Quick Summary of GOP Candidate Positions 12/10/11

Taking into account that candidates’ positions both evolve and are often dictated  by the varying political exigencies at any given time/circumsance, here are abbreviated  highlights of the GOP candidates’ policy positions as of 12/10/12 (Source--Southern New Hampshire 912 Project).  As you will see, a surprisingly mixed bag:

       1.  Supports 2^nd Amendment: without qualification, all support except Romney who supported Brady Bill and signed into law a permanent ban on many semi-automatic  firearms

2.       Strict interpretation of Constitution:  Gingrich, Paul, Santorum; Bachman (except for her support of the Patriot Act); Huntsman (except for his support of hate crime legislation); Perry (supports UN’s Agenda 21, bi-nat’l healthcare with Mexico,  hate crime legislation); Romney (supports Agenda 21, MA Climate Protection Plan, Cap & Trade Agreement w/ 10 N.E. states)

       3.       Supports repeal of Patriot Act: None support except Paul;  Hunstman (unknown).

4.       Against referring to international laws in US Courts: Bachman, Gingrich, Paul, Romney, Santorum; Huntsman favors Doha Roundtrade protocols (WTO) and Trans-Pacific-Partnership (TPP); Perry (Texas Islamic Court established, Halal law recognized)

5.       Supports 9^th & 10^th Amendments: Bachman, Gingrich, Huntsman, Paul, Santorum;  Perry  & Romney (both believe fed law requires states to care for illegal education & healthcare, but Romney believes Obamacare infringes upon state’s rights

6.       Will nominate only strong Constitutional conservative judges: All except Romney, Perry; Huntsman (unknown)

7.       Will close the Dept of Education: All except Gingrich, Huntsman, Romney, Santorum

8.       Favors transferring education system to the states/local gov’t: All except Romney

9.       Will close Dept of Agriculture: All except Ginrgrich, Perry, Santorum; Huntsman (unknown)

10.   Will close Dept of Energy: All except Gingrich, Huntsman, Romney, Santorum

11.   Wants to close IRS: All except Gingrich (reduce size), Huntsman (reform IRS), Perry, Romney, Santorum; Bachman (unknown)

12.   Supports privatization of TSA: Gingrich, Paul; remainder unknown

13.   Supports privatization of Post Office: Gingich, Paul; remainder unknown

14.   Support term limits: Gingrich, Paul, Romney;  Perry does not support; remainder unknown

15.   Promises to reduce business regulations: All except Romney (shaped Regional Cap & Trade, promoted  MA Climate Protection Plan regs, would consider mandating auto efficiency); Hunstman, Perry unknown

16.   Will eliminate Czars:  Gingrich, Paul, Santorum; Huntsman Bachman, Perry; Romney unknown

17.   Wants to repeal 16^th Amendment: All except Bachman, Gingrich, Santorum; Hunstman, Romney unknown

18.   Supported TARP: All except Bachman, Paul, Santorum; Huntsman unknown

19.   Supported Stimulus 2009: Huntsman, Perry; Romney (unclear); remainder did not support

20.   Supports audit of Federal Reserve: All except Romney; Hunstman unknown

21.   Supports shutting down the Fed Reserve: Paul; Perry unsure; Huntsman unknown; remainder opposed

22.   Supports Balanced Budget: All except Perry; Romney, Huntsman unknown

23.   Pledges NOT to raise taxes: All; Huntsman unknown

24.   Will not vote “yes” to raise debt ceiling: All except Perry, Romney, Santorum; Huntsman unknown

25.   Supports Cap & Trade: None except Gingrich, Huntsman, Romney to some extent

26.   Supports lowering taxes for businesses: All

27.   Supports a Flat Tax: All except Huntsman,  Santorum; not fully embraced by Romney (see #15)

28.   Oppose bank bailouts: All except Huntsman; with reservations Perry, Romney

29.   Supports amnesty for illegals currently in USA: Huntsman, Perry; Romney (supported amnesty 2005); Gingrich supports legalization (not citizenship) for long-stayers

30.   Would deport all illegals currently in USA: All except Gingrich (see above), Huntsman, Perry, Santorum; Romney doesn’t fully embrace

31.   Supports border fence along southern border: All except Gingrich, Perry

32.   Supports border security: All

33.   Supports states rights to curb illegals: All except Perry; Huntsman & Paul unknown

34.   Supports In-State tuition for illegals: Perry; Huntsman, Paul unknown; Romney partially supportive

35.   Supports sanctuary cities for illegals: Perry, Romney partially; all others oppose

36.   Stop all taxpayer support for illegals: All yes except  Huntsman, Perry;  Romney & Gingrich unclear

37.   Supports defunding/repeal of Obamacare: All

38.   Believes in man-made climate change/global warming: All except Bachman, Paul, Perry, Santorum

39.   Anti-abortion in all cases: All except Gingrich, Romney  (unclear); Huntsman, Perry (w/exceptions)

40.   Anti-abortion except rape, incest, harm to mother: Gingrich, Perry, Santorum; Paul (state issue),

41.   Supports gay marriage: Romney (before 2005); Paul (state issue); Perry (unclear)

42.   Supports hate crime legislation: Huntsman, Perry, Romney

43.   Supports English as national language: All support except Perry (unknown), Romney (inconsistent)

44.   Supports Right to Work laws: all except Santorum who believes it is a state issue

45.   Will open up drilling for Oil/Gas-in Gulf: All yes

46.   Will open up drilling-Alaska: All yes

47.   Will open up drilling-continental US: All yes

48.   Supports coal energy (currently 45% of US electric power): All yes

49.   Will seek 100% energy independence: All yes

50.   Supports ethanol subsidies: All opposed except Gingrich, Romney

51.   Expressed concerns re Sharia law in America: All concerned except Paul, Perry, Romney

52.   Sympathetic to Muslim orgs like CAIR, Muslim Brotherhood: All unsympathetic, except  Perry (unclear)

Since this is but a thumbnail sketch of candidates’ positions as December 10, 2012, readers are encouraged to conduct their own research.  I will be posting additional abbreviated position sketches as time permits, but will likely focus on frontrunners only.

One thing is crystal-clear: there is no “perfect” candidate, no knight in shining armor, no sainted ideological purist among them.