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[Click on a diamond in the grid for full quotations. Key for diamonds]:
 | Libertarian view; typically focusing on non-governmental solutions and private decision-making.
|  | Liberal or leftist view; typically focusing on helping needy members of society, and using government to achieve societal good.
|  | Populist or progressive view; typically focusing on local solutions instead of federal action, on decentralizing power, and on religion as the basis for societal good.
|  | Conservative or rightist view; typically focusing on fiscal frugality, strength abroad, and moral integrity.
|  | Centrist or mixed view; typically focusing on reforming or amending existing institutions rather than replacing them.
|  | No view; the candidate does not have a sufficient record on the issue to judge his stance.
| | This scheme, known as the "Political Diamond", relies on an analysis in two dimensions, social and economic, rather than the typical one-dimensional right-left axis.
A complete description can be found on the Self-Government web site.
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Abortion
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| For President |
For V.P. |
Third Party |
Withdrawn |
| Bush: Pro-life; no litmus test |
Cheney: Pro-life; pro-stem-cell |
Nader: Let women decide |
McCain: Pro-life |
| Kerry: No restrictions |
Edwards: Right to choose; partial birth ok |
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Budget & Economy
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| For President |
For V.P. |
Third Party |
Withdrawn |
| Bush: Simplify & cut taxes |
Cheney: Cut taxes; invest in Defense |
Nader: Human economy is not booming |
McCain: Balance budget; Lockbox. |
| Kerry: Cut the deficit |
Edwards: Roll back tax cuts |
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Civil Rights
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| For President |
For V.P. |
Third Party |
Withdrawn |
| Bush: Anti-quota; anti-gay marriage |
Cheney: Some gay rights; fewer women's rights |
Nader: Pro-gay; pro-privacy; pro-women |
McCain: Anti-quota; for Flag protection |
| Kerry: Federal DOMA but no state DOMAs |
Edwards: Aff. Action; no DOMA |
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Corporations
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| For President |
For V.P. |
Third Party |
Withdrawn |
| Bush: Gov't out of marketplace |
Cheney: No Halliburton influence |
Nader: Shift power to consumers |
McCain |
| Kerry: Close loopholes |
Edwards: Attack corporate indifference |
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Crime
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| For President |
For V.P. |
Third Party |
Withdrawn |
| Bush: Death; 2 Strikes; less parole |
Cheney: Stricter penalties; death penalty |
Nader: Focus on prevention; no death penalty |
McCain: Death; more prisons; less parole |
| Kerry: No death penalty; no 3 strikes |
Edwards: No 3 Strikes; death penalty ok |
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Drugs
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| For President |
For V.P. |
Third Party |
Withdrawn |
| Bush: More education; more laws; abstinence |
Cheney: More involvement in Drug War |
Nader: Stop prohibition |
McCain: More border; more penalties |
| Kerry: Reduce demand; reduce penalties |
Edwards: Drug courts; reasonable sentences |
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Education
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| For President |
For V.P. |
Third Party |
Withdrawn |
| Bush: Local control; testing; vouchers |
Cheney: Pro-standards; pro-prayer; school choice |
Nader: Invest in public education; teach citizenship |
McCain: More testing; more prayer; vouchers |
| Kerry: No vouchers; charters ok |
Edwards: No vouchers; more teachers |
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Energy & Oil
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| For President |
For V.P. |
Third Party |
Withdrawn |
| Bush: Drill ANWR; energy overrules CO2 |
Cheney: Conserve AND drill |
Nader: More funds; less cars |
McCain: No ANWR; no on Bush energy plan |
| Kerry: Raise CAFE; no ANWR |
Edwards: Higher CAFE; no ANWR |
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Environment
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| For President |
For V.P. |
Third Party |
Withdrawn |
| Bush: Deregulate; voluntary cleanup |
Cheney: Pro-grazing; pro-hunting |
Nader: More funds; more rules |
McCain: End farm subsidies; expand CWA |
| Kerry: No forest roads; no Yucca dump |
Edwards: No forest roads; reduce CO2 |
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Families & Children
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| For President |
For V.P. |
Third Party |
Withdrawn |
| Bush: Abstinence; V-chip; tough laws |
Cheney: $ for pre-school; character ed. |
Nader: Corporate TV hurts kids |
McCain: Labeling for parents |
| Kerry: More $ for children programs |
Edwards: Help working parents |
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Foreign Policy
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| For President |
For V.P. |
Third Party |
Withdrawn |
| Bush: Befriend Americas; pressure Russia |
Cheney: Hard-line interventionist; UN irrelevant |
Nader: Interventionist with support, not arms |
McCain: Assertive multilateralism |
| Kerry: Favor NATO; IMF; UN |
Edwards: Focus on open society |
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Free Trade
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| For President |
For V.P. |
Third Party |
Withdrawn |
| Bush: More trade; imm. maybe |
Cheney: Trade comes second to security |
Nader: Pro-immgrant; anti-globalization |
McCain: Open trade; open imm. |
| Kerry: NAFTA yes; labor & env yes |
Edwards: No NAFTA; but PNTR ok |
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Government Reform
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| For President |
For V.P. |
Third Party |
Withdrawn |
| Bush: Limit terms & judges & lawsuits |
Cheney: Line Item Veto; less regulation |
Nader: Remove corporate influences |
McCain: Anti-influence peddling |
| Kerry: No PAC money; yes line-item veto |
Edwards: Limit lobbyists; public cmpn finance |
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Gun Control
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| For President |
For V.P. |
Third Party |
Withdrawn |
| Bush: More gun laws; more gun rights |
Cheney: Few restrictions if any |
Nader: More restrictions; some bans |
McCain: More gun laws; more gun rights |
| Kerry: A hunter, but restrict gun rights |
Edwards: 2nd Amendment with rules |
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Health Care
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| For President |
For V.P. |
Third Party |
Withdrawn |
| Bush: Reform HMOs & Medicare |
Cheney: Limit federal role; limit lawsuits |
Nader: Cradle-to-grave non-profit system |
McCain: Patient rights; limit HMOs |
| Kerry: Control costs; cover everyone |
Edwards: Cover every child; anti-HMOs |
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Homeland Security
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| For President |
For V.P. |
Third Party |
Withdrawn |
| Bush: Rebuild military; focus on terrorism |
Cheney: More funding; more SDI; more anti-terror |
Nader: Reduce weapons & overseas troops |
McCain: More pay; SDI; more engaged |
| Kerry: More troops; more spies |
Edwards: More $; no base closures |
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Immigration
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| For President |
For V.P. |
Third Party |
Withdrawn |
| Bush: More trade; imm. maybe |
Cheney: Toughen deportations |
Nader: Pro-immgrant; anti-globalization |
McCain: Open trade; open imm. |
| Kerry: Earned legalization with restrictions |
Edwards: Earned legalization |
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Infrastructure
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| For President |
For V.P. |
Third Party |
Withdrawn |
| Bush: No Y2K lawsuits |
Cheney: More R&D; less telecomm rules |
Nader: More open tech; anti-Microsoft |
McCain: No Internet tax; yes porn filters |
| Kerry: Invest in high tech |
Edwards: Promote Internet |
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Jobs
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| For President |
For V.P. |
Third Party |
Withdrawn |
| Bush: Improve economy thru job growth |
Cheney: Help small business; limit unions |
Nader: Reduce pay gap |
McCain: End subsidies |
| Kerry: Raise min. wage; help minorities |
Edwards: Raise min. wage; protect unions |
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Principles & Values
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| For President |
For V.P. |
Third Party |
Withdrawn |
| Bush: Compassionate conservatism |
Cheney: Hard-line conservative; but cooperative |
Nader: New Populism: power corrupts |
McCain: Set an example |
| Kerry: Common sense values |
Edwards: Two Americas |
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Social Security
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| For President |
For V.P. |
Third Party |
Withdrawn |
| Bush: Lockbox & privatize |
Cheney: Some privatization; end Earnings Test |
Nader: Against privatization |
McCain: Lockbox & privatize |
| Kerry: Never privatize nor extend age |
Edwards: Protect it; no diversions |
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Tax Reform
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| For President |
For V.P. |
Third Party |
Withdrawn |
| Bush: Simplify & reduce taxes |
Cheney: No tax increases; especially on oil |
Nader: Keep progressivity; raise corporate taxes |
McCain: Simplify & reduce taxes |
| Kerry: No tax cuts; add 10% bracket |
Edwards: Repeal tax cuts for rich |
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War & Peace
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| For President |
For V.P. |
Third Party |
Withdrawn |
| Bush: More $ for war on terror |
Cheney: Focus on Saddam and WMDs |
Nader: Iraq war is for oil |
McCain: Yes on Iraq war; no on Kosovo |
| Kerry: Yes on Iraq War; no on extra funding |
Edwards: Voted for Iraq; get NATO involved |
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Welfare & Poverty
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| For President |
For V.P. |
Third Party |
Withdrawn |
| Bush: Faith-based Armies of Compassion |
Cheney: Private provision; less WIC |
Nader: Pro-union; anti-big business |
McCain: Pro workfare; pro block grants |
| Kerry: Partner with NPOs and for-profits |
Edwards: Cities Rising: $ for EITC |
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