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Issue
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Democrats
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Republicans
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| Abortion |
Ban partial birth abortions, except for maternal health.
Would support RU-486 if proven safe.
Right to choice, despite economic hardships.
Abortion should be left to women, not to the government or a presidential
candidate.
A woman's right to choose must always be defended.
Abortions should be safe, legal, and rare.
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No funds to international groups that offer abortions.
Approval of RU-486 is wrong.
Good people can disagree, but let's value life.
Every child, born and unborn, ought to be protected.
Support Parental Notification Laws for minor girls.
Ban partial birth abortions and taxpayer funding.
Encourage fewer abortions via adoption and abstinence.
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| Budget &
Economy |
Paying down the debt will make government smaller.
Helping the middle class should be the goal of any economic plan.
Low interest rates are the key to a strong economy.
Bush's tax cuts will only mean bad news for the economy.
One-sixth of any budget surplus should be set aside in case other economic
estimates fail.
The surplus should be used to strengthen Social Security & Medicare.
The national debt should be paid off by 2013.
There should be a balanced budget or a surplus every year except in a crisis
situation.
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Despite prosperity, it's time for a change in Washington.
Federal government should stay out of the marketplace.
The tax code should be simplified to stimulate economic growth.
More job training and more research & development tax credits should
be offered.
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| China |
Do not reveal strategy and inflame China or Taiwan.
Engage China, but demand respect for human rights.
Begin permanent, normal trade relations with China.
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Agrees with Clinton/Gore policy.
US will defend Taiwan against China.
China is an American competitor, not a friend.
Chinese trade is different from Cuban trade.
|
| Civil Rights |
Civil rights and the Supreme Court are at stake in this election.
Hate crimes should be enforced as civil rights.
Discrimination based on mental illness should be banned.
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We should enforce civil rights, reform education, and help people achieve.
The government should promote independence for the disabled.
Ten Commandments are OK in schools for "inherent values."
Decisions on flying the Confederate Flag should be left to the states.
We should be English-plus, not English-only.
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| Affirmative
Action |
Affirmative action does not mean quotas.
Women should be paid equally for equal work.
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Affirmative access means a fair shot for everyone.
Qualified applicants should be guaranteed college.
We should reach out to minorities, but without quotas.
|
| Gay Rights |
All crimes are not hate crimes, only those aimed at groups.
Civic unions are a good idea, but not "marriage."
Discrimination against same-sex domestic partnerships should end.
Don't ask, don't tell should be eliminated.
|
Tolerance and equal rights, not gay marriage and special rights, should
be offered.
Gay adoption should not be allowed.
Hate crime rules don't apply to gays.
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| Crime |
National hate crimes law is necessary.
A constitutional amendment for victim's rights should be passed.
Prisoners should get clean to get out of prison, and stay clean to stay
out.
Terrorism should be battled with tight control of technology.
Death penalty should be used as a deterrent, but carefully.
Victims need protection and justice.
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National hate crimes law would be okay, but stricter enforcement would
be better.
Tough love means consequences for committing crimes.
We should stop hurting business with punitive damage awards.
We should track gangs and enact automatic sentencing.
In the case of violent crimes, minors should be tried as adults.
Death penalty should be for deterrence, not revenge.
Death penalty should be offered for hate crimes like any other murder.
Clemency should be granted for bad process, not for repentance.
Miranda should be waived in some situations.
Parole should be eliminated for violent criminals.
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| Defense |
Landmines should be banned by 2006, and we should help with cleanup.
The military should be built-down so that it is smaller but more effective
Forward engagement: address problems before crises arise.
The Test Ban Treaty should be ratified.
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Our military's mission has become fuzzy.
We should be the world's peacemaker instead of the world's policeman.
Our military should prevent war.
We should have the lowest possible number of nukes but security at the
same time.
Our military is the key to preserving world peace.
"Don't Ask, Don't Tell" is okay.
A missile defense system is needed for defense against terrorists.
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| Drugs |
Restrictions on medical marijuana should be reduced.
After-school programs are the most effective way to end drug use among
teens and children.
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Parents can make up for the past by warning kids against drug use.
Tough drug laws and drug education should work together to prevent use.
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| Education |
The Bush voucher plan would result in a huge new federal program.
Teachers should be recruited, only the best and the brightest.
Voluntary should prayer should be allowed, but teachers mustn't be involved.
High school exit exams and a concentration on character education will
help.
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Commitments, testing, local control, federal help, and options are the
key.
Local schools should have freedom and flexibility, in return for high standards
and clear results.
If poor kids don't learn, school funds should be given to parents.
Evolution and creationism are both valid, and the states should decide
the issue.
Values and moral responsibility should be taught in school.
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| Environment |
Global warming has been scientifically confirmed.
A clean environment and a healthy economy are not mutually exclusive.
If we do nothing else, we should save the rainforest.
The United States should lead the global environmental movement.
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We should weaken the Clean Air Act.
Texas currently has the most out-of-compliance plants.
We should decentralize environmental efforts.
We should offer incentives for private land stewardship and conservation.
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| Families &
Children |
Abstinence education should be offered in the context of full sex ed.
The solution is gun control, V-chips, and character education.
Kids should be protected from the Internet and television.
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Kids should benefit from internet filters, ratings, and parental monitoring.
We should learn again to love our neighbors like ourselves.
Taxes hurt family time for the middle class.
A father's registry will promote involvement and responsibility.
Parental accountability is more important than trigger locks.
Abstinence Ed should get as much funding as Sex Ed.
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| Foreign Policy |
Trade in Vietnam will help with human rights and MIAs.
Supports force in Mideast, the Balkans, and Haiti, but not Somalia.
The poorest African countries should be helped.
In Chechnya, we should keep sending aid that helps United States interests,
but cut off aid that helps the war effort.
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He supported force in the Mideast and in the Balkans, but not in Haiti
or Somalia.
In Rwanda, training troops was okay, intervening was not.
Sanctions against Cuba should be kept in place.
We should rally the world to help AIDS in Africa, but not with US funds.
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| Free Trade |
Link trade to environment and labor.
There should be standards for child labor and the environment.
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We shouldn't link trade to the environment and labor.
A free market promotes dreams and individuality.
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| Government
Reform |
We should have a smaller, smarter government with stronger, better regulations.
The Supreme Court should interpret the Constitution.
The President should hold open meetings to stay in touch with everyday
people.
Soft money should be banned and free broadcast time offered.
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Big government cannot be compassionate.
Strict constructionists, not activists, should be on the Supreme Court.
Taxes should be used to meet basic priorities, and then leftovers should
be returned to taxpayers.
There should be term limits for state representatives and governors.
We should ban soft money, but not publicly finance elections.
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| Gun Control |
Focus on gun safety, not hunters and sportsmen.
There should be no special lawsuit protection for gun manufacturers.
Guns should be banned in churches.
Mandatory background checks and child safety locks are necessary.
Zero tolerance for guns in schools.
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If gun laws are broken, individuals should be held accountable.
Would sign, but not push for, gun restrictions.
Restrictions are okay within the basic right to own guns.
Guns can be banned near schools and kids.
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| Health Care |
Physicians, not HMOs, should make medical decisions.
There should be stronger penalties for HMOs who drop seniors.
Companies misspend research & development funding from the government.
Assisted suicide is wrong, but should be left to the states.
We should focus on prevention to limit costs.
All children should have health care by 2004.
Medicare funding should be in a "lockbox" so that seniors can afford prescriptions.
Too many seniors have to choose between drugs and rent.
Patient's Rights include the power of doctors to make decisions and the
right of appeal.
HMOs should be forced to cover women's cancer treatment.
Emergency care should be covered.
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Bush is absolutely opposed to a national health care plan.
States should be given money to help poor seniors buy medicine.
Opposes doctor-assisted suicide.
Health insurance for kids should be provided from tobacco settlement.
Small businesses should link together in large insurance pools.
Senior Medicare prescription costs should be capped at $6,000.
HMOs should cover emergency room and gynecological care directly.
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| Immigration |
"English-only" is divisive.
Immigrants from Communist Cuba are "different" from other immigrants.
Immigration leads to diversity and cultural tolerance.
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We should respect other languages, but make sure every child is taught
English.
The INS should be more immigrant-friendly.
We should have more border guards to compassionately turn away Mexicans.
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| Religion |
Abstinence education should be offered in the context of full sex ed.
Voluntary school prayer is permissible, as long as teachers stay out.
Americans should affirm their own faith, but respect the Constitution and
others.
Faith-based organizations should replace government programs.
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The United States was chosen by God to be a model among nations.
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| School Choice |
Bush proposes more for vouchers than for public schools.
Vouchers cause public schools to have lunch at 9:30 and no desks.
We should invest in schools, not drain them with vouchers.
Parents should be allowed to choose among public schools.
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Options for private schools should be offered.
Vouchers ensure school accountability.
One size fits all doesn't work in education.
Profit-making schools are okay, as long as children learn.
School decisions should be made by parents, not judges.
Poor people should get to choose schools like the rich do.
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| Social Security |
Bush didn't know that Social Security is a federal program; he shouldn't
be trusted with its care.
Social Security should be protected from privacy and ID theft.
Health care and retirement security should be ensured for aging veterans.
Privatization would be "stock market roulette."
Retirement plans should be protected now, while times are good.
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Don't treat Social Security like it's a federal program.
Young workers want to invest some Social Security money.
The government should not be allowed to invest in the stock market.
We should consider raising the retirement age.
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| Technology |
Postpone Mars voyages for domestic spending.
Crime-fighting computer technology should be expanded.
Genome project should continue, but not genetic discrimination.
An Electronic Bill of Rights would protect personal information.
Internet self-regulation is okay.
Internet privacy and child access should be regulated, but not content.
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Privacy is a fundamental right that should be ensured on the Internet.
We should safeguard identity and genetic information.
R&D aid should increase.
The Census long form is intrusive.
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| War & Peace |
We should maintain a presence in the Balkans.
The military's role is nation-building.
Genocide warrants intervention.
We should commit ourselves to the survival and security of Israel.
The costs of war are often less than the alternative.
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We should focus on our core mission and remove US troops from the Balkans.
The Europeans should replace us.
Arafat should limit protests and terrorists should pay a price.
We should reach out to moderate Arab nations.
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| Welfare &
Poverty |
We should keep interest rates low to foster savings.
For welfare reform, we should focus on fatherhood.
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HUD rental vouchers should be used for first home purchase.
Work and responsibility should replace welfare.
Too much government fosters dependency.
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