E-Mail This Article to a Friend On the issues Where the Democratic challengers stand on seven key issues

CIVIL LIBERTIES

Carol Moseley Braun: pro-choice, pro-affirmative action, vocal opponent of Patriot Act

Wesley Clark: wants thorough review of Patriot Act, pro-choice, says he favors affirmative action in principle

Howard Dean: pro-choice, opposes expanding Patriot Act, supports affirmative action

John Edwards: pro-choice, favors revising Partriot Act, supports affirmative action

Dick Gephardt: pro-choice, supports affirmative action

Dennis Kucinich: voted against Patriot Act and has introduced legislation to repeal it; pro-affirmative action; formerly pro-life, but now says he would make support of Roe v. Wade a litmus test for Supreme Court appointees

John Kerry: advocates sunset provision for Patriot Act, pro-affirmative action, pro-choice

Joe Lieberman: pro-choice, voted for Patriot Act, supports affirmative action

Al Sharpton: supports legislation to increase voting rights, advocates affirmative action, opposes Patriot Act, pro-choice

ECONOMY

Carol Moseley Braun: would repeal upper-income tax cuts but maintain middle-class tax breaks

Wesley Clark: repeal tax cuts for households earning over $200k annually, and reallocate some of the savings for state aid and an economic stimulus package; tax incentives for small business growth; review all government spending programs; make tax code more progressive; backs free trade but with augmented environmental and labor standards in new agreements

Howard Dean: favors full repeal of tax cuts, proposes balanced budget, opposes NAFTA

John Edwards: supports partial repeal of tax cuts, proposes tax credits for savings, proposes federal workforce reduction

Dick Gephardt: favors full repeal of tax cuts, opposes NAFTA, proposes universal pensions

Dennis Kucinich: wants withdrawal from NAFTA and WTO and return to bilateral trade based on human rights, workers’ rights, and environmental standards; would make tax structure more progressive

John Kerry: proposes new middle-class tax cut to help defray college costs; would index minimum wage to inflation; repeal of Bush tax cuts for upper-income but not middle-class households

Joe Lieberman: favors partial repeal of tax cuts, lowering of middle-class tax rates, tax credits for job creation

Al Sharpton: would repeal Bush tax cuts, advocates $250 billion plan of infrastructure development

EDUCATION

Carol Moseley Braun: increase federal funding for public schools

Wesley Clark: increase teacher pay and training, fund national all-day

Howard Dean: proposes reforming No Child Left Behind, favors expanding pre-six initiatives

John Edwards: proposes increasing teacher pay, proposes free first-year college tuition

Dick Gephardt: proposes creation of Teacher Corps, opposes vouchers

Dennis Kucinich: would fund universal pre-kindergarten program by cutting Pentagon budget

John Kerry: fund No Child Left Behind, reduce class sizes, expand early childhood education programs

Joe Lieberman: favors funding No Child Left Behind, favors charter schools and vouchers

Al Sharpton: believes education is a human right, supports legislation to give all Americans equal education

ENVIRONMENT

Carol Moseley Braun: backs development of alternative energy sources and reduced dependence on

fossil fuels; supports brownfields environmental remediation

Wesley Clark: has voiced opposition to drilling for oil in the Arctic; would have renegotiated Kyoto treaty; favors alternative energy development and is open to nuclear energy programs

Howard Dean: proposes cabinet status for EPA, supports Kyoto Protocol

John Edwards: supports increased funding for alternative energy development, proposes stricter air and water standards

Dick Gephardt: favors funding renewable-energy development, protecting EPA funding

Dennis Kucinich: re-enter Kyoto treaty, augment alternative energy programs

John Kerry: increase funding for existing conservation programs, mandate increased automobile fuel efficiency, augment clean and renewable energy programs

Joe Lieberman: proposes incentives for energy efficiency, limiting greenhouse gas emissions

Al Sharpton: supports building of hybrid and electric cars, advocates cap on carbon dioxide emissions, advocates average requirement of 45 miles per gallon

FOREIGN POLICY

Carol Moseley Braun: opposed Iraq war, and opposes preemptive war in general; advocates working within international framework

Wesley Clark: advocates a policy of " generosity, humility, engagement " ; high standard for use of force; multilateralism based on American " core values "

Howard Dean: opposed war in Iraq, favors keeping troops in Iraq, favors foreign troops

John Edwards: voted for war in Iraq, favors keeping troops in Iraq

Dick Gephardt: voted for Iraq war, favors staying in Iraq, favors use of foreign troops

Dennis Kucinich: would create federal Department of Peace; rejects preemption and unilateralism

John Kerry: rebuild Iraq by cooperating with international community; emphasize arms control and nonproliferation measures

Joe Lieberman: voted for the war in Iraq, favors staying in Iraq, pro-Israel

Al Sharpton: believes pre-emptive policy is " un-American, " favors reconstruction policy of " multi-national strategy via the U.N., " would create " real relationship " with Arab nations, believes current immigration policy is discriminatory

GLBT RIGHTS

Carol Moseley Braun: supports full marital rights; would repeal don’t ask-don’t tell

Wesley Clark: opposes right to marry, supports civil unions; wants review of don’t ask-don’t tell

Howard Dean: signed civil-union law and wants to enact similar legislation on federal level; favors lifting ban on gays in the military

John Edwards: favors federal hate crime laws covering sexual orientation

Dick Gephardt: opposes right to marry, supports civil unions; favors lifting ban on gays in the military

Dennis Kucinich: supports full marital rights; calls for complete equality for gays and lesbians

John Kerry: opposes right to marry, supports civil unions

Joe Lieberman: opposes civil unions; favors lifting ban on gays in the military

Al Sharpton: in favor of full marital rights and right to adopt

HEALTH CARE

Carol Moseley Braun: single-payer universal program including contraceptive coverage

Wesley Clark: extend child health care and preventive health care programs

Howard Dean: proposes expanding Medicaid and S-CHIP, tax credits for insurance, and federal small-business plan

John Edwards: proposes automatic enrollment and tax credits for child health insurance

Dick Gephardt: favors universal health care working from existing system

Dennis Kucinich: advocates single-payer universal program including complimentary and alternative medicine

John Kerry: expand state and federal coverage for children; give adults option of buying into federal health care program; strengthen coverage for seniors; opposes privatization of Medicare; calls for expanded production of generic drugs

Joe Lieberman: proposes universal health care for children, proposes MediChoice for uninsured

Al Sharpton: believes health care is a human right, supports legislation providing health care for all Americans