Where the Democratic Candidates stand on issues

In what often seems to be more of a popularity contest, we thought it is important to outline the key issues the candidates support and those that differ from their colleagues. It is often the case where good candidates get overlooked simply because they can't get their message out to the electorate.It is important to know where the candidates stand.

Of course policies can change over time so it is possible some of the candidates will elaborate or change their viewpoints prior to the convention or during the election.

Mike Bloomberg, who is running but on the sidelines of the debates thus far, has yet to state clear positions on many of the core values the others have expressed.

We are focussed on those still in the race.

• All of the Demcratic candidates plan to raise the minimum wage to $15 and all support paid family leave with the exception of Tom Steyer as undecided.
• All support universal child care, universal pre-kindergarten and to increase funding for primary and secondary public education.
• All support an Estate Tax with the exceptions of Tom Steyer and Mike Bloomberg as undecided
• Steyer, Warren and Gabbard support Reparations for Slavery with others in support of partial payment while Bloomberg is undecided
• All candidates support the continuation of DACA.
• On the issue of decriminalizing Immigration, only Joe Biden is opposed.
• On increasing the number of visa workers allowed into the US only Bernie Sanders is against it.
• On the subject of Health Care, most support a public health care insurance option, while both Bernie Saunders and Elizabeth Warren have stated they plan to eliminate private health insurance altogether.
• On the subject of the 2nd ammendment and gun control, all want universal background checks, a ban on assault weapons and a voluntary gun buyback. Only Joe Biden has expressed opposition to requiring a gun license to purchase and on the subject of what is considered an assault weapon is not entirely clear.
• On the topic of the New Green Deal, only Mike Bloomberg has expressed opposition, with all candidates in support of a Carbon Tax and commited to the Paris Climate Change Agreement
• Bloomberg and Klobuchar would not ban fracking in the US.
• Most of the candidates are in agreement to declare climate change a national emergency, with the intent to halt, reverse and address the cause and consequences of climate change.

• Only Tulsi Gabbard is in favor of a pardon for Julian Assange with Bernie Saunders unclear.
• All but Mik Bloomberg would rejoin the Iran Nuclear Deal
• Most support a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict with Bernie Saunders willing to leverage aid to Israel to accomplish this
• All candidates are willing to meet directly with North Korea's Kim Jong-Un with various conditions, while all but Gabbard in favor of resuming diplomatic relations with Syria's President al-Assad.
• All favor the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan by the end of their first term, while Biden, Buttigieg and Klobuchar favor a re-intervention in Syria
• Candidates are split on whether they would decrease the annual military budget with Biden, Klobuchar and Buttigieg oppose the decrease.

• All are open to abolishing the Electoral College, despite it being established by the Constitution.
• Biden, Buttigieg and Klobuchar wish to ban voter ID laws
• Only Biden supports corporate PAC donations

• On the issue of abortion all Democrat Candidates support the right to abortion and would fully fund Planned Parenthood, a tax exempt non-profit Corporation.
• All are opposed to the Hyde Ammendment, which bans the use of Federal funds to pay for abortions, unless the life of the mother is at risk or in the case of rape or incest
• All favor an end to capital punishment, the legalization of marijuana, and end to private prisons, and an end to mandatory minimum sentencing for nonviolent drug offenses.
• All favor allowing same-sex marriage and transgender military service