| OnTheIssues.org excerpts: (click on issues for details)
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Abortion
Randy Hekman: Life begins at conception.
Rick Snyder: Signed partial-birth abortion ban into law.
Rick Snyder: Firmly pro-life, which begins at conception.
Rick Snyder: Embryos are human life; but support stem cell initiative.
Jack Hoogendyk: Constitutionally guaranteed right to life from conception.
Jack Hoogendyk: Supports adult stem cell research but not embryonic research.
Mike Bouchard: Voted against partial-birth abortion; 100% pro-life.
Mike Bouchard: Co-sponsored legislation to ban human cloning.
Bret McAtee: Abortion is ethnocide.
George W. Bush: No pro-life pledge; VP & judges will simply be qualified.
Steve Forbes: Recommends pledging pro-life platform, VP, & judges.
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Budget & Economy
Peter Hoekstra: TARP & debt ceiling increase were needed to fund two wars.
Peter Hoekstra: Cut agencies which are not in the constitution.
Scotty Boman: The government is the problem: cut out welfare and warfare.
Jack Hoogendyk: Pay down the National Debt until it reaches zero.
Fred Thompson: Mandatory future spending lockdown is unsustainable.
Fred Thompson: No reason to believe we’re headed for recession.
Fred Thompson: Weak dollar damages us internationally.
Mitt Romney: Giuliani increased spending by 2.8%; I held increase to 2.2%.
Ron Paul: Currency inflation counterfeits prosperity & destroys poor.
Rudy Giuliani: Fundamentals: low taxes; few regulations; control spending.
Rudy Giuliani: Romney increased spending by 8%; I cut spending by 7%.
Debbie Stabenow: We waste billions on subsidies for Halliburton.
Mike Bouchard: We need a line item veto.
Mike Bouchard: Federal tax-and-spend is out of control & costs jobs.
John Engler: Michigan lagged in 1990s; now restored & renewed.
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Civil Rights
Scotty Boman: Backs gay marriage.
Rick Snyder: Against benefits for domestic partners.
Mitt Romney: Equality for Muslims; but follow hate-preachers into mosques.
Mike Bouchard: Helped pass Michigan’s ban on assisted suicide.
Mike Bouchard: Opposes gay marriage.
Alan Keyes: The path to your freedom is standing firm for God’s will.
Alan Keyes: We live under the tyranny of the federal judges.
Alan Keyes: Protect religion from the state, but not vice versa.
Alan Keyes: Right to acknowledge God is the foundation of all our rights.
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Corporations
Rick Snyder: One Tough Nerd: venture capitalist & high-tech executive.
Fred Thompson: Do better than world’s second-highest corporate tax penalty.
Fred Thompson: Don’t intervene with automakers unless drastic circumstances.
Mitt Romney: Don’t apply Sec. 404 of Sarbanes-Oxley to smaller companies.
Rudy Giuliani: Business goes abroad when we overregulate and overtax.
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Crime
Rick Snyder: Improve legal representation for poor.
Rick Snyder: Collect prisoner DNA samples to help solve cold cases.
Rick Snyder: Parole decisions by Dept. of Corrections, not Governor.
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Drugs
Rick Snyder: Reduce supply, combating production of meth.
George W. Bush: A leader learns from his mistakes and shares wisdom.
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Education
Rick Snyder: Mandatory school choice for every school; remove boundaries.
Jack Hoogendyk: Abolish Department of Education; parents direct education.
John Engler: Expand public school choice; lift cap on charters.
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Energy & Oil
Jack Hoogendyk: Expand oil production and expand nuclear energy.
Fred Thompson: Get ethanol market up, then let free market take over.
John McCain: Climate change is real; nuclear power is solution.
John McCain: Public pressure on oil industry to invest in alternatives.
Mike Huckabee: Ethanol & biofuels are part of future energy.
Mitt Romney: Develop energy technology like nuclear or liquefied coal.
Rudy Giuliani: Don’t draw the line anywhere--advance all technologies.
Sam Brownback: Energy security: drill every place you can find resources.
Tom Tancredo: Drill off the coasts of Florida and California.
Debbie Stabenow: Global Warming is real and I’m focused on solving it.
Mike Bouchard: Conflicted on whether global warming is from human sources.
Mike Bouchard: Kyoto agreement is restrictive & extraordinarily expensive.
Mike Bouchard: Supports atomic energy & new nuclear plant construction.
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Environment
Rick Snyder: Voluntary pollution prevention program for farmers.
Rick Snyder: Protect natural resources; user fees contribute $3B/year.
Debbie Stabenow: Authored ban on Great Lakes drilling.
Mike Bouchard: Water diversions shouldn’t happen.
John Engler: More investment of Natural Resources Trust Fund.
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Families & Children
Alan Keyes: Save kids’ souls-they don’t need free speech.
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Foreign Policy
Peter Hoekstra: China is a nation that cheats and steals; no MFN.
Fred Thompson: Relationship with Canada important for economy & security.
Alan Keyes: Africa: No money for AIDS, because money won’t cure AIDS.
Gary Bauer: Africa: Needs better governments, not bailouts.
George W. Bush: Entrepreneurial China trade differs from totalitarian Cuba.
George W. Bush: Cuba: No trade, since investments prop up Castro regime.
George W. Bush: Africa: Rally world to help AIDS, but not with US funds.
John McCain: Africa: Money for AIDS would be lost to corruption.
Orrin Hatch: Africa: Helping with AIDS is our duty as a great nation.
Steve Forbes: Africa: Unshackle drug companies, not US aid, to fight AIDS.
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Free Trade
Rick Snyder: Open new doors to global markets.
Rick Snyder: Increase Canada trade with new Detroit River bridge.
Jack Hoogendyk: Mirror trade policy of other nations.
Duncan Hunter: Reflect tariffs back at competitors.
Fred Thompson: Focus on protecting infrastructure for national security.
John McCain: Every time US went protectionist, we paid heavy price.
John McCain: Supports ethanol, but by exporting, not by subsidies.
Mike Huckabee: We need fair trade because we’re losing jobs.
Mitt Romney: Open up markets to American goods and services.
Mitt Romney: Businesspeople should negotiate trade, not politicians.
Rudy Giuliani: Good deals pending with Peru, Colombia, Panama, South Korea.
Rudy Giuliani: Balance foreign debt by selling more things overseas.
Tom Tancredo: Enforce trade & currency rules against China.
Tom Tancredo: CAFTA should be about trade; get rid of immigration parts.
Debbie Stabenow: End trade agreements to keep jobs here.
Mike Bouchard: Trade agreements should be fair and enforceable.
Mike Bouchard: Associates CAFTA with currency manipulation.
Gary Bauer: Entrepreneurial China trade same as with totalitarian Cuba.
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Government Reform
Peter Hoekstra: Setting 12-year term limit a mistake; after serving 18 years.
Rick Snyder: Michigan Dashboard: measure progress & present it publicly.
Mitt Romney: Line-item veto can & should pass constitutional muster.
Rudy Giuliani: Frivolous lawsuits eat up 2.2% of GDP.
Rudy Giuliani: Supports line-item veto, but Clinton’s was unconstitutional.
Mike Bouchard: Supports line-item veto on spending bills.
Alan Keyes: Surrendering moral government to courts surrenders freedom.
George W. Bush: Agrees to no negative ads; stop tearing each other down.
Steve Forbes: Negative ads are OK if they tell the truth.
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Gun Control
Rick Snyder: Absolutely uphold the 2nd Amendment.
Jack Hoogendyk: Rated “A” by the National Rifle Association.
Bret McAtee: End constant meddling with our 2nd amendment rights.
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Health Care
Rick Snyder: Improve cost, quality and access with wellness & prevention.
John McCain: Control health costs so manufacturers stay competitive.
Mike Huckabee: Individually-controlled insurance, not government SCHIP.
Mitt Romney: Same tax treatment if people buy insurance without employers.
Mitt Romney: Get everybody insured with state-based market dynamics.
Debbie Stabenow: Health coverage needs to be a right, not a privilege.
Mike Bouchard: No government-run universal healthcare.
Mike Bouchard: Supports Health Savings Accounts to empower individuals.
John Engler: No assisted suicide; but End of Life Care & more pain relief.
Alan Keyes: AIDS is a moral crisis based on licentious behavior.
Steve Forbes: Fight AIDS by changing people’s personal behavior.
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Homeland Security
Jack Hoogendyk: Military tribunals & domestic spying OK.
Fred Thompson: We face a global war declared on us by Islamic fascism.
Fred Thompson: Spend more than current 4% of budget on military.
John McCain: After 9/11, ask Americans to join military or AmeriCorps.
John McCain: Let loose smart, tough spies to catch Bin Laden.
Debbie Stabenow: Push to pass the 9/11 Report.
Debbie Stabenow: Critical balance between staying safe and keeping our rights.
Mike Bouchard: Can’t give up basic rights to stay safe.
Mike Bouchard: If we don’t fix terrorist security, people die.
Mike Bouchard: Proposes “Skycops”, incentives for off-duty officers to fly.
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Immigration
Randy Hekman: Secure the borders but encourage legal immigration.
Rick Snyder: Openly encourages innovators and entrepreneurs to immigrate.
Debbie Stabenow: Opposed immigration bill because it cost us jobs.
Mike Bouchard: 52% of illegal immigrants have criminal backgrounds.
Bret McAtee: We need a sane immigration policy.
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Jobs
Rick Snyder: Extend unemployment benefits; plan for future.
Duncan Hunter: Unions built the middle class.
Fred Thompson: In a dynamic economy, some jobs lost and some gained.
Fred Thompson: Don’t use union dues for political purposes.
John McCain: Unions are monopolies; don’t compel people to join.
Mike Huckabee: Unions more prominent to fight high CEO salaries.
Mitt Romney: I believe in domestic supports for our agriculture industry.
Mitt Romney: Good unions train members; bad unions hurt their company.
Ron Paul: Right to organize; but no special benefits for unions.
Rudy Giuliani: Vibrant unions good; but compelling membership bad.
Sam Brownback: Unions do good, but need effective oversight.
Tom Tancredo: Union conflict is creative, but shouldn’t influence policy.
Debbie Stabenow: President should meet with Big 3 Automakers.
Mike Bouchard: Big 3 Automakers need tax cuts so no job cuts.
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Principles & Values
Debbie Stabenow: End the ongoing debate over debates: No Senate debates.
Peter Hoekstra: I will either debate her or an empty chair; it's her choice.
Peter Hoekstra: Accused of anti-Chinese racism in Super Bowl TV ad.
Rick Snyder: Refuses to answer political organizations' questionnaires.
Ron Paul: Only support GOP nominee if they end war & reduce spending.
Tom Tancredo: Won’t vote GOP if nominee is lesser of two evils.
Debbie Stabenow: A clear choice against failed Bush policies.
Mike Bouchard: 8-point plan: Renewing Michigan’s Economy.
Bret McAtee: Running as US Taxpayers Party, also Constitution Party.
Bret McAtee: Awaken benumbed people from their moral torpor.
Alan Keyes: Anything the government gives you destroys your liberty.
John Engler: The “Next Michigan”: attitude for the future.
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Social Security
Rick Snyder: Maintain generous pension benefits for existing retirees.
Fred Thompson: Benefits ok in short-term, but we’re eating our seed corn.
Fred Thompson: Index benefits to inflation instead of indexing to wages.
Tom Tancredo: Private Social Security accounts needed to end deficit.
Debbie Stabenow: Led the fight to stop privatization.
Mike Bouchard: Supports privatization of Social Security.
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Tax Reform
Rick Snyder: Simplify the tax code; end job-killing Business Tax.
Jack Hoogendyk: Lower corporate taxes; keep tax cuts; end death tax.
Duncan Hunter: Sponsored FairTax proposal.
Fred Thompson: Phase out the AMT; lower taxes grow the economy.
John McCain: Tax system is fair; wealthy pay bulk of taxes.
Mike Huckabee: FairTax untaxes productivity & things which we export.
Tom Tancredo: Takes the oath: no tax increase.
Mike Bouchard: Prioritize our spending and hold ourselves accountable.
Mike Bouchard: Growth in government stunts economic growth.
Mike Bouchard: Make the Bush tax cuts permanent.
Bret McAtee: Current confiscatory tax policy is unconstitutional.
John Engler: Exempt new high-tech sectors from state business tax.
John Engler: Has cut and will continue to cut personal & business tax.
John Engler: Strengthen Taxpayer Bill of Rights.
George W. Bush: People should not pay more in taxes than they do for food.
George W. Bush: Leaving money in Washington means bigger budget spending.
George W. Bush: 1997 no-tax pledge: judge results, despite breaking pledge.
George W. Bush: Cut top tax rate to 33% while cutting lower income taxes too.
George W. Bush: “A tax-cutting person” in TX, would do same for US.
John McCain: Tax cuts should go to middle- & lower-income people.
John McCain: Leaving money in Washington means President vetoes spending.
Orrin Hatch: Leaving money in Washington means bigger budget spending.
Steve Forbes: Evidence that Bush broke 1997 no-tax pledge.
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Technology
Rick Snyder: Take leadership role in cyber defense and development.
Rick Snyder: Census figures reinforce need for aggressive administration.
John McCain: Don’t police Internet crime; go after money to reduce crime.
Mike Huckabee: Air tech is Jetsons but air traffic control is Flintstones.
Rudy Giuliani: Police the Internet, but don’t tax the Internet.
Sam Brownback: Cut the Advanced Technology Program; it’s corporate welfare.
John Engler: Establish “Cybercourt” to resolve disputes on-line & quickly.
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War & Peace
Jack Hoogendyk: Let Gen. Petraeus make decisions on troop strength in Iraq.
Duncan Hunter: No Congressional authorization needed to attack Iran’s nukes.
Fred Thompson: Stabilizing Iraq, and not leaving, is the right policy.
Fred Thompson: Iraq certainly had WMDs in the past & would have nukes now.
Fred Thompson: Ask Congress, even if not required, to attack Iran’s nukes.
John McCain: Congressional consultation before attacking Iran’s nukes.
Mike Huckabee: Attack Iran’s nukes even if Congress says no.
Mitt Romney: Let lawyers decide if authorization needed to attack Iran.
Ron Paul: Mercantilist oil dependency was reason for war.
Ron Paul: Congressional authorization needed to attack Iran’s nukes.
Rudy Giuliani: Desirable but unneeded to ask Congress to attack Iran nukes.
Sam Brownback: Iraq war is about terrorism, not oil.
Debbie Stabenow: We are not in Iraq forever.
Debbie Stabenow: Iraq was a war of choice, not a necessity.
Mike Bouchard: Pre-emptive war ok if we have actual intel.
Mike Bouchard: We cannot leave a vacuum in Iraq.
Bret McAtee: They’re turning the American Republic into an empire.
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Welfare & Poverty
Randy Hekman: Transform to nonprofit/charity model to provide assistance.
Rick Snyder: No welfare benefits for people with felony warrants.
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