1. Supports 2nd 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 9th & 10th 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 16th 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.
