Mitt Romney on the Issues: From Abortion to War
Romney's stance on the issues and proposed policies.
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Where He Stands - A glimpse of how Republican Mitt Romney's positions would impact his policy agenda. (Source: Associated Press)
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Abortion and Birth Control - Romney opposes abortion rights although he has in the past supported them. He also believes that Roe vs. Wade should be reversed to give states control of their abortion rights laws. He has pledged to end federal aid to Planned Parenthood. (Photo: UPI Photo/Kevin Dietsch /Landov)
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Debt - Opposes any tax increases and opposed the auto industry bailout. Supports a balanced budget amendment and has proposed unspecified cuts in federal spending, including a 10-percent reduction in the federal workforce, and eliminating $1.6 billion in Amtrak subsidies and $600 million in support for the arts and broadcasting. Romney also supported the 2008 bailout of financial institutions to prevent the system's collapse. (Photo: AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
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Economy - Believes that lower taxes, less regulation, more trade deals and a balanced federal budget are the keys to economic growth. He would replace unemployment benefits with unemployment savings accounts and proposes a repeal of the law that toughened financial industry regulations after the crisis that nearly crippled the nation's economy. (Photo: REUTERS/Eric Thayer/LANDOV)
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Education - Supported the federal accountability standards of No Child Left Behind law. In 2007, said he was wrong earlier in career when he wanted the Education Department shut down because he came to see the value of the federal government in "holding down the interests of the teachers' unions" and putting kids and parents first. Has said the student testing, charter-school incentives and teacher evaluation standards of Obama's "Race to the Top" competition "make sense" although the federal government should have less control over education. (Photo: GettyImages)
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Energy and Environment - Says green power has yet to become viable and the causes of climate change are unknown. Proposes to remove carbon dioxide from the list of pollutants controlled by the Clean Air Act and amend clean water and air laws to ensure the cost of complying with regulations is balanced against environmental benefit. Says cap and trade would "rocket energy prices" and blames high gas prices on Obama's decisions to limit oil drilling in environmentally sensitive areas and on overzealous regulation. (Photo: Sean Gallup/Getty Images)
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Foreign Policy - Appears to present a clearer U.S. military threat to Iran and has spoken in more permissive terms about Israel's right to act against Iran's nuclear facilities, without explicitly approving of such a step. Has spoken in favor of covert action by the U.S. and regional allies in Syria but "the right course is not military" intervention by the U.S. Pledges more military assistance to Israel and agreed with Israel's position that Jerusalem is the capital. Branded Russia the "No. 1 geopolitical foe" of the U.S.; threatened to label China a currency manipulator. (Photo: AP/File)
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Gay Rights - Opposes legal recognition of same-sex marriage and says it should be banned with an amendment to the Constitution, not decided by states. Also opposes civil unions: "if they are identical to marriage other than by name," but says states should be left to decide what rights and benefits should be allowed under those unions. Says he would not seek to restore the ban on openly gay military members. In 2002 campaign for Massachusetts governor, said that "all citizens deserve equal rights, regardless of sexual preference." (Photo: REUTERS/Robert Galbraith)
Photo By REUTERS/Robert Galbraith
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Guns - Opposes stricter gun control laws. Suggested after the Colorado shooting that he favors tougher enforcement of existing gun laws, although the theater attack was carried out with legally acquired weapons. As Massachusetts governor, vowed in 2002 to protect the state's "tough gun laws," and in 2004 signed a Massachusetts ban on assault weapons. Quadrupled state's gun-licensing fee but loosened rules on the licenses and extended their duration. (Photo: REUTERS/Jessica Rinaldi /Landov)
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Health Care - Promises to work for the repeal of the federal health care law modeled largely after his universal health care achievement in Massachusetts. Proposes to guarantee that people who are "continuously covered" for a certain period be protected against losing insurance if they get sick, leave their job and need another policy. (Photo: Rick Gershon/Getty Images)
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