The Issues (Direct Quotes from Website) War on Terror "Senator Gravel believes that there is no such thing on the war on terror and that it is fabricated in order to prepetuate the interests of his political opponents. Senator Gravel believes that te "war on terror" should be stopped and that no more lives should be taken in its name."
Global Warming "Senator Gravel believes that global climate change is a matter of national security and survivability of the planet. As President, he will act swiftly to reduce America's carbon footprint in the world by initiating legislation to tax carbon at the source and cap carbon emissions. he will also initiate a massive scientific effort, integrating the world's scientific and engineering community, to end energy dependence on oil and integrate the world's scientific community in this task. "
Social Security "Senator Gravel wants to put real money, rather than borrowed money, in the Social Security Trust Fund. He advocates investing it properly and identifying the interests of individual beneficiaries so they can know what their retirement fund is and leave surplus funds to heirs."
War on Terror Rudy Giuliani believes winning the war on terror is the great responsibility of our generation. America cannot afford to go back to the days of playing defense, with inconsistent responses to terrorist attacks, because weakness only encourages aggression. Americans want peace. We're at war not because we want to be, but because the terrorists declared war on us—well before the attacks of September 11th. Rudy understands that freedom is going to win this war of ideas. America will win the war on terror.
Education As Mayor, Rudy Giuliani worked to reform the nation's largest public school system, with over 1 million school children. He increased school funding and hired new teachers, while insisting on reforms that ended social promotion, abolished principal tenure, and created a Charter School Fund. Rudy is also a strong supporter of school choice, believing that it is one of the great civil rights issues of our time.
Abortion Rudy Giuliani supports reasonable restrictions on abortion such as parental notification with a judicial bypass and a ban on partial birth abortion—except when the life of the mother is at stake. He's proud that adoptions increased 66% while abortions decreased over 16% in New York City when he was Mayor. But Rudy understands that this is a deeply personal moral dilemma, and people of good conscience can disagree respectfully.
Same-Sex Marriages Rudy Giuliani believes marriage is between a man and a woman. He does not—and has never—supported gay marriage. But he believes in equal rights under law for all Americans. That's why he supports domestic partnerships that provide stability for committed partners in important legal and personal matters, while preserving the sanctity of marriage between a man and a woman.
Keeping Americans Safe at Home and Abroad We must strengthen our military and transform our domestic civilian international efforts to meet a new generation of global challenges.
Combating Nuclear Terrorism We are faced today with the horrific proposition that those who speak of genocide are developing the capability to carry it out.
Curbing Out of Control Federal Spending Politicians from both parties in Washington, D.C. have spent too much money on too many programs for far too long.
Ending the Tide of Illegal Immigrants We must secure the border, implement an enforceable employer verification system, punish sanctuary cities and reject amnesty.
Strengthening Latin American Allies and Confronting Tyrants It is time for the United States to adopt a Latin American strategy that will strengthen the institutions of freedom.
Health Care Health care in the US is too expensive and leaves 46 million Americans without insurance and millions more underinsured. Dennis Kucinich is the only candidate for President with a plan for a Universal, Single-Payer, Not-for-Profit health care system.
The Middle Class For most American families, the loss of a job or one serious illness spells catastrophe. Stagnant wages, expensive health care and rising education costs are vital issues being ignored by the Congress and White House. A champion of working families, Dennis Kucinich will lead America into expanding opportunities, universal health care, restore our schools and strengthen Social Security and protections for private pensions.
The Future As the world population soars towards eight billion, critical issues of survival face all of us. Living on a planet of finite resources means that human life can not be sustained indefinitely without careful thought and compassion coupled with political courage.
Poverty Half the world's population lives on less than two dollars a day. In 2003, 10.6 million children died before they reached the age of five. Without hope and stricken by the AIDS pandemic, religious strife and no opportunity for an education; desperate poverty is a fact of everyday life for the majority of the world's people. It manifests itself in war, terror and genocide over scarce resources, hopelessness and intolerance. Dennis Kucinich will make it a national priority to fight poverty worldwide. He understands that the path to a safe, strong America is through peace, tolerance and committing our nation to eradicating the root causes of global poverty.
Politics and Faith My faith is my life - it defines me. My faith doesn't influence my decisions, it drives them. For example, when it comes to the environment, I believe in being a good steward of the earth. I don't separate my faith from my personal and professional lives.
Education I believe that every child should have the opportunity for a quality education that teaches the fundamental skills needed to compete in a global economy. As I traveled the country and the world over the last decade bringing jobs to Arkansas, the business leaders I met weren't worried about creating jobs, they were worried about finding skilled and professional workers to fill those jobs.
Health Care The health care system in this country is irrevocably broken, in part because it is only a "health care" system, not a "health" system. We don't need universal health care mandated by federal edict or funded through ever-higher taxes. We do need to get serious about preventive health care instead of chasing more and more dollars to treat chronic disease, which currently gobbles up 80% of our health care costs, and yet is often avoidable. The result is that we'll be able to deliver better care where and when it's needed.
Taxes 'd like you to join me at the best "Going Out of Business" sale I can imagine - one held by the Internal Revenue Service. Am I running for president to shut down the federal government? Not exactly. But I am running to completely eliminate all federal income and payroll taxes. And do I mean all - personal federal, corporate federal, gift, estate, capital gains, alternative minimum, Social Security, Medicare, self-employment.
Marriage I support and have always supported passage of a federal constitutional amendment that defines marriage as a union between one man and one woman. As President, I will fight for passage of this amendment. My personal belief is that marriage is between one man and one woman, for life.
Immigration My number one priority is to secure America's border. I opposed the amnesty bill that was defeated by the Senate in June.
The Issues: This candidate has very long, essay-like answers in terms of issues. I am only going to include one, but they are in the website
Crime and Security Hometown and Homeland Security: For more than two decades, Joe Biden has been a strong advocate in the struggle against crime as he believes safe streets and neighborhoods are fundamental to our nation's safety and security. Joe Biden knows that it won't be a marine with night vision goggles who stops the next attack -- it will be a local cop in the right place at the right time. He has worked to restore billions of dollars in funding to state and local law enforcement the Bush administration has cut. As president, Joe Biden would invest $10 billion a year for five years to keep America safe by:
Funding 50,000 Cops and 1,000 FBI Agents: In the 1990s, the Biden Crime Bill added 100,000 cops to America's streets. As a result, murder and violent crime rates went down eight years in a row. George Bush's cuts to the program have put America at risk and crime rates are back on the rise. Joe Biden wants to put 50,000 more cops on the street and add 1,000 more FBI agents to address the rise in crime and threats of terrorism.
Imposing RealPort Security Measures: Only 5 percent of cargo entering our seaports are screened even though our ports are some the most vulnerable targets to terrorist attacks. Joe Biden supports screening 100 percent of containers entering our ports to prevent radiological and other dangerous materials from being smuggled into America.
Implementing the 9/11 Commission Recommendations: Joe Biden supports implementing the 9/11 Commission Recommendations in their entirety; we must work to make our ports, chemical plants, railways, and infrastructure more secure.
Giving Better Tools To First Responders: America's first responders need interoperable communications equipment to allow them to easily communicate with each other and the military in the event of an emergency. Joe Biden supports increasing funding to provide first responders with the communications equipment they need to respond to another Katrina or 9/11.
Focusing On Rehabilitation: Offenders reentering our communities lack sufficient monitoring, job skills, and housing. Two-thirds of people released from state prisons are re-arrested for a felony or serious misdemeanor within three years. Joe Biden authored the Second Chance Act to provide ex-offenders with housing, drug and alcohol treatment, job training, and other life skills, providing them with the skills they need to rejoin their families and communities. Joe Biden: A Strong Crime Fighter
Ending Violence Against Women: Joe Biden has often said the Violence Against Women Act is his proudest achievement in the Senate. The law strengthened the national network of shelters so that abused women had a place to go and provided funding for a national hotline that has served over 1.5 million women. Domestic violence rates have dropped by 50 percent since the implementation of the Violence Against Women Act, and rape has dropped by 60 percent. Joe Biden continues to be committed to this cause and is now working to provide legal services to women in need.
The Biden Crime Law: Joe Biden wrote the legislation that put 100,000 cops on the streets, built drug courts to improve rehabilitation treatment for non-violent offenders and worked with community groups like the Boys and Girls Clubs and Police Athletic Leagues to keep kids off the streets and out of trouble, reducing crime eight years in a row.
Protecting Children from Sex Offenders: Joe Biden has been standing up for our kids for years by writing legislation to create a national registry of sex offenders, increasing funding for Child Advocacy Centers, and by authoring the Adam Walsh Act to ensure convicted sex offenders do not slip through the cracks and go after our children.
Fighting Drugs: Joe Biden has worked to increase penalties for dealing drugs within 1,000 feet of schools, created the Drug Czar office in the White House, and was an important voice in classifying steroids as drugs and has worked to keep them out of the hands of students.
Fighting Corporate Crime: Joe Biden recognizes that corporate criminals at corporations like Enron that wipe out families' savings through fraud and other criminal activity should be subject to stiff penalties. He has sponsored legislation requiring top executives to certify financial statements for public companies and imposing criminal penalties if those certifications are false.
Making Criminals Serve Their Full Terms: Joe Biden has written legislation that provides funds to states for building prisons if they agree to keep their violent offenders behind bars for at least 85 percent of their sentence, currently state prisoners serve only 40 percent of their sentences behind bars on average.
Education The government school monopoly is the problem. Competition is the answer, not more money, which has doubled after inflation in the past 20 years without much improvement in test scores. Turn parents into consumers with vouchers, which are Constitutional and do not lose money for public schools because the child is no longer there to create expenses. Education is a local and state issue. No Child Left Behind should be repealed.
Health Care Competition in health care will bring down costs and improve efficiency. We should inject patient and doctor choice into the system to create more accountability and cost control. As president, I will use America's influence to force an end to foreign governments' subsidizing drug costs at Americans' expense. Ending the tax deduction for employee health insurance would provide more opportunity for patient choice and consumer power.
Religious Freedom I believe that religious freedom is a fundamental human right. America should be steadfast in supporting the rights of individuals to express their religious beliefs in every corner of the world. I am a baptized, born-again evangelical Catholic who believes we need to embrace people of all religious beliefs. The religious freedom guaranteed by the Constitution does not mean freedom from religion, or that religion must be banished from public discussion. Standing for the Traditional Family and for Marriage
Immigration The Illegal Immigration Crisis While legal immigration is good for America, illegal immigration hurts our economy and strains our public services. Amnesty is not the answer, nor are "guest workers." We need Citizens who want to become part of our nation, learn English and contribute to the economy. I will crack down on businesses that hire - and exploit - illegal labor. We must protect our borders and enforce our laws.
Middle Class America's middle class is under siege and ready for change. People are working harder and longer for less and less. For six long years, America's middle class and working families have been invisible to our president. When Hillary is in the White House, no American will be invisible to the president of the United States.
Iraq America is ready for a leader who will end the war in Iraq. Hillary's roadmap out of Iraq, the Iraq Troop Protection and Reduction Act of 2007, is a plan to end the war before the next president takes the oath of office. But if the Bush administration won't end the war, as president and commander in chief, Hillary will.
Immigration Our immigration system is in crisis. The laws we currently have on the books are inadequate and no longer serve our best interests. As a nation, we place a premium on compassion, respect, and policies that help families, but our immigration laws don't reflect that. Hillary has consistently called for comprehensive immigration reform that respects our immigrant heritage and honors the rule of law.
Iraq Before the war in Iraq ever started, Senator Obama said that it was wrong in its conception. In 2002, then Illinois State Senator Obama said Saddam Hussein posed no imminent threat to the United States and that invasion would lead to an occupation of undetermined length, at undetermined cost, with undetermined consequences. Since then, Senator Obama has laid out a plan on the way forward in Iraq that has largely been affirmed by the bipartisan Iraq Study Group led by James Baker and Lee Hamilton.
Poverty There are 37 million poor Americans. Most poor Americans are in the workforce, yet still cannot afford to make ends meet. And too many poor Americans are single mothers who are raising children. Barack Obama has been a lifelong advocate for the poor -- as a young college graduate, he rejected the high salaries of corporate America and moved to the South Side of Chicago to work as a community organizer. As an organizer, Obama worked with churches, Chicago residents and local government to set up job training programs for the unemployed and after school programs for kids.
Environment Barack Obama believes that we have a responsibility to our children to leave this Earth better than we found it. He has a plan to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and to turn the global warming crisis into a moment of opportunity for innovation and job creation. And as president, he will restore America's promise of a clean and beautiful environment by cleaning up our air and water, building healthier communities with fewer toxins, and preserving our forests and other national treasures. In doing so, Obama will make sure that our environmental laws and policies balance America's need for a healthy, sustainable environment with economic growth.
Energy Senator Obama has been a leader in the Senate in pushing for a comprehensive national energy policy and has introduced a number of bills to get us closer to the goal of energy independence. By putting aside partisan battles, he has found common ground on CAFE, renewable fuels, and clean coal.
Iraq His time in the Peace Corps as a young man to his 25 years on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Chris Dodd has worked to strengthen America through bold engagement. Dodd understands America must lead to protect our security not only on Iraq, but also on the rise of state-less terrorist organizations around the world, Iran and North Korea's emerging nuclear capabilities, a resurgent Taliban in Afghanistan, the HIV/AIDS crisis that is decimating whole continents and creating failed states, and the growing threat of global warming. Chris Dodd is ready to lead - to face our challenges abroad with boldness and a proven ability to bring people together.
Energy The reviews are in - from environmentalists to the leading voices on the issue of global warming: Chris Dodd's bold energy plan is setting the standard in the presidential race. With a Corporate Carbon Tax that makes polluters pay to his call for historic fuel efficiency standards that break America's dependence on Middle East oil by 2015, Chris Dodd is the only candidate in the field with a plan to make America the world leader on climate change and bring energy costs down for families and businesses.
Education Chris Dodd understands that while children are 25 percent of our population, they are 100 percent of our future. But if America is going to face the challenges of the 21st century with boldness and optimism, we will need the best-educated generation in the history of our country. Coming from a family of educators, Chris Dodd has dedicated his career to educating our children, starting the first Children's Caucus in the Senate, focusing on early childhood development and Head Start, and working to improve college affordability. With proven, experienced leadership in the White House, Chris Dodd believes every child - regardless of economic circumstances - can receive a high-quality education from pre-k to college.
Health Care Chris Dodd has worked to ensure that every American has health care coverage, regardless of their economic status. He understands that we simply can't afford to fail again when it comes to ensuring that all Americans have access to affordable, quality health care. Dodd brought together Republicans and Democrats to pass the landmark Family and Medical Leave Act to ensure that Americans never have to make the choice between the job they need and the family they love. As a result, 50 million people have been able to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave to care for a new child or a sick family member. The problems are known and so are the solutions - what we need is the kind of bold leadership Chris Dodd will bring to the White House to meet the health care challenge. He'll get the job done.
The Issues This candidate has also given a term paper for their issues, so again, I will choose two..
Hate Crimes & Sexual Orientation
In the past, Congress has considered legislation that would allow the federal government to assist local authorities in the investigation and prosecution of crimes motivated by a person's race, color, national origin, sexual orientation, or religion. Current law allows the federal government to intervene in cases deemed hate crimes only if they occur on federal property, or if the victim was participating in one of six very specific activities, such as voting.
I have always voted against this type of legislation because I firmly believe that the use of violence against any innocent person is wrong, regardless of that individual's race, religion, nationality or sexual orientation. Despite the intentions of these bills, I sincerely doubt that increased federal involvement in these state issues would have any significant effect on these crimes. If crimes are prioritized based on the victims' status, we threaten the very tenet of equal protection under the law that is the foundation of our legal system. Instead, all violations of the law should be dealt with in a manner that delivers justice on behalf of the victims and their families. I support strict punishment for heinous crimes, like murder, regardless of the social circumstances. The idea espoused in so called "hate crime" legislation that some murders are less serious than others rebukes common sense.
Domestic Issues It seems every election year, some liberal politician dons an NRA cap and grabs a shotgun for a hunting photo-op, as if that means they support our right as Americans to keep and bear arms. I, myself, thoroughly enjoy hunting, having just recently spent a great weekend hunting elk in Arizona. But, the Second Amendment is not about hunting. It is about the right of you and me to be secure in our homes. We must vigorously defend against all attempts to chip away at the Second Amendment. You know as well as I do that there is one thing criminals prefer over any other: unarmed victims.
-- Posted by iwashere85 at 6:33 pm on Dec. 4, 2007
DROP OUT-December 20, 2007 --------- Tom Tancredo
Offical Website-The website no longer works, I guess it was shut down...
Percentage for President Tancredo- 2.67%
The Issues
Immigration Illegal aliens threaten our economy and undermine our culture. While our brave soldiers risk their lives to protect us overseas, our political elites lack the courage to defend us at home. I am 100% opposed to amnesty. As President, I will secure our borders so illegal aliens do not come, and I will eliminate benefits and job prospects so they do not stay.
Preserving Life
The innocent unborn enjoy a God given right to life. Roe is a scar on the moral and intellectual history of the country; but, contrary to popular belief, overturning it would merely permit and not require states to prohibit abortion. To protect life, we also need to educate the public about the second victim of abortion, the mother who is subject to potential life long medical and emotional scarring.
Income Tax
A growing chorus of economists and experts argue, and I agree, that the current income tax system is complex and unfair and should be replaced by a flat tax or national sales tax. That's why I co-sponsored the FairTax legislation. Simplifying the process would dramatically reduce the costs of compliance, make American companies more competitive, and put billions back into the economy by encouraging investment.
Healthcare Americans have the best healthcare in the world. Some, however, choose not be insured; others cannot afford it. Every American should be able to get health insurance coverage that is affordable, fully accessible, and portable. Coverage should meet their individual needs and put them in control. Those who propose a one-size-fits-all Washington-controlled program ignore the cost, inefficiency, and inadequate care that such a system offers. Access to affordable, portable health care can be made available for all Americans without imposing new mandates or raising taxes. Current government programs must also be streamlined and improved so that those who truly need help can get the health care they need.
Immigration The United States is a nation of immigrants. Throughout our history, legal immigrants have brought energy, ideas, strength, and diversity to our country, our economy, and our culture. This must continue. But in the post-9/11 world, immigration is more of a national security issue. A government that cannot secure its borders and determine who may enter and who may not, abrogates a fundamental responsibility.
Education A well-educated citizenry is vital to our security, our economy, and our democracy. Despite the tens of billions of dollars spent on education by Washington each year, and the hundreds of federal education programs now in place, our children are still falling behind, particularly in subjects crucial to the global economy in which we live. At a time when America is behind other developed countries in education excellence, the federal role in education is too intrusive and too bureaucratic, and has become part of the problem. State and local governments are closest to the parents, the kids, and the schools, and best situated to implement changes and innovations that best educate children.
Taxes Working Americans like lower taxes. So do I. Lower taxes benefit all of us, creating jobs and allowing us to make more decisions for ourselves about our lives.
Immigration The talk must stop. We must secure our borders now. A nation without secure borders is no nation at all. It makes no sense to fight terrorists abroad when our own front door is left unlocked.
Iraq 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.
Social Security Our nation's promise to its seniors, once considered a sacred trust, has become little more than a tool for politicians to scare retirees while robbing them of their promised benefits. Today, the Social Security system is broke and broken.
Education The federal government does not own our children. Yet we act as it if does by letting it decide when, how, and what our children will learn. We have turned their futures over to lobbyists and bureaucrats.
Iraq Our military presence in Iraq is prolonging the violence, costing us more than $10 billion a month, and distracting us from the war against Al Qaeda. George Bush's "surge" has failed: this summer was the bloodiest yet, and there's no end in sight. Our troops have done everything we've asked them to do -- but they cannot win someone else's civil war. We need to get them out so that a new political process can begin.
There are seven components to my plan to end the war and stabilize Iraq, but the most important step, upon which all others depend, is to remove ALL of our troops quickly.
Energy We must "Act Boldly and Act Now" in order to make America a Clean Energy Nation like I made New Mexico a Clean Energy State. Consider this a call to action, for Congress, the energy industry, and the public. I am calling for a New American Revolution -- an energy and climate revolution.
Health Care Bill Richardson's Health Care Plan Action Center
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Governor Richardson's health care plan uses new ways to expand proven sources of affordable coverage to all Americans. It guarantees that all Americans will have choices of high quality, affordable care by giving every American the choice to keep their current coverage or obtain coverage through an existing, well-established program. My plan can be paid for without raising taxes. When some do not have access to affordable care, all Americans end up paying the price.
AIDS I believe it is time to end this epidemic once and for all, both in the United States and around the world. As President, I will appoint a Blue Ribbon Commission on HIV/AIDS, bringing together multiple stakeholders to develop a National Strategy for HIV/AIDS -- a strategy that ends our country's fragmented, uncoordinated approach to HIV/AIDS and that lays out a comprehensive solution for ending this epidemic once and for all.
The Future Global warming is a crisis that could fundamentally change our planet, creating hundreds of millions of deaths and starvation. Edwards will restore our energy independence by asking Americans to be patriotic about something other than war and building a new energy economy based on clean renewable energy and energy efficiency.
Leadership Our standing in the world has been badly tarnished in recent years. America must once again be looked up to and respected around the world.
Middle Class Forty-seven million Americans lack insurance and families and businesses are struggling to pay skyrocketing premiums. Edwards has proposed a specific plan for truly universal health care that will take on the insurance and drug companies, cover every man, woman, and child in America, and get better care at lower cost.
Ethics John McCain believes that a government "of the people, by the people, and for the people" must remain ever faithful to that noble charge. America needs leadership devoted to the public interest, not the special interest, and a government that fulfills its duties with unfailing integrity, accountability, and common sense. Those who serve in positions of public trust have a patriotic duty to serve the national interest with integrity and accountability, to conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of the people we are privileged to serve, and to devote ourselves to America's agenda, not that of narrow special interests.
Iraq John McCain believes that we must not fail in Iraq. Succeeding in the cause of helping the Iraqi people build a stable, secure, representative state is essential to achieving an enduring peace in a region of the world central to American prosperity and national security. Failure in Iraq will endanger America for generations to come. America has a vital interest in a secure, democratic Iraq, at peace with its neighbors, to help stabilize a dangerous and critical region.
National Security The most sacred responsibility vested in a president - the commander in chief - is to "preserve and protect" American citizens. John McCain has the necessary vision and unrivaled experience to command the United States armed forces and adapt our nation's defenses to the demands of a changing and dangerous world.
-- Posted by iwashere85 at 6:34 pm on Dec. 4, 2007
Understanding the Issues:
War on Terror This is often associated with the war on Iraq. They are often mistaken. The War on Terror is the war against terrorism in the United States, which includes the WTC catastrophe. Many people believe it is a serious war, and must be dealt with. The War in Iraq can be part of the War on Terror.
Global Warming: If you watched Gore's An Inconvenient Truth, you will know what global warming. It basically is the earth slowly warming up overtime. Many believe it is natural although many others feel it is caused by human overpopulation or pollution.
Social Security It is quite possible that the government may take the social security away to start paying for the war, expenses, etc. Many people are strongly against this.
Education This mainly deals with the public education. Should religion be taught? In what ways should teachers be certified? All these questions are answered in teh education issue.
Abortion This is a highly touchy area. This is when a woman is pregnancy, and decides to terminate the fetus. The two choices for this are pro-life and pro-choice. Pro-Life is the position that the baby should live, AKA Anti-Abortion, and Pro-Choice is the woman's right to make her own decision.
Same-Sex Marriages This is the marriage between a woman and woman or a man and a man.
Immigration: This is also a big subject recently. Many illegal immigrants from Mexico and the South Americas are coming to the USA to get cheap work.
It would be awesome if their little bios all talked about the same thing.
Like for example out of the whole list, only 2 candidates views on abortion were added.
I was going to do that, but I noticed that not all candidates posted information for Abortion. This would work, if all candidates discussed it. Since they did not, I chose random issues.
It would be awesome if their little bios all talked about the same thing. 