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2016 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

Last updated on: 9/28/2016 9:25:58 AM PST


Compare 2016 Presidential Candidate Positions
A Side-by-Side Comparison Between Candidates on Key Issues



Positions are categorized as Pro (Yes), Con (No), Not Clearly Pro or Con (NC), or None Found (?). Candidates who have changed positions are listed as Now their most recent position. Click on the position to read the candidate's sourced statement. We will continue to update this chart until the Nov. 8, 2016 election. C
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ProCon.org's Questions Responses
1. 
Crime & Justice
Should the Death Penalty Be Allowed?
Pro Pro Now Con Con
2. 
Crime & Justice
Should the United States Abide by Its Treaties with Native American Tribes?
Pro ? ? Pro
3. 
Crime & Justice
Should Private Prisons Be Allowed in the United States?
Con Pro Pro Con
4. 
Crime & Justice
Should Law Enforcement Be Allowed to Use Racial Profiling?
Now Con Pro Con Con
5. 
Crime & Justice
Should Supreme Court Justice Scalia's Replacement Be Chosen by President Obama?
Pro Con Pro ?
  Clinton Trump Johnson Stein
6. 
Crime & Justice
Should the United States Continue the War on Drugs?
Con Now NC Con Con
7. 
Economy & Taxes
Should Churches (Defined as Churches, Temples, Mosques, Synagogues, etc.) Remain Tax-Exempt?
? Pro Con NC
8. 
Economy & Taxes
Does Lowering the Corporate Income Tax Rate Create Jobs?
NC Pro Pro NC
9. 
Economy & Taxes
Should the Federal Government Continue to Subsidize Oil Companies?
Con Con Con Con
10. 
Economy & Taxes
Should Any Federal Taxes Be Increased?
Pro Now Con Now NC Pro
  Clinton Trump Johnson Stein
11. 
Economy & Taxes
Should There Be a Flat Tax on Income?
Con NC Con Con
12. 
Economy & Taxes
Should Glass-Steagall Be Reinstated?
Con Pro Pro Pro
13. 
Economy & Taxes
Should the US Return to the Gold Standard in Which Coin and Currency Are Backed by Gold?
? NC Pro ?
14. 
Economy & Taxes
Should Social Security Be Privatized?
Con NC Pro Con
15. 
Economy & Taxes
Is the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Trade Agreement Good for America?
Now Con Con Pro Con
  Clinton Trump Johnson Stein
16. 
Education
Is the Growth of Charter Schools Good for Education in America?
NC Pro Pro Con
17. 
Education
Are the Common Core Standards Good for Education in America?
NC Con Con Con
18. 
Education
Should K-12 Teachers Get Tenure?
NC Con Con NC
19. 
Education
Should Any Public Colleges or Universities Be Tuition-Free?
Pro Con Con Pro
20. 
Elections
Was the Citizens United Supreme Court Decision Good for America?
Con Con Pro Con
  Clinton Trump Johnson Stein
21. 
Elections
Should the Presidential Debates Include Third Party Candidates?
? Pro Pro Pro
22. 
Elections
Should Felons Who Have Completed Their Sentences (Incarceration, Probation, and Parole) Be Allowed to Vote?
Pro NC Pro Pro
23. 
Elections
Should Voters Be Required to Show Photo Identification in Order to Vote?
Con NC Con Con
24. 
Elections
Should US Election Campaigns Be Publicly Financed?
Pro NC Con Pro
25. 
Energy
Should New Fossil Fuel Leases on Federal Land Be Allowed?
Now NC Pro ? Con
  Clinton Trump Johnson Stein
26. 
Energy
Should Fracking Be Allowed?
Pro Pro Now Pro Con
27. 
Energy
Should the United States Build Additional Nuclear Power Plants?
NC Pro NC Con
28. 
Foreign Policy
Is China an Economic or Military Threat to the United States?
Pro Pro Con NC
29. 
Foreign Policy
Should the United States Maintain Its Embargo against Cuba?
Now Con Con Con Con
30. 
Foreign Policy
Is the Nuclear Arms Deal with Iran Good for America?
Pro Con NC Pro
  Clinton Trump Johnson Stein
31. 
Foreign Policy
Should There Be an Independent Palestinian State?
Pro NC NC NC
32. 
Guns / Second Amendment
Should More Gun Control Laws Be Enacted?
Pro Con Con Pro
33. 
Guns / Second Amendment
Should Schools Be Gun-Free Zones?
Pro Now NC Con NC
34. 
Guns / Second Amendment
Should the Federal Government Study Gun Violence?
? ? Con Pro
35. 
Guns / Second Amendment
Should People on the No-Fly List or the Terror Watch List Be Allowed to Purchase Guns?
Con Con Pro ?
  Clinton Trump Johnson Stein
36. 
Health Care, Abortion, & End of Life Issues
Should Abortion Be Legal?
Pro Now Con Pro Pro
37. 
Health Care, Abortion, & End of Life Issues
Should Any Vaccines Be Required for Children?
NC NC Now Pro NC
38. 
Health Care, Abortion, & End of Life Issues
Is Obamacare Good for America?
Pro Con Con Con
39. 
Health Care, Abortion, & End of Life Issues
Should Parental Consent Be Required for Pregnant Minors to Have Abortions?
Con ? Pro ?
40. 
Health Care, Abortion, & End of Life Issues
Should Euthanasia or Physician-Assisted Suicide Be Legal?
Pro ? Pro ?
  Clinton Trump Johnson Stein
41. 
Health Care, Abortion, & End of Life Issues
Should Planned Parenthood Receive Federal Funding?
Pro Now Con Pro ?
42. 
Health Care, Abortion, & End of Life Issues
Should All Americans Have the Right (Be Entitled) to Health Care?
Pro Now NC Con Pro
43. 
Immigration
Should the Federal Government Use Raids to Enforce Immigration Laws?
Con Pro Con Con
44. 
Immigration
Should Checking Employee Immigration Status (as in the E-Verify Program) Be Mandatory for All Employers?
? Pro Pro ?
45. 
Immigration
Should the United States Continue to Build the Fence/Wall along the US-Mexico Border?
NC Pro Con Con
  Clinton Trump Johnson Stein
46. 
Immigration
Should Undocumented Immigrants in the United States Be Allowed to Become Legal Residents?
Pro Now Con Pro Pro
47. 
Immigration
Should Sanctuary Cities Continue to Receive Federal Funding for Law Enforcement?
NC Con Pro ?
48. 
Immigration
Should the United States Allow Syrian Refugees into the Country?
Pro Now Con Pro Pro
49. 
Labor & Wages
Should the Federal Government Guarantee Paid Family and Medical Leave?
Pro Now Pro Con Pro
50. 
Labor & Wages
Should the Federal Minimum Wage Be Increased?
Pro Now Pro Con Pro
  Clinton Trump Johnson Stein
51. 
Labor & Wages
Do Labor Unions Provide an Overall Benefit to Their Workers in the United States?
Pro NC NC Pro
52. 
Marijuana & Alcohol
Should the Minimum Legal Drinking Age Be Lowered from 21 to a Younger Age?
NC NC Pro ?
53. 
Marijuana & Alcohol
Should Marijuana Be a Medical Option?
Now Pro Pro Pro Pro
54. 
Marijuana & Alcohol
Should Recreational Marijuana Be Legal?
NC Now NC Pro Pro
55. 
Military & War on Terror
Should the United States and Russia Collaborate to Combat Terrorism?
NC Pro Pro Pro
  Clinton Trump Johnson Stein
56. 
Military & War on Terror
Should the United States Continue Its Use of Drone Strikes Abroad?
Pro ? Con Con
57. 
Military & War on Terror
Should the United States Send Ground Troops to Fight ISIS?
Con Pro Con Con
58. 
Military & War on Terror
Should the United States Close the Guantanamo Bay Detention Camp?
Pro Con Con Pro
59. 
Military & War on Terror
Should the US Have Attacked Iraq in 2003?
Now Con Now Con Con Con
60. 
Military & War on Terror
Should the US Military Budget Be Increased?
NC Now Pro Con Con
  Clinton Trump Johnson Stein
61. 
Military & War on Terror
Should the United States Have Mandatory National Service (Military or Civilian)?
Con ? Con ?
62. 
Military & War on Terror
Should the National Security Agency (NSA) Continue to Collect Phone and Email Metadata on US Citizens?
Con Pro Con Con
63. 
Military & War on Terror
Should Interrogation Techniques That Some Consider Torture, Such as Waterboarding, Be a Legal Option?
Con Pro Con Con
64. 
Military & War on Terror
Should the Veterans Health Administration Be Privatized?
Con NC Pro Con
65. 
Military & War on Terror
Should Women Be Allowed to Serve in Military Combat Positions?
Pro NC Pro ?
  Clinton Trump Johnson Stein
66. 
Race
Should Colleges and Universities Use Affirmative Action for Admissions?
Pro Pro Con ?
67. 
Race
Is the Black Lives Matter Movement Good for America?
Pro NC Pro Pro
68. 
Race
Is the Criminal Justice System Unfair to Black People?
Pro NC Pro Pro
69. 
Science & Environment
Is Human Activity Primarily Responsible for Global Climate Change?
Pro Con Pro Pro
70. 
Science & Environment
Should Genetically Modified (GMO) Foods Have Mandatory Labeling?
Pro Con Pro Pro
  Clinton Trump Johnson Stein
71. 
Science & Environment
Should the United States Authorize the Keystone XL Pipeline to Import Tar Sand Oil from Canada?
Now Con Pro Pro Con
72. 
Science & Environment
Should the United States Transition Away from Fossil Fuels and Towards Renewable Energy?
Pro Con Con Pro
73. 
Sex & Gender
Was the US Supreme Court Decision Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage a Good Decision?
Pro Con Pro Pro
74. 
Sex & Gender
Should Religious Liberty Give People the Right to Deny Goods and Services for Gay Marriage?
Con NC Con Con
75. 
Sex & Gender
Should Transgender People Be Allowed to Use the Bathroom of Their Choice?
Pro Now NC Pro Pro


2016 Presidential Election Homepage

Quiz - Find Your Candidate Match!
Compare Candidate Positions Side-by-Side
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1
Did You Know?
2
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3
Pros and Cons of Donald Trump's Cabinet Picks
4
Differences in Conservative and Liberal Brains
5
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6
Candidate Position Changes
7
US Political Parties
8
Presidential Election History from 1789 to 2012
9
How to Become the US President: A Step-by-Step Guide
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ProCon.org Criteria for Inclusion as a Presidential Candidate
Glossary
Jeb Bush - Positions
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John Kasich - Positions
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2012 Presidential Election Quiz
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