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 Editorials | Issues | January 2008 
What the Candidates Stand For
 Guardian Unlimited
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| | Republican presidential hopefuls. (C J Gunther/EPA) | | |
Healthcare
Hillary Clinton: 47 million Americans lack health insurance. The New York senator, who came to grief in 1994 with a complex plan as First Lady, has proposed a scheme that requires everyone to carry health insurance, offering government subsidies to help reduce the cost of coverage. Cost of the plan is $110bn (£56bn).
Barack Obama: Also wants universal coverage, but would keep the private insurance system. He would inject cash to expand it to cover everyone. Insurers would not be allowed to refuse coverage because of pre-existing conditions. Campaign aides put the cost at $50-65bn a year, financed largely by eliminating tax cuts for the rich.
John Edwards: Seeks to insure all Americans by 2012. Wants businesses, government and individuals to share responsibility, make insurance more affordable and reform the market to improve choice and quality and cut costs. Like Obama, he would finance reform by rolling back tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans.
John McCain: He says he will make tough decisions to reform healthcare and social security programmes. Warns that without bipartisan action the costs will become unsustainable.
Rudy Giuliani: The former New York mayor says the government needs to work with the private sector to provide more choice. He has said the system is flawed but should be fixed from its strengths. "We shouldn't turn it into socialised medicine," he said.
Mitt Romney: As governor of Massachusetts, Romney backed legislation requiring everyone in the state to have health insurance or face legal penalties. He says market reforms rather than government action is the way to extend health coverage to all Americans.
Mike Huckabee: Says healthcare is irrevocably broken, but opposes universal healthcare. Favours working with the private sector to seek ways to bring down costs. Says the US needs to get serious about preventive healthcare.
Fred Thompson: He says the US has the best healthcare system in the world but is paying more than it should for it. He favours individuals taking responsibility for choosing their own best value health insurance, thus using market forces to drive down costs. Criticises "socialised medicine" proposals, citing national healthcare systems in Britain and Canada as an example.
Economy
Hillary Clinton: Wants to reduce tax breaks for big companies and invest in education. Like many previous would-be presidents, she plans to cut government waste and improve transparency. She also supports equal pay for women. Puts more faith in tax credits and government tinkering than Obama.
Barack Obama: Like his fellow Democrats, Obama promises to help middle-class families struggling with rising costs and stagnant pay. Emphasises education and says the US must reshape its economy to compete in the digital age and should invest more in scientific research.
John Edwards: Wants to create 1 million jobs by making the US the world leader in generating clean, reliable energy. Also wants to eliminate poverty within 30 years.
John McCain: Wants to curb government spending before making tax cuts. Also promises to keep taxes low and simplify the tax code. Draws a connection between loss of control of federal spending and the Republicans' defeat in the 2006 congressional mid-term elections.
Rudy Giuliani: Emphasises his budget-cutting record as mayor and promises same approach when president. Emphasises tax cuts over spending cuts to reduce budget deficits.
Mitt Romney: Intends to encourage economic growth by keeping taxes low and simplifying the tax code. Also wants to rein in federal spending. Won acclaim for a successful 2002 winter Olympics in Salt Lake City when it had looked on the verge of collapse.
Mike Huckabee: Wants to eliminate all federal income and payroll taxes and replace them with what he calls a FairTax, described as a simple tax based on wealth. He would keep Bush's tax cuts for the wealthy.
Fred Thompson: Says it's common sense that taxes should be as low as possible. Strong backer of globalisation.
Climate change
Hillary Clinton: Supports an 80% reduction in carbon emissions by 2050, a 40-mile-per-gallon fuel efficiency standard by 2017 and a 10% cut in energy consumption by 2020.
Barack Obama: Wants to impose caps on carbon emissions and require US car makers to build vehicles that use less petrol. Seeks a "cap-and-trade" programme to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
John Edwards: Wants to set limits on the emission of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in 2010 across the US economy. Seeks to build on the precedent of the Clean Air Act of 1990 that limited pollution causing acid rain through a sulphur dioxide cap-and-trade system.
John McCain: Advocates a system that would cap emissions of carbon dioxide, the main gas blamed for global warming, and allow big polluters to trade rights to emit. Co-sponsored a bill to cut emissions by 65% by 2050.
Rudy Giuliani: Has not said outright that he believes climate change is caused by human activity and has been vague on the issue.
Mitt Romney: Favours an acceleration in the construction of new nuclear power plants to reduce dependence on foreign oil and to ensure cleaner energy.
Mike Huckabee: Backs an unspecified cap on carbon emissions and 35mpg fuel efficiency standard by 2020; favours alternative energy and energy independence.
Fred Thompson: Says it's unclear how or why climate change is happening, but thinks the federal government should conduct research and development into technologies that could cut emissions.
Iraq
Hillary Clinton: Voted in favour of authorising the war in 2003, but has since strongly criticised the handling of the conflict. Says she would start bringing troops home as president. Claims she would not have voted for the war if she had known then what she knows now.
Barack Obama: Opposed the war from the outset and rejected the "surge" strategy. In January 2007 he proposed a plan for a phased withdrawal, saying benchmarks must be set and a political solution reached.
John Edwards: Says he regrets voting for war. Favours a complete withdrawal of US troops from Iraq in 12-18 months and has said that as president he would end the war. He would also talk to Iraq's neighbours, including Syria and Iran.
John McCain: Voted for the invasion and wants US forces to stay until Iraq can defend itself. Supports the "surge" and warns that withdrawal could trigger genocide. Does not favour talking to Iran and Syria.
Rudy Giuliani: Supports the war, saying Iraq has to be seen in the context of a broader threat to the US. He backs the "surge" and opposes any kind of timetable for withdrawal.
Mitt Romney: Supported the initial decision to go to war but has criticised its conduct. Backs the "surge" and favours talks with Iraq's neighbours. Sees the conflict as part of a wider struggle in which "violent radical jihadists" want to replace moderate Arab governments with a caliphate and destroy America.
Mike Huckabee: Says he is focused on winning and that withdrawal would have serious strategic consequences for the US and horrific humanitarian consequences for the Iraqis. Supports a regional summit so that Iraq's neighbours can help stabilise situation.
Fred Thompson: Voted for the war and supports current strategy. Says he trusts General David Petraeus's leadership and the "surge" strategy should be given time to work. He sees the conflict as a front in the wider fight against "radical Islamic terrorism".
Immigration
Hillary Clinton: Voted for the Senate plan on immigration that failed to win passage (see McCain). It called for a guest-worker programme, plus increased border security including a virtual wall along the US-Mexico border. The bill also set out criminal penalties for immigrants who illegally enter the US and employers who hire undocumented workers.
Barack Obama: Wants better policing for the US-Mexico border. Favours stricter penalties for employers who hire workers without proper papers. Backs proposals to give illegal immigrants already in the US a path to citizenship.
John Edwards: Describes the situation on the US-Mexico border as "a mess" and says the US needs to devote more money, technology and manpower to policing it. Proposes allowing illegal immigrants to "earn" US citizenship by paying a fine and learning to speak English.
John McCain: Co-sponsored bipartisan bill that was criticised by fellow Republicans as offering an amnesty to illegal immigrants. Argues that a temporary worker programme is needed and that steps must be taken to put undocumented workers already in the US on a track to citizenship.
Rudy Giuliani: Has hardened his position on immigration since he was mayor of New York. Wants tamper-proof ID cards for immigrants and a hi-tech fence. Says illegal immigrants should be fined, have to learn English and not be given any kind of fast track to citizenship.
Mitt Romney: Criticised the bipartisan bill proposed by McCain and Senator Edward Kennedy as an "incredible gift" to illegal immigrants. Argues that illegal immigrants should not get a faster route to permanent residence than those who enter legally. Favours biometric identity cards indicating people's work status.
Mike Huckabee: Opposes granting amnesty to illegal immigrants and says those caught illegally entering the US must be deported.
Fred Thompson: Wants more secure US borders before new legislation. Criticises Mexico for opposing US plans for a fence on the Mexican border. While in the Senate, he voted to allow more temporary immigrant workers and more highly skilled workers into the US.
Abortion
Hillary Clinton: Supports abortion rights and would nominate supreme court justices who respect precedents such as Roe v Wade, the 1973 decision legalising abortion. Opposes constitutional amendment or federal law banning abortion. Voted against the 2003 bill that banned a late-term abortion procedure that opponents call "partial birth" abortion.
Barack Obama: Says a woman's right to decide how many children to have and when is a fundamental American freedom. Opposes a constitutional amendment or federal law banning abortion.
John Edwards: Supports abortion rights. Would nominate judges who have demonstrated their commitment to Americans' full range of constitutional protections.
John McCain: Has changed his position since 2000 when he said overturning Roe v Wade would force women into backstreet abortions. This time he wants to overturn Roe v Wade and opposes abortion except in cases of rape or incest or to protect the life of the mother.
Rudy Giuliani: Favours abortion rights and says he believes a woman should be able to choose whether to end her pregnancy. Argues that abortion should not be criminalised.
Mitt Romney: Has changed his mind since supporting abortion rights while governor of Massachusetts. Says he was always personally opposed to abortion and has changed his stance after studying medical developments. Backs supreme court decision on partial abortion.
Mike Huckabee: Strongly opposes abortion and considers the topic one of the "very critical" issues that led him into politics. Supports passage of a constitutional amendment to outlaw abortion and wants to overturn Roe v Wade.
Fred Thompson: Opposes abortion and believes Roe v Wade was wrongly decided. But opposes a constitutional amendment or federal law outlawing abortion. Thinks the decision about whether abortion is legal should revert to the states. |
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