John Kerry in The Associated Press

On Education: Roll back tax cuts for rich to fund education

On Civil Rights: Flag burning is displeasing, but it’s free expression

A: Our country is defined by the rights we protect, and those of us who fought for freedom and put our lives on the line defended the right of people to do things that we disagree with. I would not be pleased to see someone burning the flag because I love the flag, but the Constitution that I fought for preserves the right of free expression.

On Crime: Moratorium on federal executions-only exception is terrorism

A: I oppose the death penalty other than in cases of real international and domestic terrorism. We know we have put innocent people to death; 111 innocent people have already been released from death row. As president, I’ll enforce the law but I’ll also have a national moratorium on federal executions until we use DNA evidence to make sure those on death row are guilty.

On Education: Vouchers drain resources from public schools

A: I have never supported vouchers. I understand why parents want more choices and I believe they should have more choices in public schools. But public schools need resources and support, and vouchers drain them of both. Our inner-city schools and our rural schools need better buildings, more textbooks, higher paid teachers, the best principals, and smaller classes.

On Energy & Oil: Raise CAFE standard to 36 mpg by 2015

A: I support updating CAFE standards to 36 miles per gallon by 2015. This proposal will reduce America’s dependence on oil by saving 2 million barrels of oil per day -- almost as much as we currently import from the Persian Gulf. It will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, smog and ozone pollution.

On Free Trade: All new trade must include labor and environmental standards

A: I support free trade, but I don’t support what the Bush administration calls free trade. I will order an immediate 120-day review of all trade agreements to ensure that our trading partners are living up to their labor and environment obligations and that trade agreements are enforceable and are balanced for America’s workers. I won’t sign any new trade agreements unless they contain strong labor and environmental standards.

On Health Care: Day 1: Make health care a right, not a privilege

A: I will send to Congress a health care plan that stops spiraling costs, covers every child in America, and makes it possible for every American to get the same health care as any member of Congress. Making health care a right and not a privilege is something worth fighting for.

On Health Care: Don’t push seniors into HMOs; change Bush Rx plan

A: I will change the benefit so that it: rewards employers who are offering retiree health benefits rather than undermining them; does not push seniors into HMOs; includes real cost containment and improves protections for low-income Americans.

On Immigration: Earned legalization for undocumented immigrants

A: I support an earned legalization proposal that will allow undocumented immigrants to legalize their status if they have been in the United States for a certain amount of time, have been working, and can pass a background check.

On Jobs: Raise minimum wage to $6.65 by next year, then higher

A: If I am elected president, I will continue to support increasing the minimum wage and indexing it to inflation. To begin with, I support increasing the minimum wage by $1.50 over the next year.

On Tax Reform: Keep child tax credit, and new 10% tax bracket

A: I will roll back the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans. However, I don’t believe that we should be raising taxes on the middle class. Specifically, I want to protect the increases in the child tax credit, the reduced marriage penalty, and the new 10 percent tax bracket that helps people save $350 on their first level of income.