Press Release: Hillary for America
During the first debate last night, we heard the second-tier GOP candidates lay out an agenda both out of date and out of touch with the needs of everyday Americans. Here are some of the examples of what Republicans running for President view as their most important job:
- Break up families and put them at risk of deportation
- Allow discrimination against LGBT Americans
- Limit access to women’s health care
- Let Wall Street write its own rules again
Unfortunately, the lower-tier candidates are not the exception; they are the rule. Here’s where the Republicans in the main event stand on those very same issues:
Immigration
Trump: Do we really need to get into this? Okay, here’s one you might not have heard: “We got to move ’em out, we’re going to move ’em back in if they’re really good people.”
Jeb Bush: Opposes a path to citizenship and would repeal President Obama’s executive orders on DAPA and DACA.
Scott Walker: Opposes a path to citizenship.
Mike Huckabee: Said he would repeal President Obama’s executive action on immigration and opposes a path to citizenship.
Ben Carson: Proposes giving undocumented immigrants a path to 2nd class status, denying them access to all but the least wanted jobs.
Ted Cruz: Said “I think a path to citizenship for those who are here illegally is profoundly unfair…”
Marco Rubio: Voted three times to block President Obama’s executive actions on immigration.
Rand Paul: Introduced legislation that could lead to the deportation of 4 million undocumented immigrants including DREAMers.
Chris Christie: Thinks a path to citizenship is “pandering” and has said he would immediately reverse President Obama’s executive action on immigration.
John Kasich: His administration is suing to stop President Obama’s executive actions on immigration.
Marriage Equality
Donald Trump: Opposes marriage equality.
Jeb Bush: Said he does not believe in a constitutional right to marriage equality, calling traditional marriage a ‘sacrament.’
Scott Walker: Said the Supreme Court’s decision was a” grave mistake” and called for a Constitutional amendment to transfer power over marriage laws to the states.
Mike Huckabee: Called the Supreme Court an “imperial court” for ruling in favor of same-sex marriage. In 2010, he went as far as comparing same-sex marriage to incest, polygamy and drug use.
Ben Carson: Disagreed with the Supreme Court’s decision and promised he would support “creative” legislation to “negate” the ruling if he were elected President.
Ted Cruz: Stated the Supreme Court’s decision was “among the darkest hours our nation,” called for a constitutional amendment that would subject Supreme Court justices to periodic judicial elections and said that Texas County Clerks should be able to op-out of issuing same-sex marriage licenses.
Marco Rubio: Disagreed with the Supreme Court’s ruling and reaffirmed his belief that marriage should be between a man and a woman.
Rand Paul: Argued after the Supreme Court decision that the time has come to get government out of recognizing marriage altogether.
Chris Christie: He disagreed with the Supreme Court decision to legalize same-sex marriage. In 2012, Christie vetoed legislation to legalize same sex marriage in New Jersey in 2012.
John Kasich: Said he was disappointed with the Supreme Court’s decision and reiterated his belief that marriage is between a man and a woman.
Women’s Health
Donald Trump: Supports shutting down the government to defund Planned Parenthood.
Jeb Bush: Said he would sign an extreme abortion ban bill without exceptions for rape and incest.
Scott Walker: Just signed a 20-week abortion ban with no exceptions for pregnancies resulting from rape or incest. Infamously said rape victims are “most concerned” about pregnancy “in the initial months.”
Mike Huckabee: Wants to overturn Roe vs. Wade and has even compared giving women control of their own medical decisions to slavery.
Ben Carson: Compared legal abortion to the practice of ‘heathen’ human sacrifices by ancient civilizations
Ted Cruz: Opposes abortion without exceptions for rape, incest, or health of the mother and says he would shut down the government in order to defund Planned Parenthood.
Marco Rubio: Wants to overturn Roe vs. Wade.
Rand Paul: Has stated quite simply that he “will always vote for any and all legislation that would end abortion.” Paul introduced personhood legislation that could outlaw commonly used forms of birth control and opposes exceptions for rape and incest.
Chris Christie: Has described himself as “unapologetically” pro life.
John Kasich: Signed a 20-week abortion ban without an exception for life or health of the mother. He also mandated medically unnecessary restrictions on abortion that have led to the closing of women’s health clinics.
Wall Street Reform (Dodd-Frank)
Donald Trump: Criticized Dodd-Frank. [Fox News’ Your World with Neil Cavuto, 9/19/13]
Jeb Bush: Said, “We should repeal” Dodd-Frank.
Scott Walker: Said “It’s time to repeal #DoddFrank.”
Mike Huckabee: called Dodd-Frank a “pot of burned beans” and a “piece of insanity.”
Ben Carson: called Dodd-Frank and the CFPB “one of the latest massive expansions” of government and said the CFPB was “the ultimate example of regulatory overreach, a nanny state mechanism asserting its control over everyday Americans.” Carson pointed to the CFPB as “exactly the sort of agency I plan to rein in.”
Ted Cruz: Said “We need to repeal Dodd-Frank.”
Marco Rubio: Said “We need to repeal Dodd-Frank.” He also cosponsored legislation to do it.
Rand Paul: cosponsored legislation to repeal Dodd-Frank.
Chris Christie: Criticized Dodd-Frank.
John Kasich: said Dodd-Frank “went overboard,” and when asked about why no bankers went to jail after the financial crisis, he said: “It’s not like the system was rigged.”
For more on the GOP’s out of touch and out of date agenda for Americans, check the Hillary for America rapid response activity on The Briefing here.