WGVU: Candidates on The Issues (2008-01-16)

WASHINGTON (AP) The stands of these 2008 presidential candidates on a selection of issues:

Democrats: New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards and Illinois Sen. Barack Obama.

Republicans: Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, Arizona Sen. John McCain, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, and former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson.

ABORTION: Support abortion rights?

Clinton: Yes.

Edwards: Yes.

Obama: Yes.

Giuliani: Yes.

Huckabee: No.

McCain: No.

Romney: No. (Previously supported abortion rights.)

Thompson: No. (Previously supported right to early term abortion.)

EDUCATION:

Clinton: $10 billion for universal preschool. Replace No Child Left Behind law. $10,000 higher-education scholarships per year of national service.

Edwards: Universal preschool for 4 year olds. Change or replace No Child Left Behind.

Obama: $18 billion plan for preschool, teacher pay, $4,000 college tax credit for community service.

Giuliani: Vouchers for school choice.

Huckabee: Give states more authority to run education.

McCain: Vouchers for school choice, more community-college aid.

Romney: Supports school choice and No Child Left Behind law.

Thompson: Favors incentives for school choice.

GAY MARRIAGE: Prohibit it with constitutional amendment?

Clinton: No.

Edwards: No.

Obama: No.

Giuliani: No.

Huckabee: Yes.

McCain: No.

Romney: Yes.

Thompson: No.

GLOBAL WARMING:

Clinton: $150 billion, 10-year energy package for new fuel sources; backed caps on greenhouse gas emissions.

Edwards: $13 billion annual fund to double budget for efficiency and renewable energy, favors greenhouse gas emission caps.

Obama: $150 billion, 10-year program for "climate friendly" energy supplies, favors emission caps.

Giuliani: Unsure how much global warming is caused by humans. Consider expanding nuclear power and alternative energy.

Huckabee: Supports increase to 35 mpg fuel efficiency standard by 2020, and emission caps.

McCain: Led Senate effort to cap greenhouse gas emissions; favors tougher fuel efficiency.

Romney: As governor, backed out of regional pact to curb carbon dioxide emissions from power plants. Says tougher mileage standards are a burden on automakers.

Thompson: Questioned whether global warming caused by humans is real.

GUN Control:

Clinton: Supports gun control.

Edwards: Supports gun control.

Obama: Supports gun control.

Giuliani: Backed federal gun control as mayor, now says states should decide.

Huckabee: Opposes gun controls; backs federal "right to carry" law requiring states to recognize other states' concealed weapons permits.

McCain: Opposed ban on assault-type weapons; favored background-check law for gun shows.

Romney: As governor, favored strict state gun control.

Thompson: Opposes most gun controls

HEALTH INSURANCE:

Clinton: $110 billion a year for mandatory universal coverage in first term. Tax credits to make insurance more affordable. Raise taxes on wealthy.

Edwards: Up to $120 billion a year for mandatory universal coverage in first term. Tax credits for affordability. Raise taxes on wealthy.

Obama: No universal coverage mandate for adults but one for children. More than $65 billion a year to make universal coverage affordable. Raise taxes on wealthy.

Giuliani: Income tax deduction of $7,500 per taxpayer to defray insurance costs.

Huckabee: Spend more on prevention, let market and states expand insurance.

McCain: $2,500 tax credit per taxpayer to help pay for insurance.

Romney: Incentives for states to expand affordable coverage. As governor, signed law aimed at ensuring universal coverage.

Thompson: Leave expanded coverage to market, not Washington.

IMMIGRATION:

Clinton: Voted for 2006 bill that proposed conditional path to citizenship for illegal aliens; backed border fence.

Edwards: Supports path to citizenship for illegal aliens who speak English and meet other conditions.

Obama: Voted for 2006 bill that proposed conditional path to citizenship for illegal aliens; backed border fence.

Giuliani: Open to legal status for illegal aliens who speak English and meet other conditions. Favors tamperproof immigrant ID cards.

Huckabee: Has favored allowing illegal aliens to apply for legal status if they pay penalties, get work permits, register. As governor, opposed banning state services for illegal aliens.

McCain: Sponsored 2006 bill that proposed conditional path to citizenship for illegal aliens. Now says he would secure border first.

Romney: Opposes conditional path to citizenship for illegal aliens; once called that step reasonable. Backs fence and National Guard at border, and ID cards.

Thompson: Opposes conditional path to citizenship for illegal aliens. Previously backed expansion of legal immigration.

IRAQ:

Clinton: Opposed troop increase. No timetable for completing withdrawal. Voted for war.

Edwards: Take out 50,000 troops now; all combat troops out in 10 months. Said his vote for war was wrong.

Obama: Combat troops out in 16 months. Spoke against war at start.

Giuliani: Supported troop increase and prosecution of the war.

Huckabee: Now faults President Bush for not sending enough troops at the start.

McCain: Early critic of how the war was fought, backed troop increase, opposes scheduled pullout.

Romney: Supported troop increase and prosecution of the war.

Thompson: Supports Bush's course in Iraq.

SOCIAL SECURITY:

Clinton: Noncommittal on raising $97,500 income cap on payroll taxes. Proposes a federal match of up to $1,000 to help set up 401(k) plans.

Edwards: Subject the portion of income over about $200,000 to Social Security taxes.

Obama: Raising cap with unspecified "small adjustment" that would subject a portion of higher incomes to Social Security taxes.

Giuliani: Rules out tax increase to save Social Security.

McCain: Would consider "almost anything" in a compromise to save Social Security, yet rules out higher payroll taxes for now.

Huckabee: Higher benefits for people who delay retirement past 70. Let retirees choose to get benefits or a payment at death for heirs.

Romney: Higher taxes are "wrong way to go."

Thompson: Only major candidate proposing lower-than-promised benefits for future retirees.

STEM CELL RESEARCH: Relax restrictions on federal financing:

Clinton: Yes.

Edwards: Yes.

Obama: Yes.

Giuliani: Yes.

Huckabee: No.

McCain: Yes.

Romney: Apparently, no. As governor, tried to stop legislation that encouraged expanded embryonic stem cell research of the kind opposed by Bush.

Thompson: Apparently, no.

TAXES:

Clinton: Raise income taxes on wealthiest and keep estate tax on them. Higher tax breaks for college.

Edwards: Raise income taxes on wealthiest and their capital gains tax. $25 billion a year in tax cuts for non-wealthy, including tripling the Earned Income Tax Credit for singles and $500 tax credit for families making up to $75,000.

Obama: Raise income taxes on wealthiest and their capital gains and dividends taxes. Raise corporate taxes. $80 billion in tax breaks mainly for poor workers and elderly, including tripling Earned Income Tax Credit for minimum-wage workers and higher credit for larger families.

Giuliani: Cut corporate tax rate to 25 percent from 35 percent, eliminate estate tax, establish a permanent child tax credit.

Huckabee: Replace income and investment taxes with 23 percent national sales tax, with help for poor and rebates for essential purchases.

McCain: Opposed some of Bush's tax cuts because they were not tied to spending cuts, now says the tax cuts should be permanent.

Romney: Tax breaks to those earning less than $200,000, eliminating capital gains, interest and dividend taxes for most.

Thompson: Let people choose between current system and one with 10 percent flat rate on first $100,000 of joint income after deductions, 25 percent thereafter.