The Presidential Election is coming up in 2016 and that means it is right around the corner. Currently, there are 22 candidates running to be “top dog” of our great USA. Who can keep all 22 straight especially when 17 of that big 22 have very similar political stances on important issues? Every year, college students are the #1 lowest voter demographic in the United States. Many college students choose not to vote because they either don’t feel their vote counts, or they don’t know the candidates as well as they would like to. As a busy college student, who really has time to watch the endless mirage of GOP and Democrat debates, especially when recruitment and rush is coming up? After my crash course, you will want to impress your friends and family with all your newfound political knowledge. Here is a low-down of all the candidates and what they stand for.

Team Democrats

Hillary Rodham Clinton – Holds a large following in the democratic community. Ultimately against abortion only as a last resort, government should have no role in abortion decisions, reforming economy for middle-class families, pro same-sex marriage, disagrees with progressives on corporatism & military, pro-Israel assistance, more drug diversion; more community policing, pro medical marijuana but not for recreational use, supports comprehensive immigration reform, against “No Child Left Behind”, and she proposes to keep and strengthen “Obamacare”.

Bernie Sanders – Originally opposed Iraq war, strongly supports same-sex marriage, supports stringent measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, including tough standards for new vehicles, as well as some more politically unorthodox ideas, like providing money to study environmental-human relations factors in hopes to delay global warming, and Sanders supports increased government spending to generate jobs and rebuild the nation’s infrastructure.

Lincoln Chafee- Pro same-sex marriage, proposes more environment conservation and eliminating greenhouse gases, supports establishing guest-worker programs with a path toward citizenship for undocumented immigrants.

Martin O’Malley – He supports federal abortion funding, in 2007 adopted the “Clean Cars Act” to fight global warming, shies away from foreign policy and wants to adopt new foreign policy of engagement and collaboration, came up with a “Fair Campaign Financing Act” for gubernatorial elections, supports “Obamacare”, and wants to raise the minimum wage, plus collective bargaining rights.

Jim Webb - Has very low support with democrats due to support of Confederate flag, does not completely support same-sex marriage, supports economy reform, and he is pro-choice.

Team Republicans

Donald J. Trump – Won popular vote amongst Republicans, wants to ban late abortions; exceptions for rape, incest or health, believes same-sex marriage should be a state issue only, pro capital punishment, in 2011 stated that we should legalize drugs and use tax revenue to fund drug education, supports to cut funding for the Department of Education, opposes “Common Core”, does not believe in global warming or climate change, wants more sanctions on Iran and more overall support of Israel, wants to keep Mexicans out of the USA, believes that undocumented immigrants are all criminals, wants to build a wall between Mexico and the USA, and wants to greatly increase border control.

Jeb Bush – Against the use of public funds for stem cell research, pro-life, wants to let businesses express religious freedom against gays, supports the “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy, anti-feminist stance on issues, wants to build more prisons and have prisoners serve longer sentences, against medical marijuana, and wants to expand US troops in countries near Russia.

Scott Walker - Passed pro-life legislation and defunded Planned Parenthood, proposes a constitutional amendment to prevent federal same-sex marriage, put in place manufacturing/agriculture production tax credit, proposes that more drug testing is common sense policy for workplace safety, and wants to build up our U.S. military to take out ISIS entirely.

Chris Christie – He is pro-life, wants to focus on helping middle-class workers, against same-sex marriage, $2.3 billion small business tax relief package, drug treatment instead of jail, pro education reform, pro environmental conservation however does not believe in global warming, and he wants to focus on violence control rather than gun control.

Ben Carson – No proposals for budget or economy, opposes same-sex marriage, 5-year federal hiring freeze in order to decrease size of government, and is pro-second amendment.

Ted Cruz – Opposes public abortion funding, wants to overturn Supreme Court with anti-gay marriage Amendment, and he supports the death penalty.

Carly Fiorina – She is pro-life except for rape and incest, opposes same-sex marriage, wants to focus on supporting small family-owned businesses, and opposes government-run/funded healthcare.

Jim Glimore – No clear stance on abortion, college costs reform, supports more oil drilling on and offshore, pro-second amendment, does not want to give amnesty for undocumented immigrants and proposes more control of the border.

Lindsey Graham – Pro-life, proposes to cut spending to raise debt ceiling in 2016, opposes same-sex marriage, pro-death penalty, voted yes to protect oceans, coastal, and Great Lakes ecosystems, proposes no aid or alliances to Cuba, and proposes sanctions against Putin, wants to focus on terrorism in Africa.

Mike Huckabee – Stated that “same-sex marriage leads to criminalization of Christianity”, opposes “hate crimes” reform and legislation, opposes “Common Core”, believes that ethanol mandate is a matter of national security and extremely important, believes Hip/Hop Rap is toxic and should not be allowed for children, wants to keep the Cuban embargo, believes that Islamic terrorism is our largest threat and needs to be handled, pro vaccinations, and proposes to let illegal alien’s children into college despite parent’s crime.

Bobby Jindal – Pro-life, strong views opposing same-sex marriage, proposes capital punishment for rape as well as murder, and full financial disclosure for lobbyists and legislators.

Rick Santorum- Pushed legislation to protect the unborn, opposes same-sex marriage, reform education, does not believe we can reverse or help global warming, believes that the ethanol mandate brings jobs and energy independence for the U.S., successfully pushed bipartisan national security legislation, and wants to focus on Iran and terrorism.

Marco Rubio – Active pro-life supporter, opposes equal pay for women, wants to lower corporate tax, wants to develop free trade policies that embrace reality of globalization, opposes welfare, and he is pro vaccinations.

Rand Paul – End NSA spying and increase privacy legislation, top concern is national debt, supports immigration reform, supporter of Israel alliance, supports second amendment and he is pro-life.

Rick Perry – He wants to lower taxes, stop special interests and big government, supports rebuilding of military and more military spending, and wants to secure the border between

Mexico and the U.S.

George Pataki- Wants to send in troops to take out Islamic state, promotes green energy, supports immigration reform, believes that Republicans get distracted by issues of same-sex marriage and abortion, proposes to cut state spending.

John Kasich- Believes and supports that climate change is real, says that the EPA should not regulate emissions, focus on rehabilitation and treatment for prisoners, cut education spending, defended and supports “Common Core”, and supports immigration and to allow undocumented immigrants to stay in the country.

Want to learn more about which Presidential candidate is right for you? Take this survey to find out!

https://www.isidewith.com/political-quiz

Works Cited

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/us/electio...

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/0...

www.ontheissues.org