Columns and news articles on the Huffington Post blog


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

Abortion     Alison Grimes: Pro-choice down the line.     Bobby Jindal: Human life amendment: define "person" from conception.     Charlie Huggins: Supports mandatory ultrasounds.     Marco Rubio: Consensus that life begins at conception; so no abortion.     Roy Cooper: No politicians in medical room telling doctor what to say.     Scott Wagner: Ban abortions after 20 weeks.     Tom Wolf: Tradition of freedom of conscience includes abortion rights.

Budget & Economy     Darrell Castle: Don't bailout financial giants; just let them fail.     Deval Patrick: Believes in private sector's ability to create opportunity.     Raphael Warnock: A stimulus package must help working people, not just rich.

Civil Rights     Alison Grimes: Both supportive and apprehensive about marriage equality.     Amanda Curtis: Repeal state ban on sodomy; make gay sex legal.     Baron Hill: 2006: Marriage is sacred; 2015: guarantee marriage equality.     Baron Hill: For ENDA & against DADT & in Congress; evolved on marriage.     Bob McDermott: Amendment for marriage only by opposite-sex couples.     Carly Fiorina: Marriage is between a man and a woman; but civil unions ok.     Chris McDaniel: Dems want homosexual marriage legal in all 50 states.     Condoleezza Rice: Supports civil unions but not gay marriage.     Don Blankenship: I'm an American person; 'Chinaperson' isn't racist.     Heidi Heitkamp: AdWatch: Featured in DSCC ad: "Elect more women to Senate".     Howard Schultz: Better race relations starts with conversation.     Jason Carter: Civil marriage equality, but don't tell churches what to do.     Jerry Sanders: Proud to testify for same-sex marriage equality.     Jerry Sanders: 2007: Switched from supporting civil unions to marriage.     Jim Gray: Openly gay mayor of Lexington: not all are anti-gay.     Jimmy Carter: Supports civil marriage equality.     Joni Ernst: Federal ban ok, but leave same-sex marriage to states.     Justin Amash: Repeal DOMA: Government shouldn't be involved in marriage.     Michael Enzi: We need civility for gays; not more laws.     Mike Chenault: Lambasted laughing at same-sex equality issue, apologizes.     Republican Party: Remove Rep. from committees for "white supremacist" comments.     Rick Snyder: Recognize 300 gay marriages conducted in 2014.     Rick Snyder: Add LGBT anti-discrimination to civil rights law.     Steve Grossman: Embrace marriage equality in the Democratic Party platform.     Terri Lynn Land: Women want job flexibility more than equal pay.

Corporations     Donald Trump: Wealthy move assets around globally based on tax incentives.     Joe Walsh: Occupy Wall Street is a well-orchestrated Socialist movement.     Lucas Kunce: We need to break the oppressive corporate monopoly structure.     Mike Gravel: Leadership fails because US is run by corporate America.     Rob Sobhani: Occupy Wall Street pushes for capitalism with a conscience.

Crime     Antonio Villaraigosa: Reduced violent crime by 50%; increased size of LAPD.     Beto O`Rourke: Expand death penalty if police officers are attacked.     Elizabeth Warren: Unfair: Kid in trouble for petty theft; CEO steals billions.     Mike Espy: Resigned for accepting gifts; but acquitted criminally.

Drugs     Chris Dodd: Allow medical marijuana; and allow decriminalization too.     Chris Dodd: Decriminalize marijuana but don�t legalize it.     Cory Booker: The war on drugs has failed; support medical marijuana.     Darrell Castle: Advocate of decriminalizing possession.     James Webb: Recommend drug policy to deal with growth of incarceration.     Marco Rubio: Enforce federal law even in states with legal pot.     Marco Rubio: No responsible way to recreationally use marijuana.

Education     Antonio Villaraigosa: Mayoral control of 22 poorly performing schools.     Barack Obama: We need a sense of urgency about improving education system.     Bill Richardson: Start earlier with preschool for every child under 4.     Bobby Jindal: Teach kids the best science; but no comment on evolution.     Bobby Jindal: Local control instead of Common Core.     Chris Dodd: Advocate for free community-college education.     Dennis Kucinich: End No Child Left Behind; end testing as be-all & end-all.     Hillary Clinton: We have not yet reached consensus on education reform.     Hillary Clinton: AR Ed Reform taught that there is a place for testing.     Joe Biden: $3000 tax credit for college for anyone earning under $150K.     John Edwards: Make community colleges & public universities free.     John Edwards: Think of education as a birth-to-death experience in America.     Ken Buck: Federal research, but no federal requirements or funding.     Mike Gravel: Extend school day and extend school year.     Mike Gravel: Our school stats fail because we're stuck in triumphalism.     Mike Gravel: GovWatch: Yes, Americans are getting fatter, but not dumber.     Oprah Winfrey: Changing the way people think starts with education.

Energy & Oil     Bobby Jindal: The left loves energy to be expensive and scarce.     Cory Booker: Create green economy with lower carbon output.     Darrell Castle: Buying Saudi oil forces US to deals with oppressive monarchs.     Darrell Castle: Develop our own petroleum first; then green technology.     Jay Inslee: Supports oil refinery (plus biofuel) along Columbia River.     John Edwards: Give up SUVs & other sacrifices, to deal with climate crisis.     Liz Cheney: What should be done about climate change? Nothing!     Marco Rubio: Climate is always changing; it's not from human activity.     Mitch McConnell: AdWatch: Fights EPA regulation on coal production.     Newt Gingrich: 1989: prevent global warming; 2012: unclear if warming real.     Richard Lugar: Make all cars "flex-fuel" vehicles.     Richard Mourdock: Oppose ethanol subsidy as a matter of conservative principle.     Russell Feingold: 2003 "4P": use Clean Air Act to reduce coal plant pollutants.     Shelley Moore Capito: AdWatch: Fights back against Obama's war on coal.

Environment     Antonio Villaraigosa: Added 669 acres of open space & 1,549 miles of bikeways.     Bill Bryant: OpEd: Claims conservationism, but enabled Arctic drilling.     Rand Paul: Hurricane Sandy relief ads were conflict of interest.     Rick Scott: Lay off DEP staff; environmental compliance & no enforcement.     Russell Feingold: Clean Water Restoration Act to protect streams and wetlands.     Tom Vilsack: Cut food waste in half by 2030.

Families & Children     Ayn Rand: Conservative thinking is a "God, family, tradition swamp.     Cathy Glasson: #1 job of governor is to raise family's standard of living.     Elizabeth Warren: Federal funds to cap childcare at 7% of income.     Karin Housley: If women are empowered and independent they don't need laws.     Ned Lamont: Paid time off to new parents and caregivers.     JD Vance: 2021: Go to war against the anti-child ideology.

Foreign Policy     Elizabeth Warren: Military action that kill civilians may create radicalism.

Free Trade     Arianna Huffington: CAFTA gives sweetheart provisions to drug companies.     Darrell Castle: Trans Pacific Partnership is not about free trade.     Darrell Castle: Repeal NAFTA.     Theresa Greenfield: Number one issue for farmers is regaining foreign markets.

Government Reform     Alan Khazei: Refuses PAC money and lobbyist campaign donations.     Andrea Zopp: Voter ID laws are intended to limit the Black vote.     Barack Obama: Ok to take $5 donations from drug company employees.     Cynthia Nixon: The 'Cynthia Effect': Cuomo now for restoring voting rights.     Gary Johnson: Senate should consider Obama's Supreme Court nominee.     John Kasich: A handful of billionaires should not decide who is president.     Lisa Murkowski: Scrutinize states with a history of voting discrimination.     Lisa Murkowski: Opportunity to vote, regardless of where people live.     Mike Gravel: Americans are getting fatter & dumber; must get empowered!     Newt Gingrich: Allow unlimited campaign contributions to anybody.     Shelley Berkley: Free Nevada: No out-of-state donations for Senate race.     Terri Lynn Land: Super PACs are committed to Michigan.     Tom Tancredo: 2001: pledged 3-term limit; 2002: served 4th & 5th term.

Gun Control     Andrew Yang: Would push for "personalized" guns, subsidize upgrading.     Antonio Villaraigosa: Member of Mayors Against Illegal Guns.     Antonio Villaraigosa: Ban sales of assault weapons and Saturday night specials.     John Hickenlooper: Universal background checks & ban on high capacity magazines.     Tim Kaine: Limit high-capacity clips to no more than ten bullets.     Tom Foley: Newtown law added inconveniences on law-abiding citizens.     Tom Tancredo: Running in opposition to new gun control laws.

Health Care     Alison Grimes: Delay mandated coverage, but keep ObamaCare.     Antonin Scalia: OpEd: sympathetic to labeling ObamaCare unconstitutional.     Barack Obama: Government healthcare like members of Congress have.     Barack Obama: All kids should get vaccinated, but not by law.     Bill Richardson: Universal health care, no matter who you are.     Bobby Jindal: Ebola isn't the last epidemic; it's just a harbinger.     Chris Dodd: Universal health mart: shop for best plan to suit your needs.     Chris Dodd: Require at age 55 a physical exam to qualify for Medicare.     Chris Dodd: Make people pay high price for voluntary choice of smoking.     David Perdue: Responsible thing to do: fix ObamaCare; don't repeal it.     Dennis Kucinich: Let the US be like every other industrialized democracy.     Hillary Clinton: A plan is necessary; but consensus is more necessary.     Hillary Clinton: Include insurance industry in discussions, but rein them in.     Jeb Bush: Clear & concise response stops unneeded fears about Ebola.     Jeb Bush: Handle Ebola like I handled anthrax in 2001.     Jeb Bush: You should vaccinate your children; over and out.     Joe Biden: Start paying for universal coverage with $100B in redundancy.     Joe Biden: Rethink healthcare by focusing on prevention.     John Edwards: $90B-$120B per year for healthcare, by ending Bush tax cut.     John Edwards: If not universal coverage, which people wouldn't be covered?     John Edwards: Let people choose between private plan and single-payer.     John Edwards: Take on insurance & drug companies, who have blocked reform.     John Roberts: OpEd: sympathetic to labeling ObamaCare unconstitutional.     Jon Huntsman: Supported individual mandate in 2007; opposes it now.     Jon Huntsman: Supports market-based, consumer empowering legislation.     Josh Hawley: Get rid of ObamaCare, but cover pre-existing conditions.     Karen Handel: ObamaCare overreaches, but feds should address healthcare.     Karen Handel: ObamaCare canceled my wife's policy & doubled premiums.     Marco Rubio: All kids should get vaccinated, with medical exceptions.     Mike Gravel: Universal coverage with guaranteed equal care.     Mike Gravel: Reforms fail because pharma companies control Congress.     Mike Gravel: Everybody should have the same health care.     Rand Paul: Encourage vaccines, with religious exceptions.     Ruth Bader Ginsburg: Waiting to decide on ObamaCare will provide better decision.     Samuel Alito: OpEd: sympathetic to labeling ObamaCare unconstitutional.     Sarah Palin: Vouchers for veterans' health care outside the VA system.     Larry Elder: Abolish Medicaid; charity not allowed by the Constitution .

Homeland Security     Arianna Huffington: Guns vs. butter: make it part of the national debate.     Arianna Huffington: Reduce military spending or America will decline.     Chris McDaniel: Why are Muslims never portrayed as villains by Hollywood?     Darrell Castle: Withdraw from NATO; it's unaffordable & no longer useful.     Dennis Kucinich: Strength through peace.     Jeb Bush: Deal with bullies like Putin with strength, not nuance.     Mike Gravel: I ended the draft; I stopped nuclear testing.     Richard Burr: OpEd: Quashed release of report about CIA torture.     Sarah Palin: Dozens of veterans per day commit suicide; VA should help.

Immigration     Alberto Gonzales: Grandparents came from Mexico, illegally, for American dream.     Bill Richardson: We pay for immigrant healthcare; have them pay into system.     Bill Richardson: Increase H-1B visas to permit more skilled workers.     Colin Powell: Opposes policy of separating migrant mothers and children.     Darrell Castle: Libertarians favor open borders; Constitutionalists don't.     Donald Trump: Melania's parents & Trump's grandparents did chain migration.     Elizabeth Warren: Bring people out of shadow economy & help social security.     Jon Huntsman: Vetoed repeal of college tuition for illegal immigrants.     Martin Luther King: Anyone living in US can't be an outsider within its bounds.

Jobs     Joe Biden: Labor unions have built the middle class and built America.     Mike McFadden: Gender-based pay equality & minimum wage? "Wrong questions".     Rick Perry: The official unemployment rate is massaged and doctored.

Principles & Values     Barack Obama: Reach out to faith community;faith has role in public square.     Bill Richardson: Would not leave NM governorship to be vice president.     Bobby Jindal: OpEd: Appeals to both Ivy League-coasts and Bible Belt.     Colin Powell: First Amendment means the press can criticize the president.     Cynthia Nixon: Vote for the homo, not for the Cuomo.     Gary Johnson: Competes in 3,000-mile mountain bike race.     Heidi Heitkamp: AdWatch: criticized as "Heidi-ho" for "Barack-o" socialism.     Hillary Clinton: FactCheck: No evidence Hillary's email server was hacked.     Jeb Bush: GOP must stop being the party of 'anti' everything.     Jeb Bush: We need to be the party of inclusion and acceptance.     Mark Pryor: AdWatch: I believe in God and I believe in His word.     Paul Broun: Separation of church and state is a mistaken idea.     Steve King: When did "white nationalist" become offensive language?     Tom Tancredo: Obama is greater threat to our way of life than any enemy.

Social Security     Arianna Huffington: Calling Social Security a Ponzi scheme is radical & extreme.     Cory Booker: Opposes raising retirement age; expand entitlements.     Donald Trump: Going "full-steam ahead" on limiting disability benefits.     Gary Johnson: Create personal investment accounts.     Greg Gianforte: Noah in the Bible was still working at age 600.     Joe Sestak: Social Security is the cornerstone of retirement security.     Mike Pence: Down-the-road raising of the Social Security retirement age.     Theresa Greenfield: Social Security personal, helped when husband died on job.

Tax Reform     Brad Ellsworth: Extend Bush tax cuts for all recipients.     Cary Kennedy: OpEd: proudly championed the state's mill levy freeze.     Donald Trump: Previously supported wealth tax; now supports Bush tax cuts.     Jack Conway: Extend Bush tax cuts for 5 to 10 more years.     Robin Carnahan: Extend Bush tax cuts for all recipients, including wealthy.     Theresa Greenfield: Wealthy & corporations need to pay their fair share.

Technology     Barack Obama: JFK inspired with space program; now same with energy R&D.     Darrell Castle: UN globalization observes every human being electronically.     George Pataki: FactCheck: No evidence Hillary's email server was hacked.     Joe Biden: WikiLeaks founder is a high-tech terrorist.     Tom Foley: No comment on reducing mass transit funding.

War & Peace     Barack Obama: Surge has not succeeded because it ignores political issues.     Bill Richardson: The surge is not working; Petraeus just being team player.     Bill Richardson: Iraqi situation is about to implode; withdraw all troops.     Chris Dodd: Surge has not made us safer, more secure, or less vulnerable.     Chris Dodd: Terminate funding for Iraq; compare Vietnam & persuade GOP.     Dennis Kucinich: US army has civilian leadership; it�s not Patraeus� decision.     Dennis Kucinich: Congress has the Constitutional power to end the war.     Dennis Kucinich: Assassination is extrajudicial killing; not even Osama.     Hillary Clinton: Patraeus report requires willing suspension of disbelief.     Joe Biden: Patraeus report is wrong strategy; draw down troops now.     John Edwards: Focus on political progress in Iraq.     John Edwards: Congress has a mandate to defund war to force Bush out.     Mike Gravel: Patraeus report is tragic charade; we all knew what he'd say.     Mike Gravel: Pull American troops out; it can be done in 120 days.     Mike Gravel: Young men & women will die because of this nation's mistake.     Mitt Romney: Troops to Syria if Assad spreads chemical weapons.     Richard Burr: We have effective oversight of CIA and drone strikes.     Terri Lynn Land: No military action in Syrian civil war.

Welfare & Poverty     Donald Trump: Suspends some SNAP limits; may still curtail eligibility.     Howard Schultz: FoodShare: Distribute unsold Starbucks items to food banks.     Jeb Bush: If you're born poor, the odds are stacked against you.     Joe Biden: Americans don't want handouts, just to be given a chance.     Newt Gingrich: Fight crisis of secularism with church-based charity.

Click for quotations from other sources by: Alan Khazei Democratic Challenger Massachusetts Alberto Gonzales Cabinet-2008 Alison Grimes Kentucky Democratic candidate for governor Amanda Curtis Democratic Challenger Montana Andrea Zopp Democratic Senate candidate Illinois Andrew Yang New York Democratic candidate for NYC Mayor Antonin Scalia Republican Appointee to Supreme Court (deceased 2016) Antonio Villaraigosa California Democratic Gubernatorial Challenger Arianna Huffington Former Independent Challenger (2003) Ayn Rand Barack Obama Illinois Democratic President Baron Hill Democratic Senate candidate Indiana Beto O`Rourke Texas Democratic candidate for Governor; U.S. Rep Bill Bryant Washington Republican Gubernatorial candidate Bill Richardson New Mexico Former Democratic Governor (2002-2010) and Cabinet Sec'y Bob McDermott Hawaii Republican candidate for governor Bobby Jindal Louisiana Republican 2016 Presidential candidate Brad Ellsworth 2010 Democratic Challenger Indiana Carly Fiorina California V.P. nominee toTed Cruz Cary Kennedy Colorado Democratic candidate for Governor Cathy Glasson Iowa Democratic candidate for governor Charlie Huggins Alaska Republican candidate for governor of Alaska Chris Dodd Democrat Chris McDaniel Republican challenger Mississippi Colin Powell Cabinet-2005 Condoleezza Rice Cabinet-2008 Cory Booker New Jersey Mayor of Newark; N.J. Senator Cynthia Nixon New York Democratic candidate for governor of New York Darrell Castle Consitution Party candidate for President David Perdue Georgia Republican Challenger Dennis Kucinich Ohio Democratic candidate for Governor Deval Patrick Massachusetts Democratic Governor Don Blankenship Constitution Party candidate for President Donald Trump Republican Presidential incumbent Elizabeth Warren Massachusetts Senator Gary Johnson New Mexico Libertarian Gubernatorial Challenger George Pataki New York Republican presidential candidate Greg Gianforte Montana Republican Gubernatorial Challenger Heidi Heitkamp Democratic Challenger North Dakota Hillary Clinton Democratic Presidential candidate Howard Schultz Starbucks CEO; independent for President (suspended) Jack Conway Kentucky Democratic 2015 Gubernatorial candidate James Webb Former Virginia Senator; Democratic Presidential candidate Jason Carter Georgia Democratic Gubernatorial Challenger Jay Inslee Washington Democratic Washington Governor JD Vance Ohio Republican Vice Presidential nominee Jeb Bush Florida Former FL Governor; Republican Presidential candidate Jerry Sanders California Mayor of San Diego Jim Gray Kentucky Democratic candidate for governor Jimmy Carter Joe Biden Democratic President; former V.P.; former Senator Joe Sestak Democratic candidate for President; Navy Admiral Joe Walsh Illinois Republican presidential primary challenger John Edwards Democrat John Hickenlooper Colorado Democratic Colorado Governor John Kasich Ohio Republican Ohio Governor John Roberts Republican Appointee to Supreme Court Jon Huntsman Utah Ambassador to China Joni Ernst Republican Jr Senator Iowa Josh Hawley Republican candidate for Missouri U.S. Senator Missouri Justin Amash Michigan Libertarian Presidential Challenger Karen Handel Republican Challenger Georgia Karin Housley Republican candidate for Minnesota U.S. Senator Minnesota Ken Buck Republican Challenger (withdrawn) Colorado Larry Elder California Republican presidential contender (withdrew Oct.2023) Lisa Murkowski Republican Sr Senator Alaska Liz Cheney Republican Challenger Wyoming Lucas Kunce Senate Candidate Missouri Marco Rubio FL Senator; Republican Presidential candidate Mark Pryor Democratic Sr Senator Arkansas Martin Luther King Michael Enzi Republican Sr Senator (retiring 2020) Wyoming Mike Chenault Alaska Republican Candidate for governor of Alaska Mike Espy Democratic candidate for Mississippi U. S. Senator Mississippi Mike Gravel Democratic challenger for president Mike McFadden Republican Challenger Minnesota Mike Pence Indiana Former Republican Vice President (withdrew Oct.2023) Mitch McConnell Republican Sr Senator Kentucky Mitt Romney Massachusetts Former GOP Governor (2003-2006); Pres. candidate (2008) Ned Lamont Connecticut Democratic Governor Newt Gingrich Republican Oprah Winfrey Possible candidate for president 2020 Paul Broun Republican Challenger Georgia Rand Paul Republican 2016 Primary Challenger Raphael Warnock Democratic Challenger Georgia Republican Party Richard Burr Republican Sr Senator; previously Representative North Carolina Richard Lugar Republican Sr Senator Indiana Richard Mourdock Republican Challenger Indiana Rick Perry Texas Former Secretary of Energy Rick Scott Florida Republican Governor Rick Snyder Michigan Republican Governor Rob Sobhani Independent Challenger Maryland Robin Carnahan 2010 Democratic Senate Challenger; Secretary of State Missouri Roy Cooper North Carolina Democratic Gubernatorial candidate Russell Feingold Democrat Ruth Bader Ginsburg Former Democratic Appointee to Supreme Court Samuel Alito Republican Appointee to Supreme Court Sarah Palin Alaska Former Governor (resigned 2009); V.P. nominee (2008) Scott Wagner Pennsylvania Republican Scott Walker Wisconsin WI Governor; Republican Presidential candidate Shelley Berkley Democratic challenger Nevada Shelley Moore Capito Republican Senator West Virginia Steve Grossman Massachusetts Democratic Challenger Steve King Republican U.S. Rep Iowa-4 Terri Lynn Land Republican Challenger Michigan Theresa Greenfield Democratic Senate Challenger Iowa Tim Kaine Virginia Democratic Nominee for Vice President Tom Foley Connecticut Republican challenger Tom Tancredo Colorado Republican Gubernatorial Challenger (withdrew) Tom Vilsack Iowa USDA Secretary Tom Wolf Pennsylvania Democratic Governor