If you’ve being paying attention to election coverage, you may find yourself overwhelmed by the varying statements about each candidate. Where do they really stand?
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With nationwide discussion surrounding Planned Parenthood, some of the most contentious and polarized issues today regard women’s rights. You may think that their views look something like this:
Democrats…
and Republicans…
And that’s probably because it can be difficult to sift through conflicting media sources. To fix this issue, below is a comprehensive list enumerating where each candidate stands on women’s rights!
We’ll start with the Democrats. Typically more liberal, both Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton seem to share the same ideals.
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1. Bernie Sanders
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“The decision about abortion is a decision for a woman and her doctor to make, not the government. I will not allow the right wing to deny women control over their own bodies by forcing clinics to close, extending waiting periods, or inventing other methods that create de facto abortion bans. Roe v. Wade is the law of the land and must remain so.” – Bernie Sanders in a statement on Google Plus
Sanders’ website has an entire section labeled “Fighting for Women’s Rights,” where he expresses his thoughts on abortion, the wage gap, domestic and sexual violence, childcare, and the minimum wage. See more in the link below.
https://berniesanders.com/issues/fighting-for-womens-rights/
2. Hillary Clinton
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In a Google Plus post on January 6th, 2016: Clinton stated:
“Politicians have no business interfering with women’s personal health decisions. I will oppose efforts to roll back women’s access to reproductive health care, including Republican efforts to defund Planned Parenthood. As president, I’ll stand up for Planned Parenthood and women’s access to critical health services, including safe, legal abortion.”
For more on where Clinton stands, see her website below.
https://www.hillaryclinton.com/issues/
Next, we have the Republican candidates. Conservatives are much more likely to take on a Pro-Life agenda, as you will see below.
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3. Donald Trump
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According to On The Issues, in 2000 Trump stated, “I support a woman’s right to choose, but I am uncomfortable with the procedures. When Tim Russert asked me on Meet the Press if I would ban partial-birth abortion, my pro-choice instincts led me to say no. After the show, I consulted two doctors I respect and, upon learning more about this procedure, I have concluded that I would support a ban.” (http://www.ontheissues.org/2016/Donald_Trump_Abortion.htm)
Today, according to The Washington Post, Trump says, “I’m pro-life, but with the caveats. It’s: Life of the mother (very important), incest and rape…” (https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2015/10/15/i-asked-psycholog…)
On Trump’s website, he does not have a position listed on women’s rights. So we are left to ponder his statements.
https://www.donaldjtrump.com/positions
4. Ted Cruz
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According to kut.org, Cruz stated that:
“Every human life is a precious gift from God and should be protected from the moment of conception until the moment of natural death.” (http://kut.org/post/cruz-rallies-his-evangelical-base-iowa)
For more, check out Cruz’s website below.
https://www.tedcruz.org/issues/
5. Marco Rubio
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According to his website:
“Marco believes that Roe v. Wade was not only morally wrong, but it was a poorly decided legal precedent and should be overturned. Marco has a record of supporting pro-life policies, and will continue to do so in public and private life.”
Rubio stated to ABC, “I believe a human being, an unborn child, has a right to live irrespective of the circumstances by which they were conceived.” (http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/michael-w-chapman/rubio-rape-excepti…)
This means that he doesn’t support a woman’s right to choose even in cases of rape.
For more, check out his website below.
https://marcorubio.com/issues/protecting-life-at-every-stage/
6. John Kasich
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According to his website:
“Throughout his career, John Kasich has been a strong, consistent and committed believer in the sanctity of human life. During his 18 years in Congress, John Kasich consistently opposed federal funding of abortion and voted to ban partial-birth abortions. As Governor of Ohio, he has enacted more measures to protect unborn children than any other governor in the history of the state, including bans on late-term abortions and bans on elective abortions in public hospitals. As a result, on Gov. Kasich’s watch abortions have hit a record low.”
For more, check out his website below.
https://johnkasich.com/RespectingHumanLife/
7. Ben Carson
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According to his website, Carson states:
“As a former pediatric neurosurgeon, I have dedicated my life to saving and improving the lives of children. I am committed to protecting innocent lives, especially when they are more vulnerable. The sanctity of life is something that we must wholeheartedly promote and enforce. For far too long, we have become callous to the slaughter of innocents.”
For more, see his website below.
https://www.bencarson.com/issues/issue/pro-life
So now you know! Whether or not you are a woman, it is very important to know the agendas of those who may become the next President of the United States!
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