Where the GOP hopfuls stand on the issues

Posted on Sat, Jan. 21, 2012 A look at where the 2012 Republican presidential candidates stand on a selection of key issues in Florida and nationwide.They are former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, Texas Rep. Ron Paul, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former Pennsylvania Sen. Abortion Gingrich Platform calls for conservative judges and no subsidies for abortion but not a constitutional abortion ban. Paul Says federal government should have no authority either to legalize or ban abortion. Romney Says Roe v. Wade should be reversed by a future Supreme Court and states should decide their own abortion laws. Santorum Favors constitutional abortion ban and opposes abortion even in cases of rape. Cuba Gingrich On a recent trip to Miami, he signed a letter vowing to pursue a strong policy against Cuba by not lifting sanction until all political prisoners are free and re-establishing the 2004 stricter Bush travel rules. Paul Only Republican to call for end to embargo against Cuba. "If we wouldn’t have had this embargo for 40 years, (Fidel) Castro would have been gone a long time ago," he told reporters in Tallahassee last April. Romney Supports embargo. Labeled Cuba “a rogue nation” along with Iran, North Korea and Venezuela in foreign policy statement by campaign. Santorum Supports the pro-democracy movement on the communist island. Debt Gingrich As House speaker in 1990s, engineered passage of a seven-year balanced-budget plan. It was vetoed but helped form a bipartisan balanced budget later. Paul Would eviscerate federal government, slashing nearly half its spending, shut five Cabinet-level agencies, end spending on existing conflicts and on foreign aid. Romney Defended financial sector bailout, criticized GM and Chrysler bailout. Cap federal spending at 20 percent of GDP. Santorum Freeze social and military spending for five years to cut $5 trillion from federal budgets. Economy Gingrich Repeal the financial industry regulations that followed the Wall Street meltdown. Restrict the Fed’s power to set interest rates artificially low. Paul Return to the gold standard, eliminate the Federal Reserve, eliminate most federal regulations. Romney Lower taxes, less regulation, balanced budget, more trade deals to spur growth. Replace jobless benefits with unemployment savings accounts. Repeal new financial-industry regulations. Santorum Eliminate corporate taxes for manufacturers, drill for more oil and gas, and slash regulations. Education Gingrich Shrink Education Department. But supported Obama administration’s $4 billion Race to the Top grant competition for states. Paul Abolish the Education Department and end the federal role in education. Romney Supported No Child Left Behind law. Once favored shutting Education Department, later saw its value in "holding down the interests of the teachers’ unions." Santorum Voted for No Child Left Behind law, now regrets vote. Wants "significantly" smaller Education Department but not its elimination. Energy Gingrich Let oil and natural gas industries drill offshore reserves now blocked from development, end restrictions on Western oil shale development. Paul Remove restrictions on drilling, coal and nuclear power, eliminate gasoline tax, provide tax credits for alternative fuel technology. Romney Supports drilling in the Gulf, the outer continental shelves, Western lands, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and offshore Alaska; and exploitation of shale oil deposits. Santorum Favors drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, scaling back "oppressive regulation" hindering drilling elsewhere, and eliminating energy subsidies in four years. Environment Gingrich Convert EPA into "environmental solutions agency" devoted to research and "more energy, more jobs and a better environment simultaneously." Once backed tougher environmental regulation. Paul Previously said human activity "probably does" contribute to global warming; now calls such science a "hoax." Says emission standards should be set by states or regions. Romney Acknowledged that humans contribute to global warming, but later said "we don’t know what’s causing climate change." Cap and trade would "rocket energy prices." Santorum The science establishing human activity as a likely contributor to global warming is "patently absurd" and "junk science." Gay marriage Gingrich If the Defense of Marriage Act fails, "you have no choice except a constitutional amendment" to ban gay marriage. Paul Decisions on legalizing or prohibiting gay marriage should be left to states. Romney Favors constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage, says policy should be set federally, not by states. Santorum Supports constitutional ban on same-sex marriage, not leaving decision to states. "We can’t have 50 marriage laws." Health care All would seek repeal of Obama’s health care law. Gingrich Prohibit insurers from cancelling or charging hefty increases to insurance holders who get sick. Offer "generous" tax credit to help buy insurance. Previously supported mandatory coverage. Paul Opposes compulsory insurance and all federal subsidies for coverage. Romney Opposes federal mandate to obtain coverage; introduced mandate in Massachusetts. Proposes "generous" subsidies to help future retirees buy private insurance instead of going on Medicare. Santorum Would seek to starve Obama’s health care law of money needed to implement it. Supported Bush administration’s prescription drug program for the elderly, now regrets doing so. Immigration Gingrich In contrast to most rivals, supports option of giving legal status to illegal immigrants who have sunk roots in the U.S. and lived otherwise lawfully. Supports path to citizenship for illegal immigrants’ children who perform U.S. military service. Make English the official language. Divert more Homeland Security assets to at Mexican border. Paul Do "whatever it takes" to secure the border, end right to citizenship of U.S.-born children of illegal immigrants, no social services for illegal immigrants, aggressive deportation. Romney Would veto legislation that seeks to award legal status to some young illegal immigrants who attend college or serve in the armed forces. Favors complete U.S.-Mexico border fence, opposes education benefits to illegal immigrants. Santorum Supports complete border fence, opposes education benefits to illegal immigrants. Israel Gingrich Supports Israel. Would move U.S. embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. Called Palestinians “invented” people. Paul To reporters in Tallahassee last April, Paul said: "Israel has over 300 nuclear weapons. If we just leave them alone they’d just take care of themselves." Republican Jewish Coalition did not invite him to recent candidates’ forum. Romney Said President Obama had “chastened” Israel in its pursuit of an appeasement strategy in the Middle East. Would make Israel first country he would visit as president. Santorum Pro-Israel. He vows to “stand with Israel as an ally and in any efforts Israel may take to defend themselves from Iranian aggression.” Social security Gingrich Give younger workers the option of diverting Social Security taxes to private retirement accounts. Paul Says younger workers should be able to opt out of Social Security taxes and retirement benefits; benefits for today’s retirees should be protected. Romney Starting with workers now under 55, raise age to qualify for full benefits, and limit inflation increases for wealthier beneficiaries. Protect status quo for people 55 and older. Santorum Proposes immediate steps to lower benefits for wealthier retirees, raise the age to qualify for full benefits and restrict inflation increases in benefits, both for current and future retirees. Supports option of private retirement accounts. Taxes All support eliminating the estate tax and keeping Bush-era tax cuts. Gingrich Choice of filing under current system or paying a 15 percent tax, preserving mortgage interest and charitable deductions. Cut corporate tax to 12.5 percent. Paul Eliminate the federal income tax and the IRS, and defund close to half the government. Romney No one with adjusted gross income under $200,000 should be taxed on interest, dividends or capital gains. Cut corporate tax rate to 25 percent. Santorum Triple the personal exemption for dependent children, reduce the number of tax brackets to two — 10 percent and 28 percent — exempt domestic manufacturers from the corporate tax and halve the top rate for other business. War Gingrich Supported Iraq war and opposed early withdrawal. Said U.S. forces should not have been used in Libya campaign, after he had called for such intervention. Opposes "precipitous" pullout from Afghanistan. Paul Bring most or all troops home from foreign posts "as quick as the ships could get there." Opposed U.S. intervention in Libya. Cut Pentagon budget. Romney Has not specified the troop numbers behind pledge to ensure the "force level necessary to secure our gains and complete our mission successfully" in Afghanistan. Santorum Says he would order bombing of Iran’s nuclear facilities unless they were opened for international arms inspectors. Proposes freezing defense spending for five years. The Associated Press, The Miami Herald, Miami Herald Naked Politics blog, Tampa Bay Times, New York Times, official Republican presidential campaign websites contributed to this report.