PBS News Hour "2016 Candidate Stands" series

OnTheIssues.org excerpts:  (click on issues for details)

Abortion     Chris Christie: Ban abortions after 20 weeks, with exceptions.     Bobby Jindal: Abortionists need admitting privileges at nearby hospital.     Donald Trump: Ban late abortions; exceptions for rape, incest or health.     Rick Perry: Require hearing fetal heartbeat & one-day waiting period.     Lindsey Graham: Pro-life, with exceptions for rape, incest, & maternal life.     Martin O`Malley: Abortions should be legal, without government restriction.     George Pataki: I'm pro-choice, with limitations.     Mike Huckabee: As president, would push for the repeal of Roe v. Wade.     Carly Fiorina: Ban abortions 20 weeks after fertilization.     Ben Carson: Ban abortion more than 20 weeks after fertilization.     Marco Rubio: Ban abortion after 20 weeks.     Ted Cruz: Ban taxpayer funding of abortion & partial birth abortion.

Budget & Economy     James Webb: Cut budget by bottom-up review of all programs.     Bobby Jindal: Constitutional Amendment requiring a balanced federal budget.     Rick Perry: Cap federal spending at 18% of GDP.     Rick Santorum: Cap size of government budget at 18% of GDP.     Bernie Sanders: Break up large banks; add fees for high-risk investments.     Marco Rubio: Freeze spending for everything but defense at 2008 levels.     Rand Paul: Balance the budget: slash spending, raise defense.

Civil Rights     Chris Christie: Disagree with Supreme Court, but gay marriage is law of land.     Donald Trump: Same-sex marriage is a state issue.     Rick Perry: Supported anti-sodomy laws; opposes gay marriage.     Lindsey Graham: Accept the Supreme Court ruling to allow gay marriage.     George Pataki: Leave rules of same-sex marriage to the states.     Mike Huckabee: Amendment to overturn Supreme Court decision on gay marriage.     Carly Fiorina: Supreme Court overstepped by legalizing same-sex marriage.     Ben Carson: Homosexuality is a choice, but same-sex marriage is the law.     Marco Rubio: I oppose gay marriage, but it's the law of the land.     Ted Cruz: Most states can ignore Supreme Court legalizing gay marriage.

Corporations     Marco Rubio: Cut corporate tax rate to 25%.     Ted Cruz: Slash corporate tax rates to 15 percent.

Drugs     Lincoln Chafee: Decriminalized small amounts of marijuana as governor.     George Pataki: Let each state decide marijuana legalization.

Education     Chris Christie: Signed NJ onto Common Core but now regrets it.     Rick Perry: Supported Texas dropping out of Common Core.     Carly Fiorina: Supports No Child Left Behind & Race to the Top.     Bernie Sanders: $18B to fund two years free tuition at state colleges.     Ted Cruz: Local control of education instead of Common Core.

Energy & Oil     James Webb: Energy expansion: Keystone XL and off-coast drilling.     Chris Christie: Anthropogenic climate change is real; but build Keystone XL.     Bobby Jindal: Climate change is a Trojan Horse to increase regulation.     Donald Trump: Climate change is a hoax.     Rick Perry: Sued EPA for regulating carbon emissions.     Lindsey Graham: Combat climate change without harming the economy.     George Pataki: Climate change is a real and scientifically proven.     Mike Huckabee: Scientific predictions on climate change are inaccurate.     Carly Fiorina: No gas tax increase; lower gas prices good for recovery.     Ben Carson: Climate debate is distracting and irrelevant.     Bernie Sanders: Charge companies for carbon emissions; then fund renewables.

Foreign Policy     Donald Trump: More sanctions on Iran; more support of Israel.     Jeb Bush: Cancel any nuclear deal Obama makes with Iran.     Jeb Bush: Putin is a bully; expand US troops in countries near Russia.     Rick Perry: Two-state solution in Israel is not realistic now.     Lindsey Graham: Work with Iran to fight ISIS, but no to Iranian nuclear deal.     George Pataki: Support West Bank settlements; tough on Iran & Palestine.     Mike Huckabee: Reject two-state solution between Israel & Palestine.     Ben Carson: Back Israel and follow what Netanyahu wants on Iran.     Bernie Sanders: Focus on domestic needs instead of international conflict.

Free Trade     Lincoln Chafee: Supports Trans-Pacific Partnership.     Ted Cruz: The Export-Import bank is corporate welfare.

Government Reform     Lindsey Graham: Constitutional amendment to limit spending by super PACs.     Bernie Sanders: Constitutional amendment to reverse Citizen United ruling.     Rand Paul: Shut down Department of Education and TSA.

Gun Control     James Webb: Access to guns is a critical self-defense right.     Chris Christie: Include mental health records in gun background checks.     Bobby Jindal: Prevent publishing concealed handgun permit information.     Donald Trump: A very strong person on the Second Amendment.     Lindsey Graham: Opposed expanding background checks, except for mentally ill.     Martin O`Malley: Ban assault weapons, limit clip size, & require fingerprints.     George Pataki: Ban assault weapons & require trigger locks.     Mike Huckabee: Expand concealed carry laws; they have saved lives.     Carly Fiorina: Strong supporter of Second Amendment gun rights.     Bernie Sanders: Mixed approach to gun control vs. gun rights.

Health Care     James Webb: ObamaCare should have been more narrowly focused.     Bobby Jindal: America Next: $100B subsidy to repeal and replace ObamaCare.     Donald Trump: Don't cut Medicare; grow the economy to keep benefits.     Donald Trump: ObamaCare is a catastrophe that must be repealed & replaced.     Lincoln Chafee: Individual mandate ok; universal coverage better.     Martin O`Malley: All-payer system: state caps medical cost & hospital fees.     George Pataki: ObamaCare is the worst law of my lifetime.     Bernie Sanders: Voted for ObamaCare; but prefers single-payer system.

Homeland Security     Lincoln Chafee: Limit government surveillance; no bulk data collection.     Lincoln Chafee: Rebuild alliances abroad to fight ISIS.     Martin O`Malley: Congress' authorization required for use of force on ISIS.     George Pataki: Reauthorize the Patriot Act, including collecting phone data.     Carly Fiorina: Arm the Kurds against ISIS.     Rand Paul: Repeal the Patriot Act; end large-scale data collection.

Immigration     James Webb: Supports DREAM Act: legal status for undocumented children.     Chris Christie: No pathway to citizenship, but college tuition for illegals.     Bobby Jindal: More legal foreign workers; fewer who believe in Shariah law.     Donald Trump: Half of the undocumented residents in America are criminals.     Lincoln Chafee: In-state tuition for undocumented immigrants.     Mike Huckabee: Give DREAMers legal status & let them apply for citizenship.     Bernie Sanders: Offer path to citizenship; waive deportation for DREAMers.     Marco Rubio: Joined "Gang of Eight" to push comprehensive reform.

Social Security     Chris Christie: National entitlements reform package including means-testing.     Rick Perry: Personal accounts for younger workers.     Rick Santorum: Consider cost-of-living cus, but not private accounts.     Mike Huckabee: Consider raising retirement age for new workers.

Tax Reform     James Webb: Raise taxes on capital gains but not on regular pay.     Chris Christie: Simplify tax code to three brackets, with highest at 28%.     Bobby Jindal: Eliminate some deductions & loopholes; broaden the tax base.     Donald Trump: One-time 14% tax on wealthy to pay down national debt.     Lindsey Graham: Increase revenues to reduce national debt.     Mike Huckabee: Replace IRS & income tax with national sales tax.     Carly Fiorina: Current tax system is in desperate need of reform.     Ben Carson: IRS unneeded with proportional flat tax system.     Bernie Sanders: Double the capital gains tax for the wealthiest 2%.

Technology     Carly Fiorina: Overturn net neutrality.

War & Peace     Chris Christie: Be ready to send American troops to fight ISIL.     Bobby Jindal: Iran nuclear deal is bad for America & Israel.     Bobby Jindal: Keep option to send US ground troops to fight ISIL.     Donald Trump: Boots on the ground to fight ISIS.     Jeb Bush: Add a new U.S. base in Iraq's Anbar province.     Martin O`Malley: Negotiate with Iran to remove potential nuclear weapon.     Martin O`Malley: Two-state solution between Israel and Palestine.     George Pataki: Consider US combat troops to destroy ISIS.     Mike Huckabee: Keep sanctions in place until Iran dismantles nukes.     Carly Fiorina: Break off Iran nuclear negotiations; keep sanctions.     Ted Cruz: Toughen sanctions on Iran, to safeguard America.

Click for quotations from other sources by: Ben Carson HUD Secretary Bernie Sanders Democratic Presidential candidate Bobby Jindal Louisiana Republican 2016 Presidential candidate Carly Fiorina California SBA Director Chris Christie New Jersey N.J. Governor; Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump Republican Presidential candidate George Pataki New York Republican presidential candidate James Webb Former Virginia Senator; Democratic Presidential candidate Jeb Bush Florida Former FL Governor; Republican Presidential candidate Lincoln Chafee Rhode Island Independent Rhode Island Governor Lindsey Graham South Carolina S.C. Senator; Republican Presidential candidate Marco Rubio FL Senator; Republican Presidential candidate Martin O`Malley Maryland Democratic Presidential candidate Mike Huckabee Arkansas Republican Presidential candidate Rand Paul Republican 2016 Primary Challenger Rick Perry Texas Secretary of Energy Rick Santorum Republican Presidential candidate Ted Cruz Republican 2016 Primary Challenger