Hillary Clinton'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: "Let us unite around a common goal of reducing the amount of abortions, not by making them illegal as many are attempting to do or overturning Roe v. Wade and undermining the constitutional protections that decision provided, but by preventing unintended pregnancies in the first place through education, contraception, accessible health care and services, empowering women to make decisions."
"Women's Rights: National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association Luncheon," Hillary Clinton's official candidate website, June 13, 2006
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| Abortion: |
"Should parental consent be required for pregnant minors to have abortions?" |
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Con: "While we all hope that young women will involve their parents in these decisions, mandating parental consent has the serious potential to do more harm than good. In fact, during congressional testimony, Dr. Warren Seigel, an expert in adolescent medicine, stated that legislation mandating parental involvement `represents bad medicine and places politics before the health of our youth.'"
Congressional Record, Library of Congress, THOMAS, July 25, 2006
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| Character: |
"Is competence more important than honesty in a President?" |
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Not Clearly Pro or Con: "In a major policy speech at St. Anselm College today, Hillary Clinton proposed a series of measures to restore Americans' confidence in their government by increasing transparency and cutting waste and corruption.
'This is a plan to enhance accountability and transparency and make government more efficient and effective for taxpayers,' Clinton said. 'To restore competence and end the culture of cronyism. To replace secrecy and mystery with transparency. A plan to make our government work for all Americans again.'"
"Clinton Outlines Comprehensive 10-Point Government Reform Plan," Press Release, Hillary Clinton's official candidate website, Apr. 13, 2007
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| China: |
"Is China a threat to the U.S.?" |
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Not Clearly Pro or Con: "[Keith] Olbermann: ...Senator Clinton, China, an ally or an adversary?
[Hillary] Clinton: ...You know, six and a half
years ago, we had a balanced budget and a surplus...Now we are in deep debt with a rising deficit. And it is absolutely true that George Bush has put it on the credit card, expecting our children and grandchildren to pay for it. We've got to get back to fiscal responsibility in order to undercut the Chinese power over us because of the debt we hold. We also have to deal with their current manipulation. We have to have tougher standards on what they import into this country. I do not want to eat bad food from China or have my children having toys that are going to get them sick...So let's be tough on China going forward."
AFL-CIO Democratic Presidential Forum, Chicago, IL, Aug. 7, 2007
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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: "This month you will visit the People’s Republic of China to meet with the leadership of that nation. These summit meetings provide an opportunity for the United States and China to discuss a wide range of important issues. During your meetings, I urge you to raise human rights issues with the Chinese government and emphasize that respect for human rights is a critically important element in the U.S.-China relationship...
I strongly support continuing efforts to improve the relationship on all levels between our country and China. It is to our mutual benefit to work together to address the range of challenges facing both of us. However, economic and social advances will be lasting only if they are built on a foundation of respect for human rights."
Excerpt of a letter written by Hillary Clinton to President George Bush, Nov. 10, 2005
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| Cuba: |
"Should the U.S. continue to support an embargo against Cuba?" |
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Pro: "I support the congressional action...to increase food and medicine, exports to Cuba, to increase travel between citizens, but I am not ready to vote to lift the embargo."
Speech at the Council of Foreign Relations, Oct. 17, 2000
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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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Con: "[Anderson] Cooper: Senator Clinton, would you agree with Senator Biden? American troops should got to Darfur?
[Hillary] Clinton: I agree completely that what we need to do is start acting instead of talking. That means accelerating the United Nations peacekeeping forces along with the African Union. It means moving more quickly on divestment and sanctions on the Sudanese government, including trying to use the diplomacy to get China involved. And, finally, it does mean a no-fly zone. We can do it in a way that doesn't endanger humanitarian relief.
[Anderson] Cooper: How about American troops on the ground?
[Hillary] Clinton: I think NATO [North Atlantic Treaty Organization] has to be there with the no-fly zone, and I think that only the United States can provide the logistical support and the air lift to make a no-fly zone and the actual delivery of humanitarian aid work.
[Anderson] Cooper: Just in the spirit of trying to get the answer, does that mean no American ground troops?
[Hillary] Clinton: American ground troops I don't think belong in Darfur at this time. I think we need to focus on the United Nations peacekeeping troops and the African Union troops. We've got to figure out what we're doing in Iraq, where our troops are stretched thin, and Afghanistan, where we're losing the fight to al Qaeda and bin Laden."
CNN/YouTube Democratic Presidential Debate, Charleston, SC, July 23, 2007
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| Death Penalty: |
"Should the death penalty remain a legal option in America?" |
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Pro: "I support the death penalty. I support a lot of the positions that I think the majority of New Yorkers support."
"'I Knew It Would Be Rough': Excerpts From Interview With Mrs. Clinton" New York Times, Feb. 6, 2000
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| Economy: |
"Is outsourcing jobs to other countries good for America?" |
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Con: "Well, outsourcing is a problem, and it’s one that I’ve dealt with as a senator from New York. I started an organization called New Jobs for New York to try to stand against the tide of outsourcing, particularly from upstate New York and from rural areas."
All-American Presidential Forum, hosted by PBS, Howard University, Washington, D.C., June 28, 2007
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| Economy: |
"Should the U.S. include mandatory regulations for labor rights in free trade agreements?" |
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Pro: "NAFTA [North American Free Trade Agreement] was a mistake to the extent that it did not deliver on what we had hoped it would, and that's why I call for trade timeout. When I am president, I'm going to evaluate every trade agreement. We do need to get back to enforcing the ones we have, which the Bush administration has not done. They have totally abdicated that.
But I think we have to get broader than that. We've got to have enforceable labor and environmental standards. We've got the WTO [World Trade Organization] that enforces financial and corporate rights. We need the International Labor Organization and other mechanisms that will be there to enforce labor rights and environmental rights.
And that's what I intend to do as president."
Democratic Debate, hosted by CNN, Las Vegas, NV, Nov. 15, 2007
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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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Now Not Clearly Pro or Con: "[Hillary] Clinton: I have been a critic of NAFTA from the very beginning. I didn't have a public position on it, because I was part of the administration, but when I started running for the Senate, I have been a critic. I've said it was flawed. I said that it worked in some parts of our country, and I've seen the results in Texas. I was in Laredo in the last couple of days. It's the largest inland port in America now. So clearly, some parts of our country have been benefited...
I have said that I will renegotiate NAFTA, so obviously, you'd have to say to
Canada and Mexico that that's exactly what we're going to do...
[Tim] Russert: You will get out. You will notify Mexico and Canada, NAFTA is gone in six months.
Clinton: No, I will say we will opt out of NAFTA unless we renegotiate it, and we
renegotiate on terms that are favorable to all of America."
Democratic Presidential Debate, Cleveland, OH, Feb. 26, 2008
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[Editor's Note: Prior to Hillary Clinton's Feb. 26, 2008 Not Clearly Pro or Con position above, her position was Pro as indicated in her Jan. 5, 2004 statement below.] |
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Pro: "...I think on balance NAFTA has been good for New York and America."
Quote from a Jan. 5, 2004 news teleconference presented on Meet the Press with Tim Russert during a Nov. 18, 2007 interview with Hillary Clinton
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| Education: |
"Has the No Child Left Behind Act been effective at improving public education?" |
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Con: "For those who are in education, you already know that the No Child Left Behind Act, which was intended to provide more resources for schools and create more support for the teaching and learning enterprise has unfortunately not been either funded or implemented, in my view, effectively or appropriately."
"Clinton on No Child Left Behind," video on Glassbooth.org website (accessed Jan. 28, 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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Pro: "...[T]he most important doorway into the middle class is education beyond high school. Today a college graduate earns twice as much as a high school graduate. That is a million-dollar bonus over the working lifetimes of today's college seniors. We used to rank first in the world in our percentage of young people with a post-secondary degree; now we have fallen to seventh, not because our young people don't try but because too many don't finish. Think of that.
The most overwhelming obstacle to finishing college is the expense. College costs have increased faster than inflation for 25 years in a row. The result is that college graduation rates have stayed flat for years. About 70 percent of Americans own their own home. About 85 percent have healthcare. About 42 percent own retirement accounts, but only 30 percent have a college degree. Just because many of us from this room think everybody we know has a college degree, that is not the case. The percentage is higher for Americans under 35, but it is still less than half...
Within a decade, more than half of our young people could finish college with a degree, and any student willing to work part time or perform community service to go to a four-year public college practically free, because we propose a new performance-based American dream grant that will award states money each year based on the number of students that attend and graduate from their colleagues and universities."
"Remarks of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton at the 2006 DLC National Conversation," Democratic Leadership Council (DLC) website, July 24, 2006
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| Education: |
"Should the federal government fund school voucher programs?" |
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Con: "What they (vouchers) have done is to divert public funds for a few and weaken an entire system."
"NEA Representative Assembly Closes with Infusion of Energy and Resolve," National Education Association website, July 6, 1999
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| Election Reform: |
"Should voter verified paper audit trails (VVPAT) be mandatory in elections?" |
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Pro: "...I am today introducing the 'Protecting American Democracy Act of 2003,' which amends by adding a voter verification requirement for voting systems to give each voter an opportunity to verify his or her vote at the time the vote is cast. Voters will be given an opportunity to correct any error made by the voting system before the permanent voting record is preserved.
While requiring that all election jurisdictions give voters the ability to verify their votes, this legislation also gives States and local jurisdictions the flexibility to employ the most appropriate, accurate, and secure voter verification technologies, which may include voter-verifiable paper ballots, votemeters, modular voting architecture, and/or encrypted votes, for their State or jurisdiction in a uniform and nondiscriminatory manner. Any voter verification method used must ensure that voters with disabilities and other affected voters have the ability to cast their vote in private, and language minorities must have equal access in verifying their vote."
"Statements on Introduced Bills and Joint Resolutions," U.S. Senate website, Dec. 9, 2003
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| Election Reform: |
"Should there be restrictions on campaign contributions?" |
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Not Clearly Pro or Con: Voted Yes on the "Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002" (H.R. 2356) on Mar. 20, 2002:
"The Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 (BCRA) includes several provisions designed to end the use of nonfederal, or 'soft money' (money raised outside the limits and prohibitions of federal campaign finance law) for activity affecting federal elections...
The BCRA increases limits on contributions made by individuals and some political committees; indexes certain contribution limits for inflation; prohibits contributions by minors to federal candidates and parties; and prohibits contributions, donations, expenditures, independent expenditures and disbursements by foreign nationals...
The new law may raise the individual contribution limits for Senate and House candidates who are facing self-financed candidates if those candidates spend more than a specified amount of their own funds on the campaign."
"Major provisions of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002," Federal Election Commission website, Mar. 20, 2002
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| Election Reform: |
"Should the election campaigns of candidates for public office be publicly financed?" |
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Pro: Hillary Clinton: "...I believe that the only answer to this entire set of circumstances is public financing, something that I strongly support, that I'm going to try to do when I'm President, because there is no doubt that the cost of campaigns, particularly to try to get on television with our advertising and all the things that people have to do in a modern campaign are just out of control..."
George Stephanopoulos: "Will you cosponsor the legislation on public financing that Senator Obama has introduced?"
Clinton: "I'm going to cosponsor anything that looks like it can move us in that direction, because my view on this is we're not going to get anything done at this point with the President, with, unfortunately, a Republican minority that engages in filibustering, but we're going to try to build a commitment to doing it.
There are some ideological, philosophical, even constitutional objections, but I think we can overcome those and I don't see any choice. We've got to do it. Otherwise, the campaigns are going to continue to do the very best we can. We've even added additional background check work that we think is called for. But at the end of the day, we should be moving toward public financing."
This Week with George Stephanopoulos, Sep. 23, 2007
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| Energy: |
"Should drilling for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) be allowed?" |
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Con: "Protecting America's vast environmental treasures, such as our National Parks, National Forests, and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, is a bipartisan tradition stretching back to Teddy Roosevelt. These special places are part of our natural - and our national - heritage.
I have strongly supported protection of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The Arctic Refuge is part of what makes our country unique, beautiful and precious. During my time in the Senate, I have worked to ensure that the Arctic Refuge will not be opened to unnecessary development. I am an original cosponsor of legislation that would protect the refuge by designating it as a protected wilderness area. In addition, I have voted against opening the refuge to drilling at every opportunity during my time in the Senate. Drilling for oil in the Arctic Refuge is bad environmental policy, and it is bad energy policy. It would take ten years of drilling in the Arctic Refuge to roduce oil. We do not need to despoil an environmental treasure on a gamble for oil where the odds of finding significant supplies are remote."
"Protecting America's Natural Heritage," Hillary Clinton's Senate website (accessed Oct. 17, 2007)
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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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Pro: "With oil nearing $100 a barrel and gas prices over $3 per gallon, Americans are feeling the pain of seven years of a failed Bush-Cheney energy policy...
I urge the President to release oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve and the Northeast Heating Oil Reserve to send a signal to the market and ease concerns about low crude oil stocks that are driving prices higher."
"Statement of Hillary Clinton on High Gas Prices," Press Release, Hillary Clinton's official candidate website, Nov. 7, 2007
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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: "...I will start by reigniting our international involvement. We cannot sit here, in the United Sates and expect to deal with global warming if we do not cooperate with other countries. Getting back into process, you know when President Bush took us out of Kyoto, I regretted that but he had an opportunity to start his own process, he didn't want to do Kyoto, do something else. Reach out to India and China they have to be part of this. One of the flaws of the Kyoto process was I don't think people anticipated, even in the early 90s how quickly China and India would grow. China is now growing at 12 percent a year. They are the second highest user of energy but they are now the highest emitter of green house gases in the world. India is not far behind. We have got to get a new international process."
"Energy and Environment: Speech on the Green Building Fund," Hillary Clinton's official candidate website, July 24, 2007
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| Environment: |
"Should the federal government mandate an increase in fuel efficiency standards for automobiles?" |
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Pro: "As President, I will put in place a market-based cap and trade system to reduce carbon pollution...In combination with efficiency, fuel economy standards and other proposals, this system will ensure we meet our goal of reducing our contribution to global warming below 1990 levels by 80%...
As President, I will raise the fuel efficiency standards to 40 miles per gallon by 2020 and 55 by 2030."
"ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE: Comprehensive Strategy to Address the Climate and Energy Challenge," Hillary Clinton's official candidate website, Nov. 5, 2007
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| Environment: |
"Are humans substantially responsible for global climate change today?" |
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Not Clearly Pro or Con: "...[T]he President [George W. Bush] and Vice President [Dick Cheney] refuse to admit that there were any human contributions to global climate change. There are climatic changes that are so-called natural, but we have so changed the atmosphere that it has a ripple effect...Yes, there are natural reasons why the climate may get warmer but we put so much CO2 into the atmosphere that that changes the natural forces..."
"Hillary Clinton Answers a Global Warming Question in Iowa," YouTube.com video of a Town Hall Meeting in Des Moines, IA (accessed Mar. 18, 2008)
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| Gun Control: |
"Are more federal regulations on guns and ammunition needed?" |
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Pro: "...I remember very well when I accompanied Bill to Columbine after that massacre and met with the family members of those who had been killed and talked with the students, and feeling that we had to do more to try to keep guns out of the hands of the criminal and of the mentally unstable.
And during the Clinton administration, that was a goal -- not to, in any way, violate people's Second Amendment rights, but to try to limit access to people who should not have guns."
Democratic Presidential Debate, Charleston, SC, Apr. 26, 2007
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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: "...[T]oday, as we strive for a new beginning to the 21st century, I believe everyone, every man, woman and child, should have quality, affordable health care in America...
Under my plan, large companies will be required to help pay for their employees' health care. Those that do so can simply maintain their current policy that they choose. Those that don't, will need to contribute towards the cost of covering their employees on a sliding scale based on their size and average wages...
Now, under my plan, we won't require small businesses to cover employees. Instead we will provide tax credits to ensure that many of them do. These tax credits will be based on size and average wages, so that small businesses can provide health care without destroying their bottom line...
Government also needs to do its part to promote shared responsibility. Under my plan, the government will provide tax-credits to insure that every single American can afford health insurance."
"HEALTH CARE: Remarks on American Health Choices Plan," Hillary Clinton's official candidate website (accessed Oct. 30, 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: Voted Yes on the "Greater Access to Affordable Pharmaceuticals Act of 2002" (S.812) on July 31, 2002:
"Title II - Importation of Prescription Drugs...
Declares that enforcement efforts concerning importation of prescription drugs by individuals should focus on significant threats to public health rather than importation that is clearly for personal use, particularly importation from Canada."
"S.812: Greater Access to Affordable Pharmaceuticals Act of 2002," GovTrack.us website, July 31, 2002
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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 Clinton campaign on Jan. 21, 2008 with this question. We had not received a reply or found a position as of Jan. 28, 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: "...[W]hat we've got to do is to say, come out of the shadows. We will register everyone. We will check, because if you have committed a crime in this country or the country you came from, then you will not be able to stay, you will have to be deported.
But for the vast majority of people who are here, we will give you a path to legalization if you meet the following condition: pay a fine because you entered illegally, be willing to pay back taxes over time, try to learn English -- and we have to help you do that, because we've cut back on so many of those services -- and then you wait in line....
And therefore, it's imperative we approach it this way, only after people have agreed to these conditions...and that they have been willing to say, yes, they will meet those conditions, do I think we ought to talk about privileges like drives' licenses."
Democratic Presidential Debate, hosted by CNN, Los Angeles, CA, Jan. 31, 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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Pro: "[Hillary] Clinton: There may be places where a physical barrier is appropriate. I think when both of us [Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama] voted for this, we were voting for the possibility that where it was appropriate and made sense, it would be considered...So I would have a review. I would listen to the people who live along the border, who understand what it is we need to be doing to protect our country...
[John] King: Does that mean that you think your vote was wrong, or the implementation of it was wrong?...
Clinton: But, you know, John, there is -- there's a lot we've learned about technology and smart fencing. You know, there is technology that can be used instead of a physical barrier. It requires us having enough personnel along the border so that people can be supervising a certain limited amount of space and will be able to be responsive in the event of people attempting to cross illegally. I think that the way that the Bush administration is going about this, filing eminent domain actions against landowners and municipalities, makes no sense.
So what I have said is, yes, there are places when after a careful review, again listening to the people who live along the border, there may be limited places where it would work. But let's deploy more technology and personnel, instead of the physical barrier.
I frankly think that will work better and it will give us an opportunity to secure our borders without interfering with family relations, business relations, recreation and so much else that makes living along the border, you know, wonderful."
Democratic Presidential Debate, hosted by CNN, Austin, TX, Feb. 21, 2008 |
[Editor's Note: Senator Clinton also voted in favor of the "Secure Fence Act of 2006" (H.R.6061) on Sep. 29, 2006 which allowed for the following:
"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..."]
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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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Not Clearly Pro or Con: "We cannot, we should not, and we must not permit Iran to build or acquire nuclear weapons. That has to be our starting point. And in dealing with this threat, no option can be taken off the table. I think it's important that we look at all the options that are available to us, some of which have been considerably narrowed because of this administration's policies...
And finally, if we do have to take offensive military action against Iran, it would be far better if the rest of the world saw it as a position of last resort, not first resort, because the effects and consequences will be globally felt."
"Remarks by Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton," The Philadelphia Village Voice, July 2007
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| Iraq: |
"Was it a mistake to attack Iraq in 2003?" |
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Now Pro: "Based on the information that we have today, Congress never would have been asked to give the President authority to use force against Iraq. And if Congress had been asked, based on what we know now, we never would have agreed, given the lack of a long-term plan, paltry international support, the proven absence of weapons of mass destruction, and the reallocation of troops and resources that might have been used in Afghanistan to eliminate Bin Laden and al Qaeda, and fully uproot the Taliban."
Letter to constituents on Iraq policy, Nov. 29, 2005
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[Editor's Note: Prior to Hillary Clinton's Nov. 29, 2005 Pro position above, her position was Con as indicated in her Dec. 15, 2003 statement below.] |
Con: "I was one who supported giving President Bush the authority, if necessary, to use force against Saddam Hussein. I believe that that was the right vote. I have had many disputes and disagreements with the administration over how that authority has been used, but I stand by the vote to provide the authority because I think it was a necessary step in order to maximize the outcome that did occur in the Security Council with the unanimous vote to send in inspectors. And I also knew that our military forces would be successful."
"Remarks by Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton," Council on Foreign Relations, Dec. 15, 2003
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| Iraq: |
"Has the war in Iraq made America safer?" |
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Con: "Even those who are implementing this [Iraq] policy of the president's cannot tell us it will make America more safe, nor that it will lead to the kind of political decision-making that we have to expect from the Iraqis themselves."
"Ending the War in Iraq," Hillary Clinton's official candidate website (accessed Aug. 15, 2007)
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| Iraq: |
"Should the U.S. set a timetable for troop withdrawal in Iraq?" |
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Now Pro: Voted yes on the "U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans' Care, Katrina Recovery, and Iraq Accountability Appropriations Act, 2007" (H.R. 1591) "Making emergency supplemental appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2007, and for other purposes" on Apr. 26, 2007:
"TITLE I GLOBAL WAR ON TERROR SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS- CHAPTER 9 GENERAL PROVISIONS-THIS TITLE- SEC. 1904...
(b) If the President fails to make any of the determinations specified in subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense shall commence the redeployment of the Armed Forces from Iraq no later than July 1, 2007, with a goal of completing such redeployment within 180 days.
(c) If the President makes the determinations specified in subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense shall commence the redeployment of the Armed Forces from Iraq not later than October 1, 2007, with a goal of completing such redeployment within 180 days."
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[Editor's Note: Prior to Hillary Clinton's Apr. 26, 2007 Pro position above, her position was Con a timetable for troop withdrawal as indicated in her Nov. 29, 2005 statement below.] |
Con: "It is time for the President to stop serving up platitudes and present us with a plan for finishing this war with success and honor - not a rigid timetable that terrorists can exploit, but a public plan for winning and concluding the war."
"Letter to Constituents on Iraq Policy," Hillary Clinton's Senate website, Nov. 29, 2005
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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: "There are no quick solutions for the difficulties we face today, but we know that we have to stand with democracies and free peoples against the threat of nihilism and extremism. That is why we stand with Israel because it is a beacon of democracy in the region; that is why we stand with Israel because its very existence is a defiant affront to anti-Semitism; that is why we stand with Israel because in defeating terror because Israel's cause is our cause. And that is why we stand with Israel because of our shared values and our shared belief in the dignity of men and women and the right to live without fear or oppression. And what we must do is to think rationally and strategically about how our values, our beliefs can be translated into effective action. It is not enough for us to say the right things; we've got to be smart and tough enough to do the right things that will protect American and Israeli interests now and forever."
"Senator Clinton's Remarks to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC)," Hillary Clinton U.S. Senate website, Feb. 1, 2007
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| Israel-Palestinian Conflict: |
"Should the U.S. allow Hamas to join future Israeli-Palestinian negotiations?" |
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Not Clearly Pro or Con: Cosponsored "A Resolution Condemning Hezbollah and Hamas and Their State Sponsors and Supporting Israel's Exercise of Its Right to Self-defense" (S.534) on July 18, 2006:
"RESOLUTION
Condemning Hezbollah and Hamas and their state sponsors and supporting Israel's exercise of its right to self-defense...
Whereas both Hezbollah and Hamas refuse to recognize Israel's right to exist and call for the destruction of Israel: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate...
(5) condemns the Governments of Iran and Syria for their continued support for Hezbollah and Hamas, and holds the Governments of Syria and Iran responsible for the acts of aggression carried out by Hezbollah and Hamas against Israel...
(7) urges the President to use all available political and diplomatic means, including sanctions, to persuade the governments of Syria and Iran to end their support of Hezbollah and Hamas..."
"S. Res. 534: A Resolution Condemning Hezbollah and Hamas and Their State Sponsors and Supporting Israel's Exercise of Its Right to Self-defense," GovTrack.us website, July 18, 2006
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| Israeli Palestinian Conflict: |
"Should there be an independent Palestinian state?" |
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Pro: "I think that it will be in the long term interests of the Middle East for Palestine to be a state, and for it to be a state that is responsible for its citizens' well-being, a state that has responsibility for providing education and health care and economic opportunity to its citizens, a state that has to accept the responsibility of governing...I think that is very important for the Palestinian people, but I also think it is very important for the broader goal of peace in the Middle East."
"Hillary Clinton: Eventual Palestinian State Important for Mideast Peace," U.S. Embassy, Tel Aviv website, May 6, 1998
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| Kosovo: |
"Should the U.S. have supported Kosovo’s independence?" |
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Pro: "I supported the independence of Kosovo because I think it is imperative that in the heart of Europe we continue to promote independence and democracy."
Democratic Presidential Debate, Austin, TX, Feb. 21, 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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Con: "When HRC [Human Rights Campaign] stood up and took on the Federal Marriage Amendment [Constitutional amendment legally defining marriage as the union between a man and a woman only] you were making an important statement because this amendment was wedge politics at its worst. It was mean-spirited. It was against the entire forward movement of American history. It was the first time that anyone was proposing that we amend the Constitution to deny citizens' rights, rather than widening the circle of rights and opportunities...
In the end, we stopped the Federal Marriage Amendment and we sent a strong message that we will not stand idly by when anyone tries to write discrimination into our Constitution."
Speech at a Human Rights Campaign Board Meeting, Mar. 2, 2007
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| Marriage: |
"Should an affair outside of marriage disqualify a candidate for public office?" |
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Not Clearly Pro or Con: "[Katy] Couric: Harry Truman once said, 'A man not honorable in his marital relations is not usually honorable in any other.' Some voters say they don't feel comfortable supporting someone who's not remained faithful to his or her spouse. Can you understand or appreciate their point of view?
Clinton: Well, I can certainly understand why some people would feel that way, and...that is their perfect right to do so. But I think...[it] would be a tough standard for most of American history to be able to meet, when we look at people who have made a big difference in our country.
I think there's more to someone's honor and integrity, and to their public service. I think sometimes we confuse the private and the public in ways that are not necessarily useful. So, of course, it's a deeply personal matter that I take personally. But I think on the public stage, there are a number of people who have represented our country, led our country, accomplished great achievements on behalf of our country who might have some challenges in their personal life, but have made a great contribution."
"Candidates Offer Views on Infidelity," CBS Evening News with Katy Couric, Dec. 19, 2007
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| Medical Marijuana: |
"Should marijuana be a medical option?" |
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Not Clearly Pro or Con: "With respect to medical marijuana, you know I think that we have had a lot of rhetoric and the federal government has been very intent upon trying to prevent states from being able to offer that as an option for people who are in pain. I think we should be doing medical research on this. We ought to find what are the elements that claim to be existing in marijuana that might help people who are suffering from cancer and nausea-related treatments. We ought to find that out. I don't think we should decriminalize it, but we ought to do research into what, if any, medical benefits it has."
Town hall forum, Plymouth State College, Plymouth, NJ, Oct. 11, 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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Not Clearly Pro or Con: "Clayton Holton: ...I was curious if you will stop federal raids against medical marijuana users like myself.
Hillary Clinton: You know, I think we have to do more research into that and try to figure out how we can create the option for people who really get relief from it to get some help. We'll look at that."
"Sen. Hillary Clinton Meets a Medical Marijuana Patient," conversation between Hillary Clinton and Clayton Holton from Granite Staters for Medical Marijuana, YouTube.com, Nov. 1, 2007
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| National Service: |
"Should the U.S. institute a military draft?" |
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Con: "[Anderson] Cooper: Senator Clinton, do you think women should register for Selective Service?
[Hillary] Clinton: I do. I don't support a draft. I think our all-volunteer military has performed superbly. But we've
had women die in Iraq. We've had combat deaths of women in Iraq and Afghanistan. And I do think that women should register. I doubt very much that we'll ever have to go back to a draft. But I think it is fair to call upon every young American."
CNN/YouTube Democratic Presidential Debate, Charleston, SC, July 23, 2007
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| National Service: |
"Should openly gay people be allowed to serve in the U.S. military?" |
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Pro: "...[P]robably since the very
beginning of our nation we've had gays serving in our military with distinction and honor on behalf of our country, as
we do today. And yet I have watched how 'don't ask/don't tell' has been implemented. And I've concluded that it is not the best
way for us as a nation to proceed. It has been in many instances implemented in a discriminatory manner.
You know, after the first Gulf War there was a big flood of discharges of gays and lesbians because they let them serve and then after they finished the war, then they discharged them.
In this particular time period, we've had Arabic linguists discharged under 'don't ask/don't tell' when we are unfortunately so short of having people who speak the very language that our men and women in uniform have to understand in the streets of Baghdad. So I believe we could change the policy to let gays and lesbians serve in the military and be covered by the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So just like those who are not gays and lesbians, if there were conduct problems, then the conduct problems we looked at. But people would not be judged on who they are...
And I just want to end by saying Barry Goldwater once said you don't have to be straight to shoot straight.
And I think he was right...And I believe we should open up our military."
Democrats' Second 2008 Presidential Debate, hosted by CNN, Saint Anselm College, Manchester, NH, June 3, 2007
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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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None Found: ProCon.org emailed the Clinton campaign on Feb. 22, 2008 with this question. We had not received a reply or found a position as of Feb. 29, 2008.
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| Religion: |
"Should federal funds be given to faith-based (religious) organizations and initiatives?" |
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Pro: "There is no contradiction between support for faith-based initiatives and upholding our constitutional principles."
"Sen. Clinton Urges Use of Faith-based Initiatives," by Michael Jonas, The Boston Globe, Jan. 20, 2005
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| Religion: |
"Should a candidate's religion matter to voters?" |
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Not Clearly Pro or Con: "People often ask me whether I'm a praying person, and I say I was lucky enough to be raised in a praying family...
So faith can provide that bedrock and it is important that we have the right debate in our country. It needs to be one carried out by people who understand what our objectives should be. We want to live together, we want to respect each other's beliefs, and that means respecting the faith of others and enabling people to live out their faith in the public square, and that means also providing services to people, so that we have a diversity of services available."
"Remarks by Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton to the Ten Point National Leadership Foundation," Hillary Clinton's U.S. Senate website, Jan. 19, 2005
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| Social Security: |
"Should Social Security be privatized?" |
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Con: "We've got to make sure that nobody ever tries to privatize Social Security, something that I fought tooth and nail, with many of you to prevent."
American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations
(AFL-CIO) Democratic Presidential Forum, Chicago, IL, Aug. 7, 2007
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| Stem Cells: |
.org
(PDF) 249 KB, Apr. 26, 2007