Email interview series:
Presidential candidates interviewed by OnTheIssues.org

EXPLANATORY NOTE by OnTheIssues.org:

We at OnTheIssues.org ask all candidates for answers to our 20 questions in our VoteMatch quiz. The following presidential candidates have responded in detail. Responding to press inquiries like ours shows a level of openness that augurs well for the candidate in office, regardless of party affiliation.

Almost always, the incumbents and the leaders in the polls ignore our requests, indicating that they don't want their constituents to know their issue stances. We track their public statements accordingly, and infer their VoteMatch responses based on those. We also collect up debate and book excerpts, and include those in our VoteMatch quiz results as well.

Below are the responses from presidential candidates who directly responded to our VoteMatch quiz.

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

Abortion     Paul Adams: Real Choice: public funding to carry pregnancy to term.     Marc Allan Feldman: No government role in restricting nor funding abortion.     Mark Stewart: Roe v Wade was a bad decision, legally & morally.     Jim Hedges: Abortion is a woman's unrestricted right.     Roseanne Barr: Abortion is a woman's right.     Virgil Goode: Not a woman's right; remember the life of the child.     David Walker: I strongly oppose partial birth abortion.     David Walker: Morally wrong, but a woman's choice until viability.     David Walker: Enforce against doctors performing abortions after viability.     Rocky Anderson: Abortion is a woman's right.     Andre Barnett: Opposes abortion as a woman's right.     Robert Steele: Let states decide birth control and abortion laws.     Robert Steele: Supports abortion as a woman's right.     JL Mealer: Abortion violates constitutional rights for our posterity.     Scott Keller: Woman's choice over her body, but not partial birth abortion.     Scott Keller: Focus on alternatives: birth control & adoption.     Scott Keller: Pro-life, but it's the woman's right to choose.     Brian Moore: Right to free abortion on demand at any stage of pregnancy.

Budget & Economy     Paul Adams: Stimulus to benefit people; break up 6 biggest banks.     Marc Allan Feldman: Increasing government spending doesn't improves the economy.     Marc Allan Feldman: Balance our budget by cutting spending.     Mark Stewart: Federal intervention causes longer recessions.     Mark Stewart: Market-led recovery bertter than stimulus.     Jim Hedges: Market-led recovery avoids deficit spending.     David Walker: Annual limit on most major categories of spending & revenues.     Robert Steele: Moratorium on all foreclosures and evictions.     JL Mealer: Replace usurious Fed currency with precious metals.     Scott Keller: Return to sovereign money.     Scott Keller: Federal Reserve is a foreign owned, private bank.     Brian Moore: Socialize all financial & insurance institutions.

Civil Rights     Paul Adams: Same-sex unions ok; but don't redefine marriage.     Paul Adams: Preference to women & minorities who perform equally.     Marc Allan Feldman: No government role in hiring; no affirmative action.     Marc Allan Feldman: No government role in marriage, same-sex or traditional.     Mark Stewart: Private lawsuits ok for affirmative action; not government.     Mark Stewart: Benefits to same-sex partners, but marriage by churches only.     Jim Hedges: Not always practical to enforce affirmative action.     Jim Hedges: Comfortable with same-sex marriage.     Jill Stein: No discrimination based on orientation whether it's LGB or T.     Jill Stein: "Religious Freedom" is surrogate for patriarchal domination.     Jill Stein: After marriage equality comes workplace equality.     Roseanne Barr: Require companies to hire more women & minorities.     Roseanne Barr: Support same-sex domestic partnership benefits.     Virgil Goode: On affirmative action: fairness, but not quotas.     Virgil Goode: No same-sex domestic partnership benefits.     David Walker: Same-sex domestic partnership benefi but not marriage.     David Walker: I believe in affirmative action but not quotas.     Rocky Anderson: Require companies to hire more women & minorities.     Rocky Anderson: Same-sex domestic partnership benefits.     Andre Barnett: Opposes requiring companies to hire more women & minorities.     Andre Barnett: Opposes same-sex domestic partnership benefits.     Robert Steele: Full transparency for Department of "Justice".     Robert Steele: Supports requiring companies to hire more women & minorities.     Robert Steele: Supports same-sex domestic partnership benefits.     JL Mealer: Require companies to hire Americans, period.     Scott Keller: I fully support same-sex domestic partnerships.     Scott Keller: Marriage is a state and local issue.     Scott Keller: Empower women & minorities but no affirmative action.     Brian Moore: Ban military tribunals, and restore habeas corpus.     Brian Moore: Promote a multicultural/multiethnic presence.     Brian Moore: Blacks & women have been historically discriminated against.

Corporations     Paul Adams: Wealthy rigged the sub-prime mortgage collapse.     Mark Stewart: Keep the corporate income tax, but reduce it.     Jill Stein: Privatization is an enormous step backwards.     Robert Steele: End blind support for predatory banks and corporations.     Robert Steele: Hold corporations responsible for supporting American labor.     Robert Steele: Wealthiest 1% responsible for 22% unemployment.     Scott Keller: No corporate campaign donations of any kind.     Brian Moore: Eliminate corporate welfare, then eliminate corporations.

Crime     Paul Adams: Re-educate people instead of punishing them more.     Marc Allan Feldman: $50,000 per year for jail? Punishes taxpayers, not criminals.     Mark Stewart: Justice is compassionate when murderers are put to death.     Mark Stewart: Strict punishment may make ex-cons better humans.     Jim Hedges: Stricter punishment reduces some crime.     Roseanne Barr: Opposes death penalty.     Roseanne Barr: Opposes mandatory Three Strikes sentencing laws.     Virgil Goode: Supports the Death Penalty.     Virgil Goode: Supports Three Strikes sentencing laws.     David Walker: Death penalty only when DNA evidence & jury are conclusive.     David Walker: Mandatory sentencing only for limited severe crimes.     Rocky Anderson: Strongly opposes the death penalty.     Rocky Anderson: Strongly opposes mandatory sentencing laws.     Andre Barnett: Supports the death penalty.     Andre Barnett: Opposes mandatory Three Strikes sentencing laws.     Robert Steele: Prison complex is a slave industry.     Robert Steele: Strongly opposes the death penalty.     Robert Steele: Opposes mandatory Three Strikes sentencing laws.     JL Mealer: Support death penalty only for absolutely proven crimes.     JL Mealer: No mandatory sentencing.     Scott Keller: Address the root causes of crime, rather than Three Strikes.     Scott Keller: Killing is no "payment" for a crime, not even a murder.     Brian Moore: Abolish the death penalty.     Brian Moore: Base justice system on mediation and rehabilitation.

Drugs     Paul Adams: Marijuana is an exit drug, not a gateway drug.     Marc Allan Feldman: The Drug War must end.     Mark Stewart: Marijuana is not a gateway drug.     Mark Stewart: Marijuana is no more addictive than hot fudge sundaes.     Jim Hedges: Medical marijuana only.     Roseanne Barr: Legalize medical Marijuana.     Virgil Goode: Drug laws should be enforced.     David Walker: Decriminalize marijuana use; differentiate from hard drugs.     Rocky Anderson: Opposes considering drug use immoral.     Andre Barnett: Drug use is immoral: enforce laws against it.     Robert Steele: Get CIA and DEA out of the covert drug business.     Robert Steele: Drug use is not a moral issue; legalize marijuana.     JL Mealer: Asylum for insider aliens turning in drug smugglers.     JL Mealer: Drug use is a hazard to other people.     Scott Keller: Drug use isn't immoral, though it's unintelligent.     Brian Moore: Decriminalize drug use; de-fund war on drugs.

Education     Paul Adams: Supports school vouchers.     Marc Allan Feldman: Vouchers for school choice, to increase parental control.     Mark Stewart: I'd prefer no public schools, but vouchers will do.     Mark Stewart: Privatize DC schools with vouchers under Congress' control.     Jim Hedges: Vouchers for school choice.     Jill Stein: Common Core empowers contractors over teachers.     Jill Stein: Charter schools assault the treasure of our public schools.     Roseanne Barr: Oppose teacher-led prayer in public schools.     Roseanne Barr: Supports parents choosing schools via vouchers.     Virgil Goode: Allow school prayer on a voluntary basis.     Virgil Goode: Vouchers are fine; but no finds available now.     David Walker: Vouchers ok, if they have proper protections in place.     David Walker: No school prayer, but moment of silence ok.     Rocky Anderson: Opposes teacher-led prayer in public schools.     Rocky Anderson: Opposes parents choosing schools via vouchers.     Andre Barnett: Supports teacher-led prayer in public schools.     Andre Barnett: Opposes school vouchers.     Robert Steele: Teachers should be well paid and paid for performance.     Robert Steele: Supports teacher-led prayer in public schools.     Robert Steele: Opposes school vouchers.     JL Mealer: School prayer is ok, but not if at all mandatory.     Scott Keller: We need comprehensive education reform, not NCLB.     Scott Keller: Unfair to turn our schools into pulpit for any religion.     Scott Keller: No privatization of education.     Brian Moore: Too much emphasis on high tech in classrooms.     Brian Moore: Fully fund libraries & museums to preserve culture.     Brian Moore: Full and equal funding of public education.

Energy & Oil     Paul Adams: Encourage exploration for oil and gas in Alaska.     Marc Allan Feldman: Green energy will be prioritized with or without government.     Mark Stewart: Green energy through private companies, not government.     Mark Stewart: Anthropomorphic climate change is unproven, but let's reduce.     Mark Stewart: Fan of nuclear power.     Mark Stewart: I like Keystone.     Jim Hedges: Prioritize green energy.     Roseanne Barr: Replace coal & oil with alternatives.     Virgil Goode: Use coal and oil and alternatives.     Rocky Anderson: Replace coal & oil with alternatives.     Andre Barnett: Alternatives as well as coal & oil.     Robert Steele: We have plenty of energy in the USA, but it's corrupt.     Robert Steele: Strongly supports replacing coal & oil with alternatives.     Scott Keller: Replace coal & oil with alternatives.     Brian Moore: Develop solar, geothermal, wind, hydropower and biomass.     Brian Moore: Phase out nuclear power; rejoin Kyoto Protocol.

Environment     Paul Adams: EPA regulations are too restrictive.     Marc Allan Feldman: Environmental protection by private, voluntary organizations.     Mark Stewart: Make EPA into full cabinet level position.     Mark Stewart: Environmental advocates: divorce yourselves from Marxists.     Jim Hedges: EPA regulations are usually necessary.     Robert Steele: Poverty causes more environmental damage than corporations.     Robert Steele: Green community design plus high-speed rail.     Brian Moore: Require companies to clean up their own toxic waste.

Families & Children     Mark Stewart: Encourage adoption and surrogate pregnancies.     Jill Stein: Kids in poverty can't go to school in condition to learn.     Jill Stein: Half-million in foster care means system is dysfunctional.     Jill Stein: Don't assume that mothers should always get custody.     Robert Steele: Back to one-income families & stay-at-home opportunities.     Brian Moore: 16 months paid maternity & paternity leave.

Foreign Policy     Paul Adams: We can no longer be a bully in the world.     Marc Allan Feldman: Liberty & enterprise, not American Exceptionalism.     Marc Allan Feldman: I support Israel personally, but end government foreign aid.     Mark Stewart: I absolutely support American Exceptionalism.     Mark Stewart: Facilitate "governments-in-exile" against repressive regimes.     Jim Hedges: Don't support American Exceptionalism.     Jill Stein: Work towards neutral Ukraine; don't arm them against Russia.     Jill Stein: China provides less heavy-handed foreign aid than does US.     Jill Stein: Lifting the Cuban embargo was long overdue.     Jill Stein: Expanding NATO threatens Russia and breaks our promise.     Jill Stein: Focus on human rights, international law, and diplomacy.     Robert Steele: Open Source Agency to do Open Source Intelligence.     Brian Moore: Large-scale transfer of technology to developing countries.     Brian Moore: Corporate interests are the cause of most wars.

Free Trade     Paul Adams: Tariffs on all big ticket items entering the US.     Paul Adams: I am a protectionist, anti-TPP, anti-job exporter.     Marc Allan Feldman: Trade with other nations is the best way to encourage peace.     Mark Stewart: The 1000+ page TPP can't possibly be free trade.     Mark Stewart: Don't be spooked by a trade deficit; it means great deals.     Jim Hedges: Generally oppose free trade.     Jill Stein: TPP attacks our basic national sovereignty.     Jill Stein: Opposes Fast Track and executive action.     Jill Stein: TPP is like NAFTA on steroids.     Roseanne Barr: Opposes expanding free trade.     Virgil Goode: Don't expand free trade.     David Walker: Fair trade; but keep NAFTA and China trade.     Rocky Anderson: Opposes expanding free trade.     Andre Barnett: Supports expanding free trade.     Robert Steele: Free Trade is a scam.     Robert Steele: Oppose expanding free trade.     Scott Keller: Free trade with the full involvement of the people.     Brian Moore: Withdraw from NAFTA, FTAA, WTO, and IMF.

Government Reform     Paul Adams: Reform term limits & campaign finance.     Paul Adams: Online Citizen Account: we vote; repeal the House of Reps.     Marc Allan Feldman: A large portion of our population feel disenfranchised.     Mark Stewart: Let's make it HARDER to vote: testing at polls.     Jim Hedges: No need to make voter registration easier.     Jill Stein: Term limits end guaranteed re-election & lifetime incumbency.     Jill Stein: Confederate flag should be removed from all public locations.     Jill Stein: Earmarks grease the skids for corruption.     Roseanne Barr: Stricter limits on political campaign funds.     Virgil Goode: Stricter limits on political campaign funds.     David Walker: Constitutional Amendment to limit campaign finance.     Rocky Anderson: Stricter limits on political campaign funds.     Andre Barnett: Stricter limits on political campaign funds.     Robert Steele: Bush and Obama White Houses both ruled by secrecy.     Robert Steele: Citizens United is a national disgrace.     Robert Steele: Stricter limits on political campaign funds.     JL Mealer: Crush special interests & incumbents who oppose 3rd parties.     Scott Keller: Elections should be 100% free, not for the wealthy.     Scott Keller: Ranked Voting and instant Run off Voting.     Brian Moore: Public financing of campaigns, with free TV access.

Gun Control     Paul Adams: Invigorate the 2nd Amendment with more firepower.     Marc Allan Feldman: Second Amendment is supremacy of citizens over the State.     Mark Stewart: Best defense against bad guys? Good guys with guns.     Jim Hedges: Absolute right to gun ownership for small arms.     Roseanne Barr: Supports absolute right to gun ownership.     Virgil Goode: Supports absolute right to gun ownership.     David Walker: Screening for automatic weapons; no felons own guns.     Rocky Anderson: Opposes absolute right to gun ownership.     Andre Barnett: Supports absolute right to gun ownership.     Robert Steele: No federal, state, or local constraint on gun rights.     Robert Steele: Strongly supports absolute right to gun ownership.     JL Mealer: Repeal NFA Title I & II.     Scott Keller: Support 2nd amendment but we shouldn't need it.     Brian Moore: Right to bear arms needed for oppressed people.

Health Care     Paul Adams: Repeal ObamaCare in favor of one-payer system.     Marc Allan Feldman: ObamaCare supports a growing, inefficient & expensive system.     Mark Stewart: Heavens no, we can't expand ObamaCare.     Mark Stewart: ObamaCare has "death panels," but so do private HMOs.     Jim Hedges: ObamaCare is ok; single-payer would be better.     Jill Stein: Tort reform becomes unneeded under Medicare-for-All.     Jill Stein: Threats like Ebola are threats to public health worldwide.     Roseanne Barr: More federal funding for health coverage.     Virgil Goode: Oppose more federal funding for health coverage.     David Walker: Demographics will require more federal healthcare funding.     Rocky Anderson: More federal funding for health coverage.     Andre Barnett: Opposes more federal funding for health coverage.     Andre Barnett: Expand the armed forces.     Robert Steele: Health education instead of regulation.     Robert Steele: Opposes more federal funding for health coverage.     Robert Steele: Cut military-industrial complex back to $300 billion a year.     Scott Keller: Encourage non-profit hospitals.     Scott Keller: More funding for health coverage, but change model.     Brian Moore: National health care system for all citizens.

Homeland Security     Paul Adams: Cut military spending by 50%.     Marc Allan Feldman: We cannot afford to be the policeman of the world.     Mark Stewart: I err on the side of more for the military.     Jim Hedges: Don't expand the military.     Jill Stein: Military-industrial complex shows woes of privatization.     Jill Stein: Disarm North Korea as part of worldwide nuclear disarmament.     Jill Stein: Edward Snowden is a hero for exposing mass spying.     Jill Stein: Bring troops home from 800 bases abroad.     Robert Steele: ISIS and al Qaeda are joint creations of Saudi Arabia & CIA.     Roseanne Barr: Strongly opposed enactment of PATRIOT Act.     Roseanne Barr: Opposes expanding the armed forces.     Virgil Goode: Patriot Act harm civil liberties for U.S. Citizens.     Virgil Goode: No funds to expand armed forces now.     David Walker: Reform Patriot Act; it harms civil liberties.     David Walker: Change force structure for new types of conflicts.     Rocky Anderson: The Patriot Act harms civil liberties.     Rocky Anderson: Opposes expanding the armed forces.     Andre Barnett: The Patriot Act harms civil liberties.     Robert Steele: War is a racket: Phase out all overseas bases.     Robert Steele: Shut down Dept. of Homeland Security & Cyber-Command.     Robert Steele: The Patriot Act harms civil liberties.     Gary Johnson: Allies want more US military spending, but cut by 43%.     JL Mealer: Oppose the Patriot Act; but support profiling.     JL Mealer: Expand armed forces programs.     Scott Keller: Wire tapping is a huge invasion of privacy.     Scott Keller: Expand armed forces with shifted focus.     Scott Keller: Expand the military in smart directions.     Brian Moore: Close down all foreign military bases.     Brian Moore: Close down the DHS and repeal the Patriot Act.     Brian Moore: Reduce terrorist threat by ending foreign exploitation.

Immigration     Paul Adams: Fenced Orchard: hard rules leads to self-deportation.     Paul Adams: Path to citizenship after two years of asylum.     Marc Allan Feldman: There are illegal activities but there are no illegal people.     Mark Stewart: Illegal immigration costs us our sovereignty AND our culture.     Mark Stewart: Pathway to citizenship? An escort home!     Jim Hedges: Citizenship for illegal aliens only under some circumstances.     Roseanne Barr: Supports illegal immigrants earning citizenship.     Virgil Goode: Illegal immigrants shouldn't earn citizenship.     David Walker: Enforce against employers hiring illegals.     David Walker: Enforce employment laws on employers, not against immigrants.     Rocky Anderson: Supports illegal immigrants earning citizenship.     Andre Barnett: Opposes illegal immigrants earning citizenship.     Robert Steele: We committed genocide on Native Americans.     Robert Steele: Support illegal immigrants earning citizenship.     Gary Johnson: Let some, but not all, illegal immigrants stay in US.     Scott Keller: Change Dream Act so everyone wins.     Scott Keller: Build arcologies at the borders that serve as fences.     Brian Moore: End the militarization of the US/Mexican border.

Jobs     Paul Adams: $15 minimum wage won't help our entry-level workers.     Mark Stewart: If your employer is racist, then quit & boycott.     Robert Steele: Pursue full employment with no inflation.     JL Mealer: Labor standards in the US and abroad.     Brian Moore: Unemployment compensation at 100% of previous income.     Brian Moore: 30-hour work week with 6-weeks annual paid vacation.     Brian Moore: Militant labor action for social ownership of production.     Brian Moore: Set minimum wage of $15 per hour and index upward.

Principles & Values     Paul Adams: Celebrate various religious feast days at national level.     Marc Allan Feldman: No government prohibition on religion, including publicly.     Mark Stewart: A creche displayed at City Hall should not offend.     Mark Stewart: The Resistance: warriors for better democracy.     Jim Hedges: Talking about God is ok personally, but not officially.     Jill Stein: Moral foundation for society good; religious basis bad.     Jill Stein: Raised Jewish; married to a Protestant atheist.     Robert Steele: Two-party bi-opoly sacrifices integrity for power.     Brian Moore: Abolition all forms of domination and exploitation.

Social Security     Paul Adams: Never relegate Social Security to the private sector.     Marc Allan Feldman: Social Security is now neither social nor secure.     Mark Stewart: Allow Americans to opt out of Social Security.     Mark Stewart: Blacks should be irate about forced Social Security.     Jim Hedges: Never privatize Social Security.     Roseanne Barr: Oppose privatizing Social Security.     Virgil Goode: Don't privatize Social Security.     David Walker: Supplemental retirement accounts ok; private accounts not.     Rocky Anderson: Opposes privatizing Social Security.     Andre Barnett: Opposes privatizing Social Security.     Robert Steele: Congressional corruption puts Social Security at risk.     Robert Steele: Strongly opposes privatizing Social Security.     JL Mealer: Privatize Social Security with a Government option.     Scott Keller: Make Social Security a non-profit system.     Scott Keller: Privatization opens up Americans to the wolves.     Scott Keller: Retirees have paid their dues.     Scott Keller: Non-monetary communities for retirees.     Brian Moore: Retirement at age 55 with $25,000 annual income.

Tax Reform     Mark Stewart: A progressive tax system to me seems unfair.     Jim Hedges: Higher taxes on the wealthy.     Jill Stein: Increase inheritance taxes; use it as "Aristocracy Tax".     Roseanne Barr: Supports making taxes more progressive.     Virgil Goode: Opposes progressive taxation.     David Walker: Make effective tax rates progressive, not marginal tax rates.     David Walker: Broaden base; make top rate 25%; make capital gains 25%.     Rocky Anderson: Strongly supports progressive taxation.     Andre Barnett: Opposes progressive taxation; simplify instead.     Robert Steele: Eliminate all income taxes & corporate taxes.     Robert Steele: Automated Payment Transaction: tax all financial transfers.     Robert Steele: Make taxes progressive by taxing currency & stock trades.     Scott Keller: Don't increase personal federal taxes in any way.     Brian Moore: Steeply graduated income tax and estate tax.

Technology     Paul Adams: Stimulate economy by overhauling our infrastructure.     Robert Steele: Smart Nation: panarchy through National Ballot Initiative.     Brian Moore: Massive federal investment in infrastructure.     Brian Moore: Transfer interstate highway funding to high-speed rail.

War & Peace     Paul Adams: We cannot be the enablers of instability in the Mideast.     Marc Allan Feldman: Drop philanthropy on other countries instead of bombs.     Mark Stewart: I firmly believe that Right makes Might.     Mark Stewart: Declare war on Boko Haram in northern Nigeria.     Jim Hedges: Avoid foreign entanglements.     Roseanne Barr: US out of Iraq and Afghanistan.     Virgil Goode: US out of Iraq.     David Walker: Out of Iraq & Afghanistan; no ground troops in Iran.     Rocky Anderson: US out of Iraq & Afghanistan.     Andre Barnett: US out of Iraq, but keep NATO presence.     Robert Steele: Iraq spending could have begun "infinite wealth" in USA.     Robert Steele: US out of Iraq & Afghanistan.     JL Mealer: Out of Iraq & Afghanistan; stay in Pakistan.     Scott Keller: US out of Iraq and Afghanistan, immediately.     Brian Moore: End wars by removing greed motivation & cultural alienation.

Welfare & Poverty     Roseanne Barr: Opposes allowing churches to provide welfare services.     Virgil Goode: Welfare services must be decreased.     David Walker: Let churches provide services with religious exemptions.     Rocky Anderson: Opposes churches providing welfare service.     Andre Barnett: Allow churches to provide welfare services.     Robert Steele: 50% of all entitlements are fraud, waste, and abuse.     Robert Steele: Support allowing churches to provide welfare services.     JL Mealer: No church-based welfare services with taxpayer funds.     Scott Keller: We shouldn't NEED welfare; but let churches provide it.     Brian Moore: Eliminate poverty by eliminating for-profit system.

Click for quotations from other sources by: Andre Barnett Reform Party Presidential Candidate Brian Moore Socialist David Walker Connecticut Republican candidate for Governor Gary Johnson New Mexico Libertarian Gubernatorial Challenger Jill Stein Green Challenger Jim Hedges Prohibition Party presidential nominee JL Mealer Arizona Independent for Governor Marc Allan Feldman Libertarian 2016 Presidential candidate Mark Stewart Democratic challenger for President Paul Adams Independent 2016 Presidential candidate Robert Steele Reform Party Presidential Candidate Rocky Anderson Utah Justice Party challenger for President Roseanne Barr Peace and Freedom Party Nominee Scott Keller Independent Challenger Virgil Goode Constitution Party Challenger