Candidates on the issues

The stands of these 2008 presidential candidates on a selection of issues: New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton and Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, Democrats; former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, Arizona Sen. John McCain and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, Republicans.

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ABORTION: Favor abortion rights?

Clinton: Yes.

Obama: Yes.

Huckabee: No. Favors constitutional amendment banning abortion rights.

McCain: No. Says Roe v. Wade should be overturned.

Romney: No. Would let states decide. Opposes constitutional amendment banning abortion. Previously supported abortion rights.

ECONOMIC STIMULUS:

A $161 billion package worked out by President Bush and lawmakers would provide tax rebates of up to $600 a worker or $1,200 a working couple, plus $300 a child. The package passed the House and is pending in the Senate, where some want to expand it.

Clinton: $110 billion stimulus, including $40 billion in tax rebates of $250 for low- and middle-income taxpayers.

Obama: $250 rebates to low and middle-income earners and $250 bonuses to Social Security recipients.

Huckabee: Supports Washington stimulus plan but questions "whose economy is going to be stimulated the most" if package is financed by foreign lenders and used to buy products made in China.

McCain: Cut corporate tax to 25 percent, let companies expense investments in equipment and technology in year of purchase instead of spread out.

Romney: $233 billion stimulus package includes $400 individual income tax rebates, cutting 10 percent income bracket to 7.5 percent. No rebates for low-income workers who pay no income tax. Cut corporate tax rate to 20 percent, provide tax incentives for investment in technology and equipment.

EDUCATION:

Clinton: $10 billion for universal preschool. More money for special education. Opposes performance-based merit pay for teachers, favors incentives for teachers who work in places and on subjects where shortages exist. Supported No Child Left Behind accountability law but says it has not been properly financed or run, and should be replaced. $10,000 higher education scholarships for all who engage in national service full-time for a year. Raise value of tuition tax credit to a maximum $3,500 from $1,650. :

Obama: Encourage but not require universal pre-kindergarten programs, expand teacher mentoring programs and reward teachers with higher pay not tied to standardized test scores, in $18 billion plan to be paid for in part by delaying elements of moon and Mars missions. Change No Child Left Behind "so that we're not just teaching to a test and crowding out programs like art and music." Tax credit to pay up to $4,000 of college expenses for students who perform 100 hours of community service a year.

Huckabee: States are responsible for education and should be given more authority to run it, not Washington.

McCain: Favors parental choice of schools, including vouchers for private schools when approved by local officials, and right of parents to choose home schooling. More money for community college education.

Romney: Supports federal requirements for standardized tests, praises No Child Left Behind law, supports "school choice, better pay for better teachers, high standards, scholarships for the best kids, English immersion."

GAY MARRIAGE: Prohibit it with constitutional amendment?

Clinton: No.

Obama: No.

Huckabee: Yes.

McCain: No.

Romney: Yes.

GLOBAL WARMING:

Clinton: $150 billion, 10-year energy package, including $50 billion "strategic energy fund" to develop new sources of fuel, to be paid for by eliminating tax subsidies for oil companies. Tougher fuel efficiency standards financed in part by $20 billion in "green vehicle bonds." Backed stringent caps on greenhouse gas emissions.

Obama: Ten-year, $150 billion program to produce "climate friendly" energy supplies that he'd pay for with a carbon auction requiring businesses to bid competitively for the right to pollute. Joined McCain in sponsoring legislation that would set mandatory caps on greenhouse gas emissions. Supports tougher fuel efficiency standards.

Huckabee: Supports mandatory caps on greenhouse gas emissions and increase to 35 mpg fuel efficiency standard by 2020.

McCain: Led Senate effort to cap greenhouse gas emissions; favors tougher fuel efficiency.

Romney: Says tougher mileage standards are a burden on automakers. Opposes mandatory caps on greenhouse gases unless other countries take similar steps. Says answer is to free the country from dependence on foreign oil. As governor, backed out of regional pact to curb carbon dioxide emissions from power plants because it did not cap the higher energy costs it might place on business and consumers.

GUN CONTROL:

Clinton: Voted for ban on assault-type weapons and to require background checks at gun shows. Favored leaving gun-makers and dealers open to civil suits. Also, in 2000 supported proposals for a federal requirement for state-issued photo gun licenses, as well as a national registry for handgun sales.

Obama: Voted to leave gun-makers and dealers open to suit. Also, as Illinois state lawmaker, supported ban on all forms of semiautomatic weapons and tighter state restrictions generally on firearms.

Huckabee: Supports state laws allowing people to carry concealed weapons and a national "right to carry" law that would require states to recognize concealed weapons permits issued by other states.

McCain: Voted against ban on assault-type weapons, but in favor of requiring background checks at gun shows. Voted to shield gun-makers and dealers from civil suits.

Romney: As governor, supported state's strict gun-control laws and signed into law one of the nation's toughest laws against assault-type weapons. Also supported regulatory changes favored by gun owners and sellers, including setting up appeals process for people denied gun licenses. Previously supported federal ban on assault-type weapons and federal waiting period for purchases.

HEALTH INSURANCE:

Clinton: Mandatory universal coverage in first term. Tax credits for working families to make insurance more affordable — ensuring premiums do not exceed a percentage of income. Business would be required to offer insurance to employees or pay into a pool for people without it. Expand Medicare and federal employees' health insurance plan to cover those without adequate workplace insurance. Raise taxes on wealthier families to help pay estimated cost of $110 billion a year. Also, raise taxes on a portion of "very generous" plans covering people making more than $250,000.

Obama: Mandatory coverage for children, no mandate for all. Aim for universal coverage by requiring employers to share costs of insuring workers and by offering coverage similar to that in plan for federal employees. Says package would cost up to $65 billion a year after unspecified savings from making system more efficient. Raise taxes on wealthier families to pay the cost.

Huckabee: Favors market solutions, state innovation. "We don't need universal health care mandated by federal edict or funding through ever-higher taxes." Spend more on prevention and research.

McCain: $2,500 refundable tax credit for individuals, $5,000 for families, to make health insurance more affordable. No mandate for universal coverage. In gaining the tax credit, workers could not deduct the portion of their workplace health insurance paid by their employers.

Romney: Incentives for states to expand affordable coverage. As governor, he signed health care law aimed at ensuring universal coverage through a mix of subsidies, sliding scale premiums and penalties for those who do not get insurance.

IMMIGRATION: Support legal status for illegal aliens?

Clinton: Voted for 2006 bill that proposed conditional path to citizenship, and supported border fence.

Obama: Voted for 2006 bill that proposed conditional path to citizenship for illegal aliens; backed border fence.

Huckabee: Has favored allowing illegal aliens who are in the country to apply for legal status if they pay penalties, get guest worker permits, register with authorities and aren't allowed to jump in line ahead of other applicants. As governor, opposed banning state services for illegal immigrants.

McCain: Sponsored 2006 bill that would have allowed illegal immigrants to stay in the U.S., work and apply to become legal residents after learning English, paying fines and back taxes and clearing a background check. Now says he would secure the border first. Supports border fence.

Romney: Says he opposes McCain's immigration bill, although he called it reasonable in 2005. Supports building a border fence with Mexico and stationing National Guard troops there. Calls for tamperproof ID card so only legal immigrants can work. Opposes policy allowing legal immigrants to host extended families in U.S.

IRAQ:

Clinton: Voted for war, opposed troop increase, has not committed to withdrawal timetable.

Obama: "Our combat troops out within 16 months." Opposed troop increase, spoke against war at start.

Huckabee: Now faults Bush for not sending enough troops to Iraq at the start. Supported the 2007 troop increase and would not withdraw forces any faster than recommended by commanders.

McCain: Opposes scheduling a troop withdrawal, saying latest strategy is succeeding. Supported decision to go to war, but was early critic of the manner in which administration prosecuted it. Key backer of the troop increase.

Romney: Supported troop increase and prosecution of the war.

SOCIAL SECURITY:

Clinton: Noncommittal on raising the $97,500 income cap on Social Security. Proposes a federal match of up to $1,000 per person to help people set up 401(k) plans in program costing $25 billion a year, to be paid for by freezing the estate tax at 2009 levels.

Obama: Proposes raising cap with an unspecified "small adjustment" that would subject a portion of higher incomes to Social Security taxes.

Huckabee: Higher benefits for people who delay retirement past 70. Give retirees option of declining their benefits, and instead have Social Security issue a lump sum payment at their death, with the money going to their children or grandchildren.

McCain: Would consider "almost anything" as part of a compromise to save Social Security, yet rules out higher payroll taxes for now.

Romney: Higher taxes are "wrong way to go."

STEM CELL RESEARCH: Relax restrictions on federal financing of embryonic stem cell research?

Clinton: Yes.

Obama: Yes.

Huckabee: No.

McCain: Yes.

Romney: Apparently, no. As governor, tried to stop legislation that encouraged expanded embryonic stem cell research of the kind opposed by President Bush. Veto was overturned.

TAXES:

Clinton: Raise income taxes on wealthiest and keep estate tax on them. Higher tax breaks for college. Also, would tax a portion of health insurance benefits provided to workers making more than $250,000. $1 billion paid family leave program to be financed by eliminating some tax shelters.

Obama: Raise income taxes on wealthiest and their capital gains and dividends taxes. Raise corporate taxes. $80 billion in tax breaks mainly for poor workers and elderly, including tripling Earned Income Tax Credit for minimum-wage workers and higher credit for larger families. Eliminate tax-filing requirement for older workers making under $50,000. A mortgage-interest credit could be used by lower-income homeowners who do not take the mortgage interest deduction because they do not itemize their taxes.

Huckabee: Replace income and investment taxes with national sales tax, sheltering purchases up to poverty line.

McCain: Twice opposed Bush's tax cuts, at first because he said they were tilted to the wealthiest and again because of the unknown costs of Iraq war. Now says those tax cuts, expiring in 2010, should be permanent. Proposes cutting corporate tax rate to 25 percent.

Romney: Tax breaks to those earning less than $200,000, eliminating capital gains, interest and dividend taxes for most. Cut corporate tax to 20 percent. Says Bush tax cuts should be made permanent.

TRADE:

Clinton: Seek to reopen North American Free Trade Agreement to strengthen enforcement of labor and environmental standards.

Obama: Seek to reopen NAFTA to strengthen enforcement of labor and environmental standards.

Huckabee: Blames China's currency manipulation and weak U.S. regulatory enforcement for imbalance in trade and imports of unsafe products, but has not said what he would do.

McCain: Free trade advocate.

Romney: Renegotiate liberalized trade with China to stop currency manipulation that gives Chinese products unfair advantage.