| OnTheIssues.org excerpts: (click on issues for details)
|
Abortion
Bob Kerrey: Government should stay out of abortion decision.
Bob Kerrey: Trust women rather than regulating half the population.
Deb Fischer: I believe in the sanctity of life.
Deb Fischer: Exception for life of mother but not incest nor rape.
Deb Fischer: Look at the record: Opposes abortion.
Dave Heineman: Signs informed consent Legislation.
Steven Larrick: No government control over a woman’s body.
Steven Larrick: Supports embryonic stem cell research.
Mike Johanns: No new embryonic stem cell lines, but existing research ok.
Mike Johanns: Partial-birth abortion is a barbaric practice.
|
Budget & Economy
Bob Kerrey: We balanced the budget in the 1990s without an amendment.
Bob Kerrey: Balanced budget amendment would double NE unemployment.
Deb Fischer: Balanced budget amendment forces tough decisions on cuts.
Deb Fischer: Congress spends every dime they can get their hands on.
Mike Johanns: I’m the only candidate who’s actually dealt with the budget.
Scott Kleeb: Bush & Johanns created current failed policies.
Mike Johanns: Growing the economy will balance the budget over time.
Scott Kleeb: Return to pay-as-you-go spending.
Scott Kleeb: End pork-barrel spending.
|
Civil Rights
Steven Larrick: Sexual orientation & gender identity in discrimination laws.
Steven Larrick: Allow same-sex couples to marry.
Steven Larrick: Continue affirmative action programs.
Mike Johanns: Define marriage as between a man and a woman.
Mike Johanns: No affirmative action.
Jon Bruning: No affirmative action in public employment or contracting.
Jon Bruning: No civil unions; no same-sex marriage.
|
Corporations
Dave Heineman: We lowered taxes over last 3 years; do same for next 4 years.
Scott Kleeb: Close corporate tax loopholes; keep R&D tax credits.
|
Crime
Pat Flynn: Supports "stand-your-ground" self-defense laws.
Don Stenberg: Supports "stand-your-ground" self-defense laws.
Jon Bruning: Supports "stand-your-ground" self-defense laws.
Steven Larrick: Eliminate the federal death penalty.
Steven Larrick: Prevent criminal behavior rather than focus on punishment.
Mike Johanns: Supports death penalty for federal crimes.
Mike Johanns: Juvenile justice package: more funding; more coordination.
Jon Bruning: End parole for repeat violent offenders.
Jon Bruning: Supports death penalty by lethal injection in Nebraska.
|
Drugs
Jon Bruning: Requested an earmark to fund a drug-war program.
Scott Kleeb: Treat kids’ substance abuse as a mental health issue.
|
Education
Dave Heineman: Virtual school is good for Nebraska.
Dave Heineman: $1.5M Nebraska Internship Program for college students.
Scott Kleeb: Accountability should enhance and support, not to punish.
Scott Kleeb: More college via Pell Grants, & G.I. Bill.
Steven Larrick: Federally funded universal pre-K programs.
Steven Larrick: Federal funding for charter schools.
Mike Johanns: Opposes “No Child Left Behind”--leave it to states.
Mike Johanns: $27M for state colleges’ recruitment & diversity.
Mike Johanns: More teacher bonuses and incentives, locally decided.
Jon Bruning: Vouchers for public, private, & religious schools.
|
Energy & Oil
Rick Berg: AdWatch: Support oil exploration and coal mining.
Jon Bruning: Coal is good, cheap energy.
Dave Heineman: Support pipeline but not at expense of environment.
Steven Larrick: Only candidate to oppose drilling in ANWR.
Mike Johanns: New corn genetics brings 40% yield increase & more ethanol.
Mike Johanns: Opposes Warner-Lieberman Climate Security Act.
Scott Kleeb: Always a supporter of ethanol; along with solar & wind.
Scott Kleeb: Supports Warner-Lieberman Climate Security Act.
Steven Larrick: We need a renewable energy policy.
Steven Larrick: Green energy is the future of Nebraska.
Scott Kleeb: Release oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.
Steven Larrick: More ethanol; more emission controls; more alternative fuels.
Don Stenberg: Develop domestic energy to lower prices.
|
Environment
Deb Fischer: Base gas tax on price, not volume, to pay for highways.
Dave Heineman: Vetoes 25% State Park Fee Increase.
Scott Kleeb: Increase flexibility in the Conservation Reserve Program.
Scott Kleeb: Develop a long-term water strategy.
|
Families & Children
Dave Heineman: Reform child welfare system: collaborative & measurable.
Scott Kleeb: Support healthy childbearing & treat post-partum depression.
Don Stenberg: Strong, traditional families are foundation of our culture.
|
Foreign Policy
Deb Fischer: Leadership & strong messages make the world safer.
Pat Flynn: Strong support for traditional ally Israel.
Don Stenberg: Strong support for traditional ally Israel.
Jon Bruning: Strong support for traditional ally Israel.
Scott Kleeb: Stop genocide in Darfur.
|
Free Trade
Dave Heineman: Expand trade with Taiwan & Hong Kong.
Scott Kleeb: Promote fair trade, not free trade.
Steven Larrick: We need fair trade that protects people and environment.
|
Government Reform
Deb Fischer: Accused of coordinating anti-Bruning TV ad with super-PAC.
Deb Fischer: Against earmarks and would oppose them.
Pat Flynn: No earmarks: it's not my duty to bring home the bacon.
Pat Flynn: Don't renew legislative earmarks.
Don Stenberg: Don't renew legislative earmarks; and attack past ones.
Jon Bruning: Don't renew legislative earmarks, but past ones ok.
Jon Bruning: Political contributions ok from out-of-state coal companies.
Deb Fischer: No campaign contributions from industry tied to your office.
Dave Heineman: Disallow using government resources for politics.
Scott Kleeb: Johanns wastefully spent $20M studying crawdads in Australia.
Steven Larrick: Public funding of elections creates fair political system.
Don Stenberg: Judges should not impose liberal social policies on families.
Jon Bruning: No campaign donation limits; but full disclosure.
|
Gun Control
Deb Fischer: Support stand-your-ground self-defense laws.
Don Stenberg: Opposed nominee for stripping Americans of gun rights.
Dave Heineman: Harsher punishment for unlawful handguns.
Scott Kleeb: Second Amendment is part of our rural way of life.
Steven Larrick: We need to reduce gun violence in America.
|
Health Care
Deb Fischer: I won't steal $700 billion from Medicare.
Deb Fischer: Replace ObamaCare with free market reforms & competition.
Bob Kerrey: Supports ObamaCare even though he knows it's unpopular.
Deb Fischer: Repeal ObamaCare health overhaul.
Jon Bruning: Signed lawsuit opposing ObamaCare.
Dave Heineman: Don't spend money on ObamaCare until Supreme Court decision.
Mike Johanns: Didn’t phase out adult mental health care services.
Mike Johanns: Giving all taxpayers federal coverage would cost $480B.
Scott Kleeb: Shouldn’t phase out adult mental health care services.
Scott Kleeb: Give all taxpayers access to federal coverage like Congress.
Mike Johanns: Alternative community hospitals got 9000 more people treated.
Scott Kleeb: Alternative community treatment not adequately funded.
Scott Kleeb: Parity for mental health; coverage for dental health.
Steven Larrick: I support universal single-payer health care.
Mike Johanns: Opposes a single-payer government run program.
Mike Johanns: Use tobacco settlement for biomedical research.
Mike Johanns: $6M increase in funding for mental health.
|
Homeland Security
Mike Johanns: Negotiating with rogue nations squanders American prestige.
Scott Kleeb: We have forgotten how to use diplomacy.
Scott Kleeb: Refocus war on terror on Afghan-Pakistan border.
Steven Larrick: We spend more for war than all other nations combined.
Steven Larrick: Opposes monitoring domestic communications & federal ID card.
Steven Larrick: Respect international law; no pre-emptive military strikes.
Mike Johanns: Military tribunals for terrorists; domestic spying ok.
Mike Johanns: Expand missile defense; & pre-emptive military strike policy.
Don Stenberg: Defeat terrorists at home & abroad.
|
Immigration
Dave Heineman: End Medicaid services for illegal immigrants.
Scott Kleeb: Build border fence; increase border patrol.
Scott Kleeb: No amnesty for lawbreakers.
Steven Larrick: Supports amnesty & a pathway to citizenship.
Mike Johanns: Secure the border, provide no amnesty.
Don Stenberg: Strengthen our borders.
|
Jobs
Deb Fischer: More crop insurance in the new farm bill.
Scott Kleeb: Johanns left Secretary of Agriculture job & let down farmers.
Scott Kleeb: Fight discrimination in the workplace.
Don Stenberg: Assist our family farmers to compete globally.
|
Principles & Values
Deb Fischer: Ran underdog primary campaign on shoestring budget.
Deb Fischer: Do Nebraskans want more career politician in Washington?
Deb Fischer: TV ad: "End the political bull".
Don Stenberg: Our country's going in the wrong direction.
Don Stenberg: Most campaign funds come from South Carolina PAC.
Jon Bruning: OpEd: Became multimillionaire while serving in public office.
Pat Flynn: Endorsed by Republican Liberty Caucus.
Pat Flynn: I'm the only candidate who is not a "career politician".
Mike Johanns: Focus on small towns.
Scott Kleeb: Always keep Nebraska’s interest first.
Steven Larrick: Healthy world relations; healthy planet; healthy Americans.
Mike Johanns: Priorities: tax relief, education, family.
|
Social Security
Bob Kerrey: We must keep our commitments & do right for the future.
Bob Kerrey: Entitlements are $60 trillion liability; must do something.
Bob Kerrey: Raise payroll cap & raise retirement age to 69.
Deb Fischer: Don't change benefits for people over the age of 40.
Deb Fischer: Raise retirement age & limit benefits.
Deb Fischer: Look at means testing & higher retirement age.
Scott Kleeb: Strengthen, not privatize, Social Security.
Steven Larrick: Increase Social Security tax on higher income individuals.
Mike Johanns: Honor our commitment on Social Security.
|
Tax Reform
Deb Fischer: No increase in local property taxes.
Dave Heineman: To build economy: no new taxes.
Mike Johanns: No tax increase for research on celluosic ethanol.
Scott Kleeb: Supports $1B in tax funds for research on celluosic ethanol.
Scott Kleeb: Keep middle-class out of AMT, estate tax, and capital gains.
Mike Johanns: $60M in property tax relief over next two years.
|
Technology
Scott Kleeb: Invest in roadway infrastructure to help farm productivity.
Scott Kleeb: Broadband computer access in rural schools.
|
War & Peace
Bob Kerrey: We all get worked up about Iran, but there's a price.
Bob Kerrey: Be conscious of what it means to draw a line for Iran.
Deb Fischer: Draw a line on Iranian nukes; no mixed signals.
Deb Fischer: Prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapons capability.
Steven Larrick: Invasion of Iraq was based on false premises.
Scott Kleeb: Draw down US troops, but no timetables.
Steven Larrick: End the Iraq war as soon as possible.
|
Welfare & Poverty
Scott Kleeb: Stop predatory lending; close mortgage loopholes.
Steven Larrick: Supports federal welfare block grants.
Jon Bruning: Fund welfare via faith-based organizations.
|
