The Associated Press: on Families & Children


Donald Trump: Supports birth control without a prescription

Donald Trump says he believes women should be able to obtain birth control without a prescription. Speaking on an episode of "The Dr. Oz Show," the Republican nominee suggested that, for many women, obtaining a prescription can be challenging. "I would say it should not be prescription," he told the audience, adding that many women "just aren't in a position to go get a prescription."

The GOP's 2016 platform says it opposes the FDA's "endorsement of over-the-counter sales of powerful contraceptives without a physician's recommendation." The comment comes days after Trump unveiled a plan aimed at making childcare more affordable for women.

Trump has sometimes stumbled when it comes to reproductive health issues. During the Republican primary, he was criticized for saying that, if it the abortion were to be outlawed, women should be punished for having them. He later said that providers, not women, should be the ones who face penalties.

Source: Jill Colvin and David Sharp, Associated Press on SFGate.com Sep 15, 2016

Rick Santorum: Church scandals caused by "right to privacy lifestyle"

Q: In an article you wrote, you blamed in part the Catholic Church scandal on liberalism. Can you explain that?

A: : You have the problem within the church. Again, it goes back to this moral relativism, which is very accepting of a variety of different lifestyles. And if you make the case that if you can do whatever you want to do, as long as it's in the privacy of your own home, this "right to privacy," then why be surprised that people are doing things that are deviant within their own home?

Q: The right to privacy lifestyle?

A: The right to privacy lifestyle.

Q: What's the alternative?

A: In this case, priests were having sexual relations with post-pubescent men. We're not talking about priests with 5-year-olds. We're talking about a basic homosexual relationship. Which, again, according to the world view sense is a perfectly fine relationship as long as it's consensual between people. If you view the world that way, and you say that's fine, you would assume that you would see more of it.

Source: Associated Press in USA Today: Santorum Interview Apr 23, 2003

Al Gore: Fiscal discipline helps single people as well as families

Q: What is one example of something in your plans that would improve opportunities for single adults past their college years?

A:In just a few days, Americans will have a choice between two very different visions for America. My vision is of responsible tax cuts targeted to help the middle-class, paying down the national debt to strengthen Social Security, Medicare and our economy and making key investments in education, health care, law enforcement and the environment. Single adults will benefit from my plan to ensure that Social Security is there when they retire, while creating a new 401 (k)-style investment plan to help people save for retirement, buy a first home or get new job training. They will benefit from good new jobs that result from fiscal discipline and key investments in new technologies. And they will have an easier time buying a home or paying off student loans, as we eliminate the national debt to keep down interest rates.

Source: Associated Press Nov 6, 2000

George W. Bush: Tax cut plan helps single people as well as families

Q: What is one example of something in your plans that would improve opportunities for single adults past their college years?

A: There are a number of examples in my plans to improve opportunities for single adults, from my proposed health insurance credit to my proposal [for people to] invest a portion of their Social Security payroll taxes in personal retirement accounts. If I were to highlight just one example it would be the income tax relief that my plan provides to everyone. It improves the opportunities for all single adults who pay income taxes because they can take more of their paycheck home. An accounting firm examined five hypothetical single taxpayers. Every one of them got a tax cut under my plan. Four out of five got no tax relief under Al Gore’s plan. For example, a single person earning $40,000 a year pays $5,772 in federal taxes under current law and gets no income-tax relief under Gore’s plan. That same person would get a $496 income tax cut under my plan.

Source: Associated Press Nov 6, 2000

Al Gore: Abstinence Ed in the context of comprehensive Sex Ed

Q: Do you support the initiative to encourage young people to abstain from sex but not allow discussion of birth control?

A: I support a comprehensive strategy to prevent teen pregnancy and transmission of sexually transmitted diseases that includes abstinence education and other measures. I believe that community leaders are in the best position to identify those family-planning strategies that will be most effective within their respective communities.

Source: Associated Press Sep 22, 2000

Hillary Clinton: Decide Elian’s fate via ongoing INS legal process

Hillary Clinton today opposed congressional action to make Elian Gonzalez a US resident, putting herself at odds with Vice President Gore. “Hillary knows that we must take politics out of this decision,” said her campaign spokesman, echoing President Clinton’s position. “Elian’s future should be determined as quickly as possible through the appropriate, ongoing legal process.” The Immigration and Naturalization Service has ruled that Elian belongs with his Cuban father.
Source: Associated Press in Washington Post, p. A3 Apr 2, 2000

Rudy Giuliani: Give Elian citizenship; decide fate in family court

Rudy Giuliani maintains that Elian Gonzalez should be granted US citizenship and that any custody issues should be handled in family court.
Elian was rescued in November after the boat he was on sank. His mother drowned in the attempt to flee Cuba. Elian has been living with Miami relatives who have refused to allow him to leave, although the INS has ruled that Elian belongs with his Cuban father.
Source: Associated Press in Washington Post, p. A3 Apr 2, 2000

Bill Bradley: Global economy ignores the 6:30 dinner hour

Prosperity that fails to bolster families is hollow and unsustainable. We must make work and family work together and not against each other. The new global economy just doesn’t care about the 6:30 dinner hour. And it doesn’t care that you have aging parents as well as small children to look after. It doesn’t care that you’re too tired or have too little time to help with the kids’ homework. It doesn’t care that you don’t know how to use a computer. The global economy isn’t worrying about you at all.
Source: Associated Press, speech excerpts Oct 7, 1999

Bill Bradley: Create a nationwide system for childcare

Today, child care in America is not a system at all, but a hodgepodge of underfunded, uncoordinated efforts. I propose to convert that hodgepodge into a sensible system that will allow working parents to breathe a little easier when it comes to child care. [I propose] finding a common-sense balance between family and work. Work and family are the twin sides of the American Dream. They are the keys to our happiness as individuals and to our success as a nation and as a family.
Source: Associated Press, speech excerpts Oct 7, 1999

Bill Bradley: $2.6B for preschool, childcare, colleges, and volunteers

Painting an American portrait of stressed-out parents and deserted kitchen tables, Bill Bradley proposed $2.6 billion in annual help to families everything from preschool and child care, to community colleges and a new army of senior-citizen volunteers. “What individual families cannot build on their own, we can all build together,” Bradley said. He also echoed a proposal to expand the popular 1993 Family and Medical Leave Act to workers in smaller businesses than are currently covered.
Source: By Sandra Sobieraj, Associated Press Oct 7, 1999

Bill Bradley: Proposed senior Americorps for mentoring kids

Bradley called for an older-person’s version of President Clinton’s “Americorps” that would offer tax-free stipends of $200 a month to senior citizens who volunteer at least 15 hours per week at approved nonprofit youth programs such as the YMCA, Boys & Girls Clubs, school tutoring, or faith-based mentoring. Bradley said [his full proposal package] would be paid for out of the federal budget surplus, like his $65 billion-per-year universal health plan.
Source: By Sandra Sobieraj, Associated Press Oct 7, 1999

Dan Quayle: TV causes problems facing American families

Quayle said that a primary reason for many of the problems facing American families today can be traced to television. “The average teenager spends 1,500 hours a year watching TV, 600 hours a year in school and 30 hours a year talking to their parents. I ask you, who’s in control?” Quayle asked. “Family is the number one priority, the number one issue as we go into the next century. The way to strengthen the family is to bring back good common sense and strong moral values.”
Source: Associated Press Jul 6, 1999

  • The above quotations are from Columns and news articles distributed by the Associated Press.
  • Click here for definitions & background information on Families & Children.
  • Click here for other issues (main summary page).
2016 Presidential contenders on Families & Children:
  Republicans:
Gov.Jeb Bush(FL)
Dr.Ben Carson(MD)
Gov.Chris Christie(NJ)
Sen.Ted Cruz(TX)
Carly Fiorina(CA)
Gov.Jim Gilmore(VA)
Sen.Lindsey Graham(SC)
Gov.Mike Huckabee(AR)
Gov.Bobby Jindal(LA)
Gov.John Kasich(OH)
Gov.Sarah Palin(AK)
Gov.George Pataki(NY)
Sen.Rand Paul(KY)
Gov.Rick Perry(TX)
Sen.Rob Portman(OH)
Sen.Marco Rubio(FL)
Sen.Rick Santorum(PA)
Donald Trump(NY)
Gov.Scott Walker(WI)
Democrats:
Gov.Lincoln Chafee(RI)
Secy.Hillary Clinton(NY)
V.P.Joe Biden(DE)
Gov.Martin O`Malley(MD)
Sen.Bernie Sanders(VT)
Sen.Elizabeth Warren(MA)
Sen.Jim Webb(VA)

2016 Third Party Candidates:
Gov.Gary Johnson(L-NM)
Roseanne Barr(PF-HI)
Robert Steele(L-NY)
Dr.Jill Stein(G,MA)
Please consider a donation to OnTheIssues.org!
Click for details -- or send donations to:
1770 Mass Ave. #630, Cambridge MA 02140
E-mail: submit@OnTheIssues.org
(We rely on your support!)

Page last updated: Feb 15, 2019