*As Super Tuesday draws near, we feel it is important to discuss the pros and cons of the GOP candidates. Our At-a-Glance profiles cover each major candidate’s positions and background in a concise, objective style, while our individually authored opinions articles delve into specific concerns or approbations. We hope our readers find our primary elections issue helpful! *
Name: Rudolph W. Giuliani
Date/Place of Birth: 5/28/1944; Brooklyn, NY
Marital Status: Married three times, two divorces, two children
Faith: Roman Catholic
Education: B.A. in political science, Manhattan College, 1965; J.D., New York University Law School, 1968
Political Office: Mayor of New York City (R), 1994-2001
Professional Experience: Law clerk (1968); Public prosecutor, United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York (1970); Chief of the Narcotics Unit (1973); Associate Deputy Attorney General (1975); Private attorney in New York City (1977); Associate Attorney General (1981); U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York (1983); Private Attorney in New York City (1989); founder of a security consulting firm, Giuliani Partners, LLC (2002); member, Iraq Study Group (2006).
Policy Viewpoints:
Economic: After taking over NYC during a fiscal crisis, was able to create a surplus and cut taxes 23 times; restrain Congress’s spending rather than ask people to sacrifice; low taxes, few regulations, control spending.
Social: Notably pro-choice on abortion, pro-gay marriage, and pro-gun control; emphasizes school choice; as mayor, increased cops and incarcerations to lower violent crime by two-thirds; insists on appointing strict constructionist judges.
International: Stay on offensive against Islamic terrorism; keep Guantanamo Bay open; interrogate terrorists legally but aggressively; reauthorize Patriot Act; complete the mission in Iraq by rebuilding and hunting for terrorists; aggressive stand against Iran.
Other: Between 1998 and declaring his presidential candidacy, he campaigned in 45 states on behalf of over 200 Republican candidates for office.
Name: John McCain
Date/Place of Birth: 8/29/36; Coco Solo Air Base, Panama Canal Zone
Status: Married twice, one divorce, seven children (three adopted)
Faith: Baptist (formerly Episcopalian)
Education: B.S. from the US Naval Academy, 1958; National War College, 1973.
Political Office: Congressman (R-AZ 1st), 1983-7; Senator (AZ), 1987-present.
Professional Experience: Served in the US Navy, including in the Senate Liaison Office, retired as a Captain in 1981. He currently chairs the Senate Commerce and Indian Affairs Committees, and is the ranking minority member on the Armed Services Committee. Served with John Kerry on a Senate committee investigating POW/MIAs from Vietnam. Contested the Republican Presidential primary in 2000. Sponsored the McCain/Feingold Campaign Finance Reform Bill.
Policy Viewpoints:
Economic: has promised low taxes, including eliminating the AMT; wants to require a 3/5th majority in Congress to raise taxes; wants to slash Pork from the federal budget, increase transparency and fiscal discipline; a strong proponent of free trade
Social: believes that social issues should be decided by states and the people, not courts: personally pro-life and pro-traditional marriage; advocate of free market solutions to health care problems; long-time advocate of ethics reform in Washington; anti-gun control; pushed for a strong reaction to global warming;
International: supported the Iraq surge from the beginning; would create a global League of Democracy to tackle most pressing global issues, while supporting missile defense and increasing military spending; plans to secure borders and enforce immigration laws, while allowing most illegals in the US to begin the legalization process; supports a temporary worker program
Other: McCain was a POW in Vietnam from 1967-73. He refused an offer to be released early because of his father’s position in the Navy, and endured savage abuse and torture.
Name: Mike Huckabee
Date/Place of Birth: 8/24/55; Hope, AR
Status: Married since 1974 to Janet McCain Huckabee
Faith: Baptist
Education: B.A. magna cum laude (Religion), Ouachita Baptist University, 1975. Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, attended 1975-76.
Political Office: Governor of Arkansas, 1996-2007; Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas, 1993-1996; Chairman of National Governors Association, 2005-2006.
Professional Experience: President of Arkansas Baptist Convention, 1989-1991; Pastor at Texarkana Beech Street Baptist Church, 1986-1992; Director of Communications for Television Evangelist James Robison (1980); Minister at Immanuel Baptist Church in Pine Bluff, Arkansas; Established KBSC television station in Texarkana.
Policy Viewpoints:
Economic: Supports the “FairTax”- a 23% consumption tax and the abolishment of the IRS along with rebates for tax free consumption up to the level of poverty; Left office in Arkansas with $850 million budget surplus.
Social: pro-life; against gay marriage; has stated in debates that he does not believe in evolution; supports displaying Ten Commandments in public schools; supports increase in teacher salaries; supports “Weapons of Mass Instruction” in schools that consist of more funding for science and arts; supports funding abstinence-based sex education; opposes mandated health insurance and universal coverage; has plan for energy independence within ten years.
International: Supports sealing border and punishing employers of illegal immigrants- but also supported giving scholarships to illegal immigrants while Arkansas Governor; supports strong defense spending and keeping combat troops in Iraq.
Other: Lost 110 pounds while Governor of Arkansas; runs marathons; plays guitar for the rock group “Capitol Offense.”
Name: W. Mitt Romney
Date/Place of Birth: 3/12/47; Detroit, MI
Status: Married to high school sweetheart, Ann; five married sons, ten grandchildren
Faith: LDS
Education: B.A. from Brigham Young University, where he was valedictorian in 1971; J.D. (cum laude) & M.B.A. (Baker Scholar, meaning he finished in the top 5% of his class) from Harvard in 1975
Political Office: Governor, (R-MA), 2003-2007
Professional Experience: Business consultant and investment banker involved in making successful the likes of Staples, Brookstone, Domino’s and others; CEO of the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics; former Chairman, Republican Governors Association; former Co-Chair, National Governor’s Association Homeland Security Committee; Homeland Security Department Advisory Councilman
Policy Viewpoints:
Economic: plans substantial tax breaks for middle class Americans; has promised to tackle earmarks, reform mandates, and decrease government spending; pledges to bring in consultants to rework government; desires large investments in technology and innovation
Social: pro-life; defender of traditional marriage; created plan to give universal non-government healthcare to citizens of Massachusetts; advocate of high standards in education; strict constructionist; supportive of gun rights; wants to establish America’s energy independence
International: plans to increase armed forces by at least 100,000 and raise military defense spending to at least 4% of GDP; continue War on Terror in Iraq and Afghanistan; strengthen moderate Muslims in Middle East; tough on Cuba; demands secure borders and opposed to amnesty for illegal immigrants
Other: Mitt’s real first name is Willard.
Name: Ron Paul
Date/Place of Birth: 8/20/1935; Lake Jackson TX
Status: Still married to his high school sweetheart; five children, eighteen grnadchildren
Faith: Episcopalian
Education: B.S. in biology from Gettysburg College, 1957; M.D. Duke University School of Medicine, 1961
Political Office: Representative (R-TX)
Professional Experience: Served as a physician during the Vietnam war, achieved the rank of captain (1965); residency in ob/gyn (1965-1968); practiced ob/gyn in Lake Jackson, Texas; refused Medicare and Medicaid payments, but worked pro bono and provided discounts for needy patients; representative, elected 1978, 1980, 1982; Libertarian presidential nominee (1988); representative, (1996-present)
**Policy Viewpoints: **
Economic: will decrease government spending; significantly lower taxes; against financing of government debt by foreign governments
Social: pro-life; pro-traditional marriage but against a constitutional amendment; advocate of free market solutions to health care problems; strong opponent of Patriot Act and advocate of personal privacy; advocate of greater education choice; anti-gun control; against eminent domain; would decrease regulations to lead to free-market solutions to energy problems; enforce property rights to maintain environment; improve care for veterans
International: believes the war in Iraq was a mistake, anti-interventionist military policy; border security as a major priority, no welfare for illegals or amnesty, enforce immigration laws, take away birthright citizenship.