How do they score?

Below I have listed the candidates that are running for the republican ticket. Beside each issue I have put my personal rating. 10 being great and 1 being very poor. I welcome all comments as to the precision of my remarks or any other comments for that matter. =)

Sam Brownback (Kansas Senator) (7)

-Iraq: he sees the need in Iraq to give the government over to the citizens, but he didn't specify how. He has not, however, given up hope on the situation there although he does see the precariousness of the situation there. (6)
-Policy regarding Israel: he thinks we should stand by her, I agree. (10)
-Life: emphatically pro-life. (10)
-Marriage: Emphatically pro-traditional marriage. (10)
-Border security: raises border security as it is now, and looks to cut down the amount of illegal workers in our country (7)
-Taxes: looking for lower, simpler/reformed taxes. (8)
-Family/ liberty: for the family (hence, anti- pornography etc.). And although he sees that it is the parent’s duty to shelter their kids from foul content, he is for stricter restrictions on the media that chooses to broadcast obscene or violent material. (9)
Caution: maybe a little too much like a politician.

Rudy Giuliani (Former mayor of New York City) (5)

Iraq/ terror: Giuliani is for an aggressive face toward terrorism. He is intent on wining this war against terror, which he believes was thrust upon us by the terrorists (I agree). In Iraq, he is against a timetable for withdrawal and is aware that failure in Iraq would have broad and deep side effects. (8)
2. Gun rights: a definite right for the American people. (7)
3. Life: personally may not be for abortion, and has voted for a ban on partial birth abortion, but is allowing for it to be the choice of the mother. (0)
4. Marriage: believes that marriage should be between a man and a women, but did not seem emphatic on this point. (6)
5. Border Security: not available on his site.
6. Taxes: he is for fiscal responsibility, and claims, like all other candidates, that he has cut taxes. (7)
7. Family/ liberty: again, fairly silent on his site, save that he believes in the preservation of the rights granted in the constitution. (6)



Mike Huckabee, former Governor of Arkansas (9)


-Iraq/ terror: Also against a timetable, and strongly believes that withdrawal would be disastrous for the Iraqis. Believes in continuing to fight the war on terror, but not always resorting to war, using diplomacy as well. (7)
-Israel: staunch supporter of Israel. (10)
-Gun rights: Very much for it. (10)
-Life: no shadow of a doubt, pro-life to the core. (10)
-Marriage: for traditional marriage to the core. (10)
-Border security: he is for increasing our border security, and for being firm with the illegal immigrants already here. (9)
-Taxes: for cutting over spending, and, as always, he claims to have reduced taxation. (8)
-Family/ liberty: As for the family, Huckabee is emphatic that our country was founded on faith. For him personally, he sees no distinction between his faith and his life. His faith is his life. (10)


John McCain (Senator from Arizona) (7)


-Life: McCain is indeed pro-life. He is dogmatic that the courts should not legislate in this matter or any others, but he believes in returning this issue to the state by overturning Roe v. Wade and then letting the states themselves decide. McCain does realize the importance of winning this war for life in the hearts and minds of people, and that government action on this is a long way from defeating abortion. (8)
-Marriage: Once again, no legislating from the bench...a state issue. But he is pro-traditional marriage. (8)
-Iraq: "We cannot fail." - says he. Not only would failure be bad for the Iraqi's, but also for our future safety. He realizes that Americans need to know the truth for why we are there. He is long-sighted and sees the consequences of defeat. He does have a plan, and is listening to good advice on the subject. (9)
-Border Security: sees the need to strengthen our borders and being tough on the illegal immigrants already here. (7)
-Taxes: desires to use common sense, restraint, and accountability in spending. (8)
-Family/ liberty: Gun rights are essential rights to McCain, and he has actively supported legislation that would secure the bad influence on the internet from children etc. (7)

When talking about his faith, McCain was horribly politically correct and did not specify which "higher power" he referred to. He claims, however, that his life is based on the fact that there is a God and he strives to live in honorably and ethically. (6)


Ron Paul (U.S. Representative from Texas ) (7)


1. Iraq: Believes that the war in Iraq was based on wrong information and although I did not see a plan for what to do now, it generally seems that he is against it in all aspects. (3)

2. Foreign policy: Believe that we should not meddle in other countries affairs. This is a great thing, the only concern I might have would be that there might arise a situation that poses no harm to us, but is evil and must be stopped (i.e. present conditions in Sudan.). Otherwise I see this as a great thing. (8)

3. Life: no question here; pro-life all the way. (11)

4. Taxes/debt: Low taxation creates a better America, says he, and so we all agree. In addition he sees a definite need to do something about our debt.(10)

5. Marriage/family: didn't see anything about this on his sight, but from other sources it appears that he would not oppose gay rights on a federal level but leave it to the states. I'm not even sure if he would oppose it on a personal level... (5)

6. Freedom: Ron Paul is THE most constitutional/ small government minded candidate there is currently running. (10)


Mitt Romney (former Governor of Massachusetts) (6)

-Iraq/ terror: Believes we must fight Jihad, and that we can do it by promoting peace and to support modern Muslim nations. (3)
-Taxes: keep taxes low, and simplify them. Sees the need to curve spending and borrowing. (7)
-Border Security: He is for immigration, but is intent on attracting immigration legally by making is easier to come in legally. (7)
-Life/marriage: He does see the need to protect life and family values, not especially dogmatic on this point, or at least it seems that way to me. (7)
-Education: sees a need to raise the standard of our failing educational system. (8)




Mike Huckabee is #1 in my mind; his strong faith in the One True God and his frankness about it is a top-ranking issue with me. Ron Paul is a somewhat close second. His desire to stick to the Constitution and his staunch small-government position is most appealing. His views on Iraq, however, I'm afraid I quite disagree with.