Metroland Online - This Week's Dining Review

IRAQ WAR WITHDRAWAL: She voted to authorize Bush’s war on what she has since called the “empty assurances” of the administration to seek a diplomatic route instead, and says that she will start “phased redeployment” within first days in office.

FISA/WARRANTLESS WIRETAPPING: She opposes warrantless wiretapping and has said so since at least 2005; she also opposes telecom immunity.

NAFTA and “Free” Trade: With a very even, nonideological view of trade, she appears to weigh each FTA on quantifiable merits. Clinton has never seemed to fully embrace her husband’s devotion to NAFTA, even voting against CAFTA.

Immigration: Voted to build that 700-mile-long fence, however, Clinton supports reducing the waiting period for legal immigrants to receive government assistance and voted in favor of a guest-worker program.

Torture: In recent debates, Clinton has completely opposed torture. However, she has made it clear that she would condone torture if there were “an imminent threat to millions of Americans.” Clinton voted against the Military Commissions Act of 2006.

Abortion: Clinton’s voting record boasts a 100-percent approval rating by Planned Parenthood. She calls abortion a “basic right.”

Health Care: Universal health care has been Clinton’s prime objective since the mid-90s when she spearheaded a failed initiative as First Lady. Her current proposal, the American Health Choices Plan, is for comprehensive and mandated universal coverage.

Energy Policy: Clinton’s proposed energy policy centers around reduced dependency on foreign oil with a goal of cutting foreign-oil consumption in half by 2025 by repealing oil-industry tax breaks and instituting tax breaks for alternative-energy research and production.

Edwards (d)

IRAQ WAR WITHDRAWAL: Voted to authorize Bush’s war, but he has since become an ardent critic. He says that he would instigate an immediate withdrawal of 40,000 to 50,000 troops, with a complete withdrawal in 9 to 10 months.

FISA/WARRANTLESS WIRETAPPING: He promises to end warrantless wiretapping and to “fix” the excesses of the USA Patriot Act, which he voted for in 2001.

NAFTA and “Free” Trade: Mr. Two Americas has loudly criticized the effect of free-trade initiatives on U.S. workers and, on this issue, has earned himself the ranking of Most Liberal from Forbes magazine.

Immigration: He opposes a fences across the U.S./Mexico border and supports expanding access to citizenship. He also co-sponsored legislation that would have allowed states to offer in-state tuition for illegal immigrants.

Torture: Edwards insists that “no torture will be tolerated” when he is president and promises to do away with the CIA’s secret prisons.

Abortion: He supports legal access to abortions. His voting record received a 100-percent approval rating from the National Abortion Rights Action League.

Health Care: Edwards proposes a four-part reform: Make insurance affordable through tax credits and government programs; require employers to provide or fund health coverage; create regional purchasing pools to increase choice and competition; and require all Americans to get insurance.

Energy Policy: Edwards proposes to jump-start “a new energy economy” by establishing a $13 billion-a-year New Energy Economy Fund (financed by major greenhouse polluters), to cut big-oil tax breaks, establish clean-energy incentives, and meet new energy demands through efficiency, not increased energy production.

Giuliani (r)

IRAQ WAR WITHDRAWAL: He says he views the war in Iraq as vital to Middle East stability, saying that the U.S. must have a “secure Iraq.” He has said that he would offer no “artificial timetable for withdrawal.”

FISA/WARRANTLESS WIRETAPPING: He says that he favors using all means available to defeat “terrorists” and will not go back to the days of “playing defense.”

NAFTA and “Free” Trade: Says that he supports NAFTA, but while mayor of New York City, leveled pro-worker criticisms against free trade. He has also made vague threats against Chinese hegemony.

Immigration: As mayor of New York City he was a vocal opponent of laws that limited immigrant access to welfare services and police protection, even filing lawsuit in Federal court. He does, however, support the fence.

Torture: Giuliani has said that he is against torture but favors “aggressive interrogation” of detainees. He says that he is not sure whether waterboarding is torture or not.

Abortion: Giuliani supported abortion rights as mayor of New York City. He has since acknowledged his support of a wo man’s right to choose but indicated that he might appoint Supreme Court justices who support overturning Roe v. Wade.

Health Care: Has repeatedly criticized the Democrats’ universal health care concept as “socialist.” Considers free-market, competition-based solutions and tax cuts “the American way to reform health care.”

Energy Policy: Giuliani supports investment in every possible form of energy, including domestic oil, natural gas, coal, ethanol, fuel cells, geothermal power, wind, hydroelectric, and nuclear power. His proposal to establish EnergyStat would compile energy statistics for easy public tracking.

Huckabee (r)

IRAQ WAR WITHDRAWAL: “Setting a timetable for withdrawal is a mistake,” the former Arkansas governor says. “This country has never declared war until ‘a week from Wednesday,’ we have always declared war until victory.”

FISA/WARRANTLESS WIRETAPPING: “This war is not a conventional war,” he says, “and these terrorists are not a conventional enemy. I will fight the war on terror with the intensity and single-mindedness that it deserves.”

NAFTA and “Free” Trade: From the Republican ranks, he has been the most vocal in his concerns over the effect of FTAs on American jobs, deftly identifying that the words “free” and “fair” aren’t synonymous.

Immigration: For a long time seen as soft on this issue by Republicans, Huckabee does support building the fence. However, he supports and path to citizenship and, while governor of Arizona, fought in support of scholarships for the children of illegal immigrants.

Torture: Huckabee told Fox News, “I don’t believe that we ought to torture. I think it’s a policy that is beneath us. It is obviously unproductive.”

Abortion: Huckabee has compared legalized abortion to the Holocaust.

Health Care: “Our employer-based system has outlived its usefulness, but the answer is a consumer-based system, not socialized medicine,” he says. He wants to lower private costs through competition and tort reform, and focus on preventative care.

Energy Policy: Huckabee considers our current energy policy the prime threat to our national security, the economy and environment. Has said that his first act as President would be to deliver a plan for energy independence centered around free-market-motivated conservation and alternative energies.

McCain (r)

IRAQ WAR WITHDRAWAL: He voted to authorize Bush’s war, has criticized the management of the war, but has no plans for withdrawal: “A greater military commitment now is necessary if we are to achieve long-term success in Iraq.”

FISA/WARRANTLESS WIRETAPPING: He said that Bush’s warrantless wiretapping was illegal when it was first revealed, but instead of ending the program, he wants to make it legal.

NAFTA and “Free” Trade: Proudly bears a seal of approval from every pro-NAFTA think tank; the CATO Institute wants to marry him. He has voted in favor of nearly every Free Trade Agreement.

Immigration: Also viewed by many Republicans as soft on this issue, McCain has staunchly supported initiatives such as a guest-worker program and in-state tuition for illegal immigrants. He did, however, vote for the fence.

Torture: A former prisoner of war, McCain himself was tortured and has been an adamant opponent to the U.S. government’s use of torture. However, McCain voted for the MCA.

Abortion: McCain calls himself a “pro-life” candidate. He supports an abortion ban except in the case of rape, incest, or where the mother’s life is in danger.

Health Care: McCain supports making private health care cheaper and more accessible through increased competition, federal enforcement of fair business practice, and individual tax incentives. He also supports preventative health initiatives.

Energy Policy: McCain has called our oil consumption a “double threat” against our national security and our environment, and encourages free-market-driven focus on clean energy. He has proposed a bipartisan plan to address climate change, but has not outlined a truly specific energy policy.

Obama (d)

IRAQ WAR WITHDRAWAL: He was not in office at the time of the vote to authorize the war, and says that he would have voted against it. He has pledged to pull all combat brigades out of Iraq “within 16 months.”

FISA/WARRANTLESS WIRETAPPING: He says that this practice will not be allowed under his administration, and also opposes telecom immunity.

NAFTA and “Free” Trade: Obama voted against CAFTA, and, like his fellow frontrunner, has demonstrated a balanced view toward trade. However, his rhetoric has been a bit harsher, saying that he would seek “amendments” to NAFTA.

Immigration: Voted in favor of building a wall between the U.S. and Mexico and increasing penalties for employers who hire illegal immigrants, but joined Edwards in co-sponsoring tuition legislation and supports a guest-worker program.

Torture: Obama voted against the MCA, saying that the bill authorized torture: “This is not how a serious administration would approach the problem of terrorism, and the sad part about all of this is that this betrayal of American values is unnecessary.”

Abortion: Obama says that a women’s ability to choose is a fundamental right. Obama introduced the “Prevention Through Affordable Access Act” in the Senate to make birth control more available to teens and the poor.

Health Care: Obama has proposed a nationwide health-care program modeled around the benefits available to Congress members. The plan guarantees universal eligibility, but mandates only health care for children.

Energy Policy: Obama’s proposal to reduce carbon emissions echoes California’s currently successful policy, focusing on reducing transportation emissions and oil dependence and creating market-based incentives for research and investment in clean energy.

Paul (r)

IRAQ WAR WITHDRAWAL: He not only wants to bring troops home from Iraq, but he also wants to bring them home from Germany, Japan, Korea . .

FISA/WARRANTLESS WIRETAPPING: He opposes warrantless wiretapping, and was one of the few Republicans to vote against the USA Patriot Act.

NAFTA and “Free” Trade: Again proving he shares little in common with rank-and-file Republicans, this free-market Don Quixote opposes all NAFTA-style FTAs, and supports withdrawal from the World Trade Organization.

Immigration: Close the borders, build the walls, deny access to services for immigrants here illegally, offer no amnesty, and, he says, end “birthright citizenship.” His rhetoric has matched his voting record for decades.

Torture: Paul is staunchly against torture. He has used the phrase, “Torture is terror.”

Abortion: Google “Who is Ron Paul?” Paul would try to void Roe v. Wade and hand governance of social issues, such as abortion, over to the individual states.

Health Care: As a physician, Paul has an insider’s view on the health-care issue. He believes that the root of our health crisis is government intervention, and the solution is to completely eliminate government regulation of the system.

Energy Policy: He wants to restore a free market in energy production, repealing federal taxes, tax incentives, and regulations that impede the development of new energy. “Any source that truly is cheaper and cleaner,” he says, “will not need government help.”

Romney (r)

IRAQ WAR WITHDRAWAL: “The road ahead will be difficult but success is still possible in Iraq,” he says.

FISA/WARRANTLESS WIRETAPPING: He says that he will continue it. Romney has, both in recent comments and as governor of Massachusetts, supported Bush’s warrantless wiretapping.

NAFTA and “Free” Trade: Based solely on his rhetoric, the former governor is a strong proponent of NAFTA-style trade agreements.

Immigration: He supports building the fence, and does not support any paths to citizenship for illegal immigrants. As governor, he opposed legislation to allow illegal immigrants to secure driver’s licenses.

Torture: Romney says he wants to “double Guantanamo Bay,” and has been evasive on his stance on torture and waterboarding, saying that the U.S. should not outline its interrogation practices. He supports giving the president authority to decide how to interrogate.

Abortion: As governor of Massachusetts, Romney supported abortion rights. He has since stated that he would ban abortions and later noted he would allow individual states to keep abortion legal.

Health Care: Romney insists that access to health care must be brought about by personal responsibility and market reform, not government programs. He told USA Today, “We can’t have, as a nation, 40 million people saying, ‘I don’t have insurance, and if I get sick I want someone else to pay.’ ”

Energy Policy: Romney proposes ending our dependence on foreign oil by securing control of said oil, increasing offshore drilling, exploring alternative energies, and investing in “the full exploitation of coal.” He has said that he doesn’t believe in global warming.

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