and limits on contributions by individuals. | ROMNEY: Strongly favors repeal of the McCain-Feingold Law (i.e., the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002) and views the ability of people to spend money in political campaigns—"without burdensome limitations"—to be a Free Speech Rights issue. |
#9 Universal Health Care
|
GIULIANI: Would take care of health care reform by income tax exclusions for Americans without employer insurance.
Would give a Health Insurance Credit to low-income people, coupled with Medicaid and employer contributions. Would offer block grants to spur innovation, reduce health costs, and enroll the eligible uninsured. Would allow citizens to purchase health care insurance through interstate markets, streamline the FDA approval process for new drugs, and invest in improving health information technology (IT). Would expand access to health savings accounts, redefine health insurance to cover wellness, and promote healthy lifestyles. Would end "frivolous lawsuits." |
McCAIN: Believes that "families should be in charge of their health care dollars and have more control over their care," and that we should provide access to health care for all citizens.
Would promote competition between providers and among alternative treatments. Would facilitate national standards for measuring and recording treatments and outcomes. Would build national markets by allowing providers to practice nationwide, and would give states flexibility to experiment with alternative forms of delivery. Would support innovative delivery systems, like clinics in retail outlets, and—where cost effective—employ telemedicine and community clinics and mental health clinics. Would give returning veterans access to health providers that give them "timely care at high quality and in the best location." Would pass tort reform to eliminate "frivolous lawsuits and excessive damage awards." |
ROMNEY: Believes the way to provide all Americans with health insurance is "not through a government program or new taxes, but through market reforms."
Prefers a national health care approach based on "personal responsibility" using "the free market system" in the states. Would offer more information and better lunch choices in schools, and better after-school programs and physical exercise. |
#10 Lifetime Education
|
GIULIANI: Strongly supports school vouchers, where pubic funds are given to pay for private schooling, which he calls "one of the great civil rights issues of our time."
|
McCAIN: Opposes nationally imposed education standards and funding strings.
Supports school vouchers. Would let states decide whether to link vouchers to student testing. Believes the decision on whether or not to teach creationism or evolution should be made by local school districts. |
ROMNEY: Would apply remedial attention to improve underperforming schools and teachers.
Would abolish the Department of Education. Supports the school voucher program. |
#11 Energy Freedom
|
GIULIANI: Has stated he would "lead America towards energy independence" by expanding the use of enthanol and biodiesel, and considering the use of nuclear power, clean coal, and carbon sequestration technologies. | McCAIN: Supports increased use of nuclear power in the United States as a method to move away from dependence from foreign oil. | ROMNEY: Believes that the United States must become independent from foreign sources of oil by "a combination of efforts related to conservation and efficiency measures, developing alternative sources of energy like biodiesel, ethanol, nuclear, and coal gasification, and finding more domestic sources of oil." |
#12 Fiscal Responsibility
|
GIULIANI: Has stated he would "restore fiscal discipline and cut wasteful Washington spending," and believes that: "All spending is discretionary."
Would require mandatory sunset clauses for all federal programs, require cost estimates for all legislation before it is voted upon, and bring "generally accepted accounting principles" to the Federal government. Would seek to obtain line-item veto. |
McCAIN: Says "the practice of excessive borrowing and deficit spending in Washington must stop."
Opposes "pork barrel spending" for special interest pet projects. Would bring "transparency" by making known the sponsors of earmarks. |
ROMNEY: Would give Congress "a specific spending number and insist that that number is hit." If they miss the number, he would veto all their appropriation bills.
Would apply cost and quality improvement processes, benchmarking, and best practices to the federal government because "the duplication and waste and inefficiency in government is absolutely mind-boggling." Would like to have the line-item veto. |
| ISSUE | Mike Huckabee (Rep) | Ron Paul (Rep) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 Saving Planet Earth
|
HUCKABEE: Believes that we have "lost our way on the environment," climate change is real and devastating, and we must act before we reach a tipping point where it's too late to save earth's climate.
Has stated: "The overwhelming evidence is that greenhouse gases are contributing to warming of our earth." Would have the United States join the Kyoto agreement if China and India would also join "on our terms." |
PAUL: Believes that those who commit pollution are aggressors and should not be granted immunity or otherwise insulated from accountability.
Has stated "there are reputable scientists on both sides" of the global warming debate. Objects to federal subsidies for oil companies and believes U.S. foreign policy "contributes to global warming" because "we're in the Middle East to protect oil interests." |
|
| #2 Peace and War
|
HUCKABEE: Believes that "Iraq is a battle in our generational, ideological war on terror." Supported George Bush's Iraq "surge." Supports "a regional summit so that Iraq's neighbors become militarily and financially committed to stabliizing Iraq." Supports a Veterans' Bill of Rights on issues such as veterans' health care, equal benefits for National Guard and Reserve personnel called to active duty. |
PAUL: States that "the war in Iraq was sold to us with false information. The area is more dangerous now than when we entered it. We destroyed a regime hated by our direct enemies, the jihadists, and created thousands of new recruits for them. This war has cost more than 3,000 American lives, thousands of seriously wounded, and hundreds of billions of dollars. We must have new leadership in the White House to ensure this never happens again." | |
| #3 Global Living Conditions
|
HUCKABEE: Believes the United States should lead in the fight against extreme global poverty and AIDS, TB, and Malaria, but feels we need to "keep money out of the hands of corrupt governments to ensure that the people receive the aid." | PAUL: Believes the World Bank has been "a significant failure in helping the residents in poor and developing nations," and that it "promotes managed trade by which politically-connected individuals and corporations enrich themselves at the expense of the poor and the middle class," which creates "in essence a global transfer of wealth from the poor to the rich." | |
| #4 Human Rights
|
HUCKABEE: Interprets the First Amendment as requiring that expressions of faith be "neither prohibited nor preferred. . . . When discussing faith and politics, we should honor the 'candid' in candidate: I have much more respect for an honest atheist than a disingenuous believer."
Has consistently opposed the banning of assault weapons. Opposed the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act. Asserts that he "protected gun manufacturers from frivolous law suits." Opposes gun control based on geography. Believes Roe v. Wade should be overturned. Supports a federal constitutional amendment to protect "the right to life." Opposes "partial birth abortion." Supports a U.S. constitutional amendment to define marriage as a union between one man and one woman. Believes in using existing stem cell lines for research," but does not believe in "creating life for the sole purpose of destroying it." |
PAUL: Has stated that "the biggest threat to your privacy is the government."
Would stop the move towards a national ID card system. Voted against the Real ID Act. Would restore the right of habeas corpus. Opposed the Patriot Act and sponsored a bill to overturn it. Has stated: "Today the threat to your liberty and privacy is very real. We need leadership at the top that will prevent Washington from centralizing power and private data about our lives." Strongly favors gun ownership. Introduced bills in Congress to repeal the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act and Federal Firearms License Reform Act; to end the ban on carrying firearms in the National Park System; to allow pilots to carry firearms; to end U.S. membership in the United Nations ("protecting us from their attempts to tax our guns or disarm us entirely"); and, to repeal the ban on assault weapons. Strongly opposes abortion in all forms. Authored bill H.R. 1094 which defines life as "beginning at conception." Is prime sponsor of bill H.R. 300 to negate Roe v. Wade decision by preventing federal courts from ruling against state legislation "to protect life." Authored bill H.R. 1095 to prevent federal funds from being used for "population control." Paul (a medical doctor) believes that the prohibition of drugs is ineffective. "Prohibition doesn't work. Prohibition causes crime." Believes drug abuse should be treated as a medical problem and that marijuana should be a medical option. |
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| #5 Economic Justice
|
HUCKABEE: Supports federal subsidies for farmers.
Observed that Wal-Mart is "a case study in the genius of the American marketplace." |
PAUL: Introduced the Senior Citizens Tax Elimination Act (H.R. 191) to repeal all tax on Social Security benefits; the Social Security Preservation Act (H.R. 219) to ensure that money paid into the system is used only for Social Security; and the Social Security for Americans Only Act (H.R. 190) to "end the drain on Social Security caused by illegal aliens." | |
| #6 Opportunity for All
|
HUCKABEE: Opposed renewal of the 1965 Voting Rights Act and opposed the Civil Rights Act of 1964. | PAUL: Believes the "don't ask don't tell" policy is "a decent policy" for gays in the military.
Voted against amending the Constitution to define marriage as between one man and one woman, and against banning same-sex marriage. Voted in favor of banning gay adoptions in the District of Columbia. Voted to end preferential treatment in college admission based on race, sex, ethnicity, color, or national origin. |
|
| #7 International Balance
|
HUCKABEE: Believes that the long-term solution in the Middle East is "to empower moderates in the region by attacking the underlying conditions that breed terror."
Believes "we have to get tough with President Musharaff [of Pakistan] who has allowed Al Qaeda and the Taliban to have bases in Waziristan." Has been "a steadfast supporter of Israel" and "will always ensure that Israel has access to the state-of-the-art weapons and technology she needs." |
PAUL: Says "free trade deals and world governmental organizations like the International Criminal Court (ICC), NAFTA, GATT, WTO, and CAFTA are a threat to our independence as a nation" because they "transfer power from our government to unelected foreign elites."
Re Immigration, would: (1) physically secure our borders and coastlines; (2) enforce visa rules; (3) have "no amnesty"; (4) prevent welfare for illegal aliens; (5) end birthright citizenship: and (6) pass "true immigration reform." |
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| #8 Democratic Reform
|
HUCKABEE: Would "reassess, tighten, and strengthen the focus and mission of the Department of Homeland Security, whose size and structure (180,000 people, 22 agencies) have proven to be "unwieldy and inefficient."
Would take Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) out of Department of Homeland Security and restore it to Cabinet status. Would hire a FEMA Director whose credentials include extensive, hands-on experience in disaster response. |
PAUL: Would eliminate most federal government agencies, such as Internal Revenue Service, Department of Education, Department of Energy, Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA), and Interstate Commerce Commission—all of which he calls "unnecessary bureaucracies." | |
| #9 Universal Health Care
|
HUCKABEE: Is opposed to "universal health care mandated by federal edict."
Believes we should "get serious" about preventive health care. Would encourage the private sector to seek innovative ways to "bring down costs and improve the free market for health care services." Values the roles of states as being "laboratories for new market-based approaches." Would reform medical liability; adopt electronic record-keeping; make health insurance more portable; expand health savings accounts to everyone; make health insurance tax deductible for individuals and families; and give tax credits, not deductions, to low-income families. |
PAUL: Introduced the Health Freedom Protection Act (H.R. 4282) for "truthful health information about supplements and natural remedies."
Supports the Access to Medical Treatment Act (H.R. 2792) to expand the ability of Americans to use alternative medicine and new treatments. Opposes legislation that increases the FDA's legal powers on the basis that the FDA "has consistently failed to protect the public from dangerous drugs, genetically modified foods, dangerous pesticides and other chemicals in the food supply" while "they waste public funds attacking safe, healthy foods and dietary supplements/" Opposed the Homeland Security Bill (Public Law 107-296 Stat. 2135) which, in section 304, authorizes the forced vaccination of American citizens against small pox. |
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| #10 Lifetime Education
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HUCKABEE: Strongly supports "the rights of parents to home school their children," more charter schools, and public school choice.
Believes in "a clear distinction between federal and state roles in education. While there is value in the 'No Child Left Behind' law's effort to set high standards, states must be allowed to develop their own benchmarks." |
PAUL: A strong advocate for home schooling. Pledges to "veto any legislation that creates national standards or national testing for home school parents or students," and "as long as No Child Left Behind remains law, it must include the protections for home schoolers" in sec. 9506 (home schoolers' rights) and 9527 (no national curriculum). | |
| #11 Energy Freedom
|
HUCKABEE: Would deliver a "comprehensive plan for energy independence" that would explore, conserve, and pursue all avenues of alternative energy: nuclear, wind, solar, hydrogen, clean coal, biodiesel, and biomass. | PAUL: Voted against federal subsidies for oil and gas industry, saying that without government subsidies to oil and gas, alternative fuels would be more competitive and come to market sooner.
Believes that the market—not subsidies—should decide which technologies are best and which succeed. Thinks nuclear energy should be considered as a clean, efficient alternative fuel. |
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| #12 Fiscal Responsibility
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HUCKABEE: Says he would rein in out-of-control spending and balance the budget. | PAUL: Says that: "We cannot continue to allow private banks, wasteful agencies, lobbyists, corporations on welfare, and governments collecting foreign aid to dictate the size of our ballooning budget. We need a new method to prioritize our spending. It's called the Constitution of the United States." |
| ISSUE | Duncan Hunter (Rep) | Alan Keyes (Rep) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 Saving Planet Earth
|
HUNTER: Opposes the Kyoto Protocol, and voted against it in June 2000.
Supports drilling for oil and development in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). On global warming, was quoted as saying "regardless of what the studies say, the U.S. should explore alternative fuel sources for use by the Department of Defense. The military has an interest in being able to run its operations off a renewable source." |
KEYES: Seems to rank "property rights" as superior to efforts to protect the environment. Quote: "Today, disruption of the right of property is threatened additionally by extreme environmental values that place greater importance on the so-called 'rights' of animals, trees, and streams than on the legitimate and essential needs of mankind—extreme notions that increasingly strip human beings of normal and reasonable economic opportunity. I support responsible human stewardship of God's creation, but I also whole-heartedly seek to include in that stewardship conscientious and vigilant respect for the fundamental human right of property."
Is against the Kyoto Treaty; prefers "market-based" solutions. Would allow the exploration and exploitation of the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge, "while respecting ecology." |
TANCREDO: DROPPED OUT, 12/20/07. |
| #2 Peace and War
|
HUNTER: Strongly supports efforts by the U.S. to establish "free societies" in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Believes in "peace through strength" with a policy that supports U.S. interests by spreading freedom within the limits of U.S. capability. Considers Israel to be "America's most important ally in the Middle East," and supports Israel's right to exist and defend itself. |
KEYES: Regarding the War in Iraq, he states: "Put the U.N. on the spot. We should say, 'You should be working, all of you, to help these people to achieve representative institutions of self-government. Get in here with your money, and with your workers, and so on.'" | |
| #3 Global Living Conditions
|
HUNTER: Supports Mexico City Policy ("Global Gag Rule") which prevents United States Agency for International Development (USAID) from using funds for international family planning programs if they refer to or provide for abortions or engage in advocacy.
Supported President Bush's decision to withhold funds from the United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA) for programs that might support certain women's health services globally. |
KEYES: On global poverty, he stated: "It's not a matter of the pocketbook. It has a lot more to do with what you have in your heart than what you get in your paycheck. And so when we do and accept all these things that harden our hearts, we are destroying the foundation for family life. And if we want to restore that foundation, then what have to do is we have to work on the heart." | |
| #4 Human Rights
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HUNTER: On the Establishment and Free Exercise Clauses of the First Amendment (re separation of church and state), he asserts that: "The Founding Fathers developed these clauses to guarantee the right of all citizens to worship and to protect the church from the state, not to strip religion from the everyday lives of Americans."
Says the Second Amendment "is not about hunting" but about "the right of you and me to be secure in our homes." He will "defend against all attempts to chip away at the Second Amendment." Sponsored a Constitutional Amendment to prohibit "the physical desecration of the U.S. flag." Would try to amend the U.S. Constitution to provide "blanket protection" to unborn children from the moment of conception. Introduced the Right to Life Act [H.R. 552], to legally define "personhood" as the moment of conception with all constitutional rights and protections. [The bill never became law.] Has supported numerous pieces of legislation that oppose abortion, human cloning, and stem-cell research. Cosponsored and voted for the Marriage Protection Amendment (H.J. Res. 88), to amend the U.S. Constitution and declare that marriage is solely the union of a man and woman. [The bill was defeated on 7/18/06.] Opposes all hate crime legislation on the basis that "violence against any innocent person is wrong, regardless of that individual's race, religion, nationality or sexual orientation." Believes "the greatest protection of human rights in this decade has been the overthrow of the Taliban in Afghanistan and the overthrow of Saddam Hussein in Iraq." |
KEYES: On free speech, says he is inclined to respect the fact that "people should be free to say and do certain things that others don't like," yet society is also "entitled to establish clear standards and define the kinds of behavior or things permitted in a public place, so that we won't need to fear that our children will be polluted in a such an environment."
Seems to oppose separation of church and state. Has stated: "Instead of living in a society where the sovereignty of the people is based upon our acknowledgment of the authority of God, we now live in a society where the authority of God has been denied, where the sovereignty of the people is usurped, and where the Constitution of the United States is now a sham . . . where words like 'separation of church and state' can be used to mislead Christian believers into thinking, 'We can't talk about God in here, so we won't bring Him up.'" Claims that 'separation of church and state' is "a misinterpretation of the Constitution. . . . It does not forbid all religious influence upon politics or society." Strongly opposes abortion in any form. Believes that Roe v. Wade was "the most obscenely illogical and shoddily-written Supreme Court decision perhaps in the whole history of our country." Would overturn Roe v. Wade and pass a Human Life Amendment "that respects life and restores our respect for the will of God." Believes that "the effort to equate homosexual and lesbian relations with legal marriage represents a destructive assault on the heterosexual, marriage-based family." On crime, says that "our first priority should be to restore the moral and material strength of the marriage-based, two-parent family." Defines marriage as "the God-ordained covenant between one woman and one man that provides the essential societal support for families." Believes that "there are certain circumstances in which the death penalty is in fact essential to our respect for life." |
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| #5 Economic Justice
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HUNTER: Would empower the poor and fight poverty by reducing taxes: "I believe all citizens are deserving of tax relief, and tax-cutting policies benefit the American economy as a whole. I do not support efforts to identify segments of our society that are more deserving of a tax cut over another and I believe political stereotyping in this area hinders the goal of providing efficient tax relief."
Would remove the marriage tax penalty, reform the alternative minimum tax (AMT), and revise the entire tax code to make it "simpler, fairer, and more growth oriented." |
KEYES: States that: "We think economics is about money. No, it's not. . . . The family is the basis of our economic success."
Would replace the income tax system with a national sales tax. |
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| #6 Opportunity for All
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HUNTER: Voted to prohibit post-secondary schools from discriminating or granting preferential treatment in admissions "based on race, sex, ethnicity, color or national origin" (H.R. 6). | KEYES: Believes "preferential affirmative action patronizes American blacks, women, and others by presuming that they cannot succeed on their own." | |
| #7 International Balance
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HUNTER: Believes "protecting our homeland begins at our nation's borders," so would provide the Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement with resources needed to secure U.S. borders and conduct interior domestic enforcement.
Says "America's one-way-street trade relationship with China and other nations has reduced manufacturing jobs severely in the U.S.," so he would "change the one-way-street into a two-way-street by putting the same charges on foreign goods that they put on ours." Would increase the burden sharing in the United nations by member nations other than the U.S. |
KEYES: On immigration, he states: "Immigration, yes; colonization, no."
Sees the basis of any effective immigration policy as being "to regain full control of the borders of the United States." Believes that President Bush's guest-worker proposal serves "short-sighted business interests intent on cheapening the cost of labor in our economy," and may serve "the corrupt interests of Mexican and other foreign elites seeking to relieve the pressure created by their own policies of greedy exploitation, but they do not serve the common good." Favors policies that "give preference in immigration not just to workers seeking jobs and money, but to those who seek liberty and the responsibilities of citizenship." Would not send troops to Darfur, but would support regional aid. Would monitor the eradication of legal slavery in Sudan. Says "America's friendship with Israel reflects a moral truth about who we are and what we stand for." Called United Nations "a source of dangerously naive globalist dreams." Said he "has never been a supporter of the U.N." even while he was a U.N. Ambassador. Says that: "Ultimately, it is more important that the United States of America should survive in freedom than that the United Nations should survive at all." |
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| #8 Democratic Reform
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HUNTER: When asked in a Republican debate (9/27/07) about rigid ID restrictions for voting, he stated: "We have right now a real danger of people that are illegally in the country being rounded up, herded into the polls, we've seen that in California, voting illegally. That disenfranchises everybody in that community." | KEYES: Believes that ultimate responsibility to discipline the political system is left up to voters.
Is absolutely opposed to the McCain-Feingold bill (Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002) . |
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| #9 Universal Health Care
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HUNTER: Would allow Americans to buy health insurance across state lines.
Supports tax-exempt Medical Savings Accounts. Would bring back the family doctor "by taking away massive malpractice burdens" and changing the tax code so that "if a doc will be a family doc, in the barrio, in the community, and he will do office visits for 30 bucks or 50 bucks a visit, he doesn't have to pay taxes on that." Believes the State Children's Health Insurance Program SCHIP Bill is "the first extension of socialized medicine." Voted against allowing Medicare to negotiate with pharmaceutical manufacturers for lower drug prices. Instead, favors "market based prices." Voted in favor of limiting medical malpractice lawsuits, limiting prescription drug benefits for Medicare recipients, allowing reimportation of prescription drugs, and allowing small business associations to buy health insurance. |
KEYES: Would adopt health care solutions like tax-deductible medical savings accounts, combined with catastrophic insurance. Says he opposes "government-controlled health care."
Would focus more on prevention: "The objective of the system should be health, not just health care," including diet, exercise, and fitness. Would let cheaper prescription drugs be imported from Canada and Europe, and would "do other sensible things," based on free-market principles, that will give consumers greater choice of health care options. Opposes stem cell research. |
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| #10 Lifetime Education
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HUNTER: Believes "we can educate students more effectively by returning school curriculum prerogatives to the states, local communities and, most importantly, to the family."
Supports the idea of a school voucher system. Also believes federal financial aid should be given to students who receive home schooling. |
KEYES: On Education Reform, says: "I strongly favor school choice approaches that empower parents to take control of their children's education, in accordance with the parents' faith and values. We not only need prayer in schools, we need schools that are in the hands of people who pray. Above all, we must break the government monopoly on public education."
Believes that sex education is "the private responsibility of parents. The government should not usurp this role. Where parents choose to encourage school-based instruction, I strongly support abstinence-based approaches for young adults." |
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| #11 Energy Freedom
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HUNTER: Voted in favor of the Bush-Cheny national energy policy.
Favors drilling for oil offshore on the outer Continental Shelf. Supports the permitting and construction of new oil refineries. Opposed raising the Corporate Average Fuel efficiency (CAFE) standards for automobiles and light trucks. Voted against removing oil and gas subsidies. Would take taxes for alternative energy sources "down to zero." |
KEYES: Would kill and abolish CAFE standards. | |
| #12 Fiscal Responsibility
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HUNTER: Supports a balanced federal budget with additional revenue provided by economic growth, not increased taxes.
Would limit spending growth in "non-defense areas." |
KEYES: Says he would rein in out-of-control spending and balance the budget.
Supports a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution. |
SOURCES
Republicans
GIULIANI (R): Campaign Website: Rudy Giuliani for President; Wikipedia: Political Positions of Rudy Giluliani; Rudy Giuliani, "Toward a Realistic Peace" (Foreign Affairs, Sep/Oct 2007).
HUCKABEE (R): Campaign Website: Mike Huckabee for President; Wikipedia: Political Postions of Mike Huckabee; Stand Up Speak Out, Huckabee Live in Spartanburg (10/19/07).
HUNTER (R): Campaign Website: Duncan Hunter for President; Wikipedia: Political Positions of Duncan Hunter; On the Issues: Duncan Hunter on Health Care.
KEYES (R): Campaign Website: Alan Keyes for President; On the Issues: Alan Keyes on the Issues.
McCAIN (R): Campaign Website: John McCain for President; Wikipedia: Political Positions of John McCain.
PAUL (R): Campaign Website: Ron Paul for President; Wikipedia: Political Positions of Ron Paul; Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life: Candidates on the Environment.
ROMNEY (R): Campaign Website: Mitt Romney for President; Wikipedia: Political Positions of Mitt Romney; On the Issues: Mitt Romney on Welfare & Poverty; Mitt Romney, Rising to a New generation of Global Challenges, Foreign Affairs (July/August 2007).
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