Cynthia McKinney's Statements on
the Issues
Positions are
categorized as Pro, Con, Not Clearly Pro or Con, or None Found.
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| Abortion: |
"Should abortion remain a legal option in
America?" |
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Pro: "In 1999, I voted NO on barring the interstate transportation of minors to get an abortion. I supported funding contraception and UN family planning. I voted NO to oppose banning partial-birth abortions. In 2001, I voted NO on banning Family Planning funding in US aid abroad and NO on a new federal crime for harming a fetus while committing other crimes. In 2005, I voted NO on restricting interstate transport of minors to get abortions."
"Presidential Candidate Questionnaire," National Green Party website, May 1, 2007
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| Abortion: |
"Should parental consent be required for pregnant minors to have abortions?" |
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Not Clearly Pro or Con: Voted No on the "Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act" (H.R.748):
"Makes it an affirmative defense to a prosecution or civil action under this Act that a defendant reasonably believed that before the minor obtained the abortion, the required parental consent or notification or judicial authorization took place."
"Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act" (H.R.748), Library of Congress: THOMAS website, Apr. 27, 2005
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| Character: |
"Is competence more important than honesty in a President?" |
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None Found: ProCon.org emailed the McKinney campaign on Mar. 26, 2008 with this question. We had not received a reply or found a position as of Apr. 11, 2008.
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| China: |
"Is China a threat to the U.S.?" |
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Not Clearly Pro or Con: "I am strongly opposed to recognizing as normal China's persistent violations of fundamental human rights, labor rights, reproductive rights, religious freedom, political rights, social and economic rights, as well as their export of sophisticated and destabilizing weapons, and their overt threats to Taiwan, by granting them Permanent Normal Trade Relations."
"Statement of Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney on Permanent Normal Trade Relations with China," www.ratical.org, May 25, 2000
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| China: |
"Should the U.S. impose economic sanctions on China as an incentive to improve its human rights policies?" |
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Not Clearly Pro or Con: "I voted to oppose Most Favored Nation status for China; and to condition trade with China on an improved human rights record."
"Presidential Candidate Questionnaire," National Green Party website, May 1, 2007
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| Cuba: |
"Should the U.S.
continue to support an embargo against Cuba?" |
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Con: Voted Yes on H.R.2662 "To Lift the Trade Embargo on Cuba, and for Other Purposes":
"Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 and other specified Federal law to repeal the embargo placed upon all trade with Cuba."
"To Lift the Trade Embargo on Cuba, and for Other Purposes" (H.R.2662), Library of Congress: THOMAS website, July 26, 2001
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| Darfur: |
"Should the U.S. send any American forces, with or without the U.N., to the Darfur region of Sudan to stop the genocide?" |
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None Found: ProCon.org emailed the McKinney campaign on Mar. 26, 2008 with this question. We had not received a reply or found a position as of Apr. 11, 2008.
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| Death Penalty: |
"Should the
death penalty remain a legal option in America?" |
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Con: "In 1994, I voted to replace the death penalty with life imprisonment in the Federal Criminal Statutes. In 1995 I voted in opposition to making federal death penalty appeals more difficult. In 1996, I voted to maintain the right of habeus corpus in Death Penalty Appeals. In 2001, I voted to support a moratorium on the death penalty; and for funding for DNA testing; as well as to require DNA testing prior to any federal executions."
"Presidential Candidate Questionnaire," National Green Party website, May 1, 2007 |
| Economy: |
"Is outsourcing jobs to other countries good for America?" |
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Con: "My first encounter with people whose lives were impacted by what we call globalization came as I sought to represent Georgia's old 11th District that swept through Georgia's poor and rural black belt. Those most up in arms at the time were our farmers who were agitated about NAFTA. Those not up in arms, but who bore the brunt of NAFTA, were in one case, the women of Sparta, Georgia--Hancock County. There, single mothers held families together with their low-wage jobs in the textile plants. There, single mothers lost their jobs when the plants moved away. I watched desperate families endure desperate times. 'All things being equal' didn't take the women of Sparta, Georgia into account. As a caring single mother, who also happened to be an elected official, I had to. That's when I drafted legislation to take away tax breaks for corporations that locate their plants overseas. It wasn't a sexy subject at that time, but it was definitely a problem that I saw firsthand, affecting real lives and real people.
Now, more people are paying attention to globalization because at first it was just 'them,' now, it's a whole lot of us. Globalization used to be perceived as something that happened to poor workers or the environment in faraway places like China. Now globalization has come home.
So the first effect that I would like to mention is the effect that these economic policies have on careers, creating uncertainty for real people as they watch more and more jobs being sent off shore."
"All Things Are Not Equal: The Perils of Globalization," Speech at the Georgia Tech Globalization Forum, Apr. 22, 2004
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| Economy: |
"Should the U.S. include mandatory regulations for labor rights in free trade agreements?" |
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Pro: "I would repeal NAFTA [North American Free Trade Agreement] and CAFTA [Central America Free Trade Agreement]. Because basically we have this issue of immigration because we have unfair practices in our economic policy, we have an unfair military policy, and an unfair foreign policy to those parts of the world from which these people are coming. And so I would want first to change our economic policy, our military policy, and our foreign policy to respect human rights, to respect the environment, force U.S. corporations to abide by the U.S. standard on environmnet and labor, and have a race to the top instead of a race to the bottom which now U.S. workers have joined."
Green Presidential Debate, San Francisco, CA, Jan. 13, 2008
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| Economy: |
"Has the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) had an overall benefit for the U.S.?" |
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Con: "We have to put a stop to these 'free trade' agreements, and quickly.
After 14 years of NAFTA it is absolutely clear that unemployment in the United States has risen as a result of this treaty. We are losing jobs -- especially jobs with living wages and benefits -- to all these 'free trade' agreements, be it NAFTA, CAFTA [Central America Free Trade Agreement], the Caribbean FTA [Free Trade Agreement], the U.S.-Peru FTA, you name it.
The American workers are not benefiting from these agreements. Their jobs and communities are being destroyed. Nor are working people in the rest of the world benefiting from these agreements. Quite the contrary: Their working conditions and living standards, which were already bad, are deteriorating exponentially. Only the transnational corporations are benefiting. They are reaping super-profits.
This new 'globalization' has become a race to the bottom. And now the American workers have joined in this race."
"Reconstruction Renaissance: An Interview with Cynthia McKinney," All Things Cynthia McKinney website, Jan. 8, 2008
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| Education: |
"Has the No Child Left Behind Act been effective at improving public education?" |
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Not Clearly Pro or Con: "In the years since President Bush signed the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act, none of his budgets has come close to meeting the level of funding authorized in the Act. The cumulative Administration budgets have fallen billions of dollars short of the amount authorized for funding...
The bipartisan National Governors Association even voted unanimously to label Bush's No Child Left Behind Act an unfunded mandate. States and localities struggle to keep up with the new requirements."
"Cynthia McKinney on Education," Cynthia for Congress website (accessed Apr. 8, 2008)
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| Education: |
"Is the
increasing cost of college and university tuition pricing America's
middle class out of higher education?" |
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Not Clearly Pro or Con: "I want to subsidize education so students aren't a hundred thousand dollars in debt when they graduate."
"Cynthia Speaks at Rutgers on Gender, Race and Politics," All Things Cynthia McKinney website, Mar. 28, 2008 |
| Education: |
"Should the federal government fund school voucher programs?" |
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None Found: ProCon.org emailed the McKinney campaign on Mar. 26, 2008 with this question. We had not received a reply or found a position as of Apr. 11, 2008.
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| Election Reform: |
"Should voter
verified paper audit trails (VVPAT) be mandatory in
elections?" |
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Pro: Cosponsored the "Voter Confidence and Increased Accessibility Act of 2005" (H.R.550):
"To amend the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to require a voter-verified permanent paper record or hard copy under title III of such Act, and for other purposes."
"Voter Confidence and Increased Accessibility Act of 2005" (H.R.550), Library of Congress: THOMAS website, Feb. 2, 2005
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| Election Reform: |
"Should there be restrictions on campaign contributions?" |
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Not Clearly Pro or Con: Q: "Will you agree not to accept contributions from corporations?
[Cynthia McKinney:] Of course! Such contributions are prohibited by Federal law."
"Presidential Candidate Questionnaire," National Green Party website, May 1, 2007
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| Election Reform: |
"Should the election campaigns of candidates for public office be publicly financed?" |
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Pro: "I have long been a supporter of publicly financed elections."
"Presidential Candidate Questionnaire," National Green Party website, May 1, 2007
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| Energy: |
"Should drilling
for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) be
allowed?" |
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Con: "Most notably has been your Administration's push to open up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) for oil exploration. I agree with your statement when you noted that we need to decrease our dependency on foreign oil supplies in order to guarantee our energy security. However, I vehemently disagree that drilling in ANWR is the solution to this problem. The U.S. Geological Survey estimates that oil recovered from the Arctic Refuge would amount to less than a six-month supply for American consumers and would not be available for another 10 years."
Excerpt of a letter to President George W. Bush, Dec. 4, 2001
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| Energy: |
"Should the U.S. tap into its emergency oil reserves to help bring down the price of gasoline?" |
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Not Clearly Pro or Con: "I would adopt a policy of 'leave the oil in the soil.' Then our energy policy would utilize all of the green technologies that exist around the world. We could institute a jobs programs by having manufacturing plants in under-served areas that would manufacture this green technology."
Green Presidential Debate, San Francisco, CA, Jan. 13, 2008
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| Environment: |
"Should the U.S.
ratify an international environmental agreement (such as the Kyoto
Protocol) that mandates reductions in carbon
emissions?" |
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Pro: "In 2000, I voted to begin implementation of the Kyoto Protocol."
"Presidential Candidate Questionnaire," National Green Party website, May 1, 2007
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| Environment: |
"Should the federal government mandate an increase in fuel efficiency standards for automobiles?" |
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Pro: "Since I first arrived in Congress, I have sought to protect our environment, both nationally and locally...I voted...for stronger fuel-economy standards for trucks and SUVs."
"Environment," www.ratical.org, May 25, 2000
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| Environment: |
"Are humans substantially responsible for global climate change today?" |
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Not Clearly Pro or Con: "The situation is now quite clear. The United States can no longer hide its truculence under the mask of weather fluctuations or unclear science, islands are disappearing, indigenous ways of life are threatened, indeed the world as we know it is at risk if the United States continues to do nothing."
"Presidential Candidate Questionnaire," National Green Party website, May 1, 2007
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| Gun Control: |
"Are more
federal regulations on guns and ammunition needed?" |
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Not Clearly Pro or Con: Voted No on the act "To Require Background Checks at Gun Shows, and for Other Purposes" (H.R.2122):
"Mandatory Gun Show Background Check Act - Amends the Federal criminal code to set forth provisions regarding the regulation of firearms transfers at gun shows."
"To Require Background Checks at Gun Shows, and For Other Purposes" (H.R.2122), Library of Congress: THOMAS website, June 18, 1999
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| Health Care: |
"Should all
Americans have a right to government or employer subsidized basic
health care?" |
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Pro: "In Congress, I was a cosponsor of every bill to create a national system for universal access to health care under a single payer model."
"Presidential Candidate Questionnaire," National Green Party website, May 1, 2007
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| Health Care: |
"Should Americans be allowed to purchase their prescription drugs from other countries?" |
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Not Clearly Pro or Con: "One of the most pressing issues facing the senior community today is the rising cost of prescription drugs. For this reason, I am an original cosponsor of the Democratic prescription drug Medicare coverage bill. This legislation will insure that Medicare is capable of alleviating the burden of prescription drug costs that our nation's seniors face, and also to cap the rising costs of the medications"
"Issues: Seniors," www.ratical.org (accessed Apr. 10, 2008)
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| Immigration: |
"Are illegal immigrants a net gain to the U.S. economy?" |
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None Found: ProCon.org emailed the McKinney campaign on Mar. 26, 2008 with this question. We had not received a reply or found a position as of Apr. 11, 2008.
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| Immigration: |
"Should illegal aliens receive any of the rights or benefits that lawful permanent residents enjoy?" |
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Not Clearly Pro or Con: "It is impossible to discuss the issue of so-called 'illegal immigration' without addressing the reasons millions of people are forced to flee their countries to come to the United States....
And as you do this, you have to put a halt to policies at home that criminalize the victims or treat them as second-class citizens. These are all union-busting and wage-depressing tactics couched in terms of making the victim appear to be the perpetrator."
"Reconstruction Renaissance: An Interview with Cynthia McKinney," All Things Cynthia McKinney website, Jan. 8, 2008
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| Immigration: |
"Should the U.S.
build a physical barrier, such as a fence, along the U.S.-Mexico
border?" |
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Con: Voted No on the "Secure Fence Act of 2006" (H.R.6061):
"SEC. 3. CONSTRUCTION OF FENCING AND SECURITY IMPROVEMENTS IN BORDER AREA FROM PACIFIC OCEAN TO GULF OF MEXICO...
(1) SECURITY FEATURES.-
(A) REINFORCED FENCING.-In carrying out subsection (a), the Secretary of Homeland Security shall provide for least 2 layers of reinforced fencing, the installation of additional physical barriers, roads, lighting, cameras, and sensors..."
"Secure Fence Act of 2006" (H.R.6061), Library of Congress: THOMAS website, Sep. 29, 2006
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| Iran: |
"Should the U.S.
use military force against Iran if Iran does not dismantle its
nuclear program?" |
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None Found: ProCon.org emailed the McKinney campaign on Mar. 26, 2008 with this question. We had not received a reply or found a position as of Apr. 11, 2008. |
| Iraq: |
"Was it a mistake to attack Iraq in 2003?" |
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Pro: "Two years ago we gathered all across America to say no to war. We were joined by people all over the planet who know that there is an alternative to war. But war is about the only option available when the real motive is to steal natural resources that belong to someone else...
The American people, and our children over there fighting, still haven't been told the real reason the US is at war with the Iraqi people. And against the people the US war machine has turned. Thousands of Iraqis, especially children, have been killed by our sanctions and our bombs. This is an immoral and illegal war and we need to bring our troops home now."
"Issues: War in Iraq," Cynthia for Congress website (accessed Apr. 10, 2008)
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| Iraq: |
"Has the war in
Iraq made America safer?" |
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None Found: ProCon.org emailed the McKinney campaign on Mar. 26, 2008 with this question. We had not received a reply or found a position as of Apr. 11, 2008.
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| Iraq: |
"Should the U.S.
set a timetable for troop withdrawal in Iraq?" |
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Pro: "Not only do we need an immediate, orderly withdrawal from Iraq and Afghanistan, we need an end to the militarism that has placed U.S. troops on the soil of over 100 countries."
"A Conscientious Objection," truthdig website, Mar. 23, 2008
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| Israel: |
"Should Israel continue to receive the current level of military and economic aid from the U.S.?" |
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Not Clearly Pro or Con: "[Atlanta Jewish Times]: You've been criticized by pro-Israel quarters...for being hard on Israel...Most recently, you voted for the Campbell Amendment [to the foreign aid bill] to decrease aid to Israel. Can you share your thoughts about Israel and the peace process?
Cynthia McKinney: ...What happened to me there was the President made a request and his request included money promised as a result of the implementation for the Wye Accords. I am not an expert on the politics of the Middle East. But I will be supportive of the peace process. Absolutely 100 percent. The Appropriations Committee put an additional $50 million in - $30 million for Israel and $20 million for Egypt - and the Campbell Amendment struck the additional funding, the $50 [million], which was not the President's request."
"Deconstructing Cynthia McKinney," Atlanta Jewish Times, Nov. 5, 1999
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| Israel-Palestinian Conflict: |
"Should the U.S. allow Hamas to join future Israeli-Palestinian negotiations?" |
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None Found: ProCon.org emailed the McKinney campaign on Mar. 26, 2008 with this question. We had not received a reply or found a position as of Apr. 11, 2008.
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| Israeli Palestinian Conflict: |
"Should there be an independent Palestinian state?" |
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Not Clearly Pro or Con: "In terms of a two-state solution, there are some who advocate two-state, some who advocate one-state, and folks just being able to live together. I would listen to the voices that are there and I would strip away the influence of the
AIPAC, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, and listen to those human rights advocates who are there."
Green Presidential Debate, San Francisco, CA, Jan. 13, 2008
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| Kosovo: |
"Should the U.S. have supported Kosovo’s independence?" |
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None Found: ProCon.org emailed the McKinney campaign on Mar. 26, 2008 with this question. We had not received a reply or found a position as of Apr. 11, 2008.
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| Marriage: |
"Should there be
a Constitutional amendment or federal law defining marriage as only
between a man and a woman?" |
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None Found: ProCon.org emailed the McKinney campaign on Mar. 26, 2008 with this question. We had not received a reply or found a position as of Apr. 11, 2008. |
| Marriage: |
"Should an
affair outside of marriage disqualify a candidate for public
office?" |
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None Found: ProCon.org emailed the McKinney campaign on Mar. 26, 2008 with this question. We had not received a reply or found a position as of Apr. 11, 2008. |
| Medical Marijuana: |
"Should
marijuana be a medical option?" |
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Pro: "In 1999, I voted to oppose prohibiting needle exchange and medical marijuana in the District of Columbia."
"Presidential Candidate Questionnaire," National Green Party website, May 1, 2007
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| Medical Marijuana: |
"Should the federal government stop raids against people for using medical marijuana in states where medical marijuana use is legal?" |
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None Found: ProCon.org emailed the McKinney campaign on Mar. 26, 2008 with this question. We had not received a reply or found a position as of Apr. 11, 2008.
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| National Service: |
"Should the U.S. institute a military draft?" |
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Con: Cosponsored "H.Con.Res.368":
"Expresses the sense of Congress that reinstating the military draft or implementing any other form of compulsory military service in the United States would be detrimental to U.S. long-term interests, violative of individual liberties protected by the Constitution, and inconsistent with the values underlying a free society as expressed in the Declaration of Independence."
"H.Con.Res.368," Library of Congress: THOMAS website, Mar. 20, 2002
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| National Service: |
"Should openly gay people be allowed to serve in the U.S. military?" |
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Pro: Cosponsored "Military Readiness Enhancement Act of 2005" (H.R. 1059):
"To amend title 10, United States Code, to enhance the readiness of the Armed Forces by replacing the current policy concerning homosexuality in the Armed Forces, referred to as 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell', with a policy of nondiscrimination on the basis of sexual orientation."
"Military Readiness Enhancement Act of 2005" (H.R. 1059), Library of Congress: THOMAS website, Mar. 2, 2005
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| Presidential Power: |
"Should the U.S. President's powers be expanded to include a line item veto?" |
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Con: Voted No on "H.R.4890":
"Legislative Line Item Veto Act of 2006 - (Sec. 2) Amends the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 to authorize the President to propose the cancellation (line item veto) of any dollar amount of discretionary budget authority, item of direct spending, or targeted tax benefit within 45 days after its enactment."
"H.R.4890," Library of Congress: THOMAS website, June 22, 2006
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| Religion: |
"Should federal
funds be given to faith-based (religious) organizations and
initiatives?" |
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None Found: ProCon.org emailed the McKinney campaign on Mar. 26, 2008 with this question. We had not received a reply or found a position as of Apr. 11, 2008.
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| Religion: |
"Should a
candidate's religion matter to voters?" |
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None Found: ProCon.org emailed the McKinney campaign on Mar. 26, 2008 with this question. We had not received a reply or found a position as of Apr. 11, 2008.
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| Social Security: |
"Should Social
Security be privatized?" |
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None Found: ProCon.org emailed the McKinney campaign on Mar. 26, 2008 with this question. We had not received a reply or found a position as of Apr. 11, 2008.
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| Stem Cells: |
"Should the
federal government fund embryonic stem cell research?" |
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Pro: "In May 2005 I voted [on the "Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2005" (H.R.810)] to support human embryonic stem cell research."
"Presidential Candidate Questionnaire," National Green Party website, May 1, 2007
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| Taxes: |
"Should the Bush
tax cuts be made permanent?" |
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Con: "I spent my birthday last year protesting in front of the Pentagon. At that rally, I stated that upon winning a majority of the seats in the Congress, the Democratic representatives should have repealed the Bush tax cuts, repealed the Patriot Act, the Secret Evidence Act, and the Military Tribunals Act."
"Wikinews Interviews U.S. Green Party Presidential Candidate Cynthia McKinney," Wikinews website, Mar. 7, 2008
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| Turkey: |
"Should Turkey be able to enter Iraq or other countries unilaterally in search of its enemies?" |
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None Found: ProCon.org emailed the McKinney campaign on Mar. 26, 2008 with this question. We had not received a reply or found a position as of Apr. 11, 2008.
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| U.S. Constitution: |
"Should the U.S.
Constitution and Bill of Rights be altered or updated in any
way?" |
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None Found: ProCon.org emailed the McKinney campaign on Mar. 26, 2008 with this question. We had not received a reply or found a position as of Apr. 11, 2008.
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| War on Terror: |
"Should
interrogation techniques that some consider torture, such as
waterboarding, be a legal option?" |
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None Found: ProCon.org emailed the McKinney campaign on Mar. 26, 2008 with this question. We had not received a reply or found a position as of Apr. 11, 2008.
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| War on Terror: |
"Should the military detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba be closed?" |
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None Found: ProCon.org emailed the McKinney campaign on Mar. 26, 2008 with this question. We had not received a reply or found a position as of Apr. 11, 2008.
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