Election 2016 Fact Sheet: The Republican Party
By Christopher Walker — July 18, 2016
Updated September 6, 2016: The hyperlink on Libertarian nominee Gary Johnson has been the “Opposition” section.
Updated August 4, 2016: Included “Opposition” section to compare the other candidates.
Name: Donald John Trump, Sr.
Date of Birth: June 14, 1946
Alma Mater: University of Pennsylvania — B.S., Economics, Class of 1968
Party: Republican, since 2012
Total Delegates: 1,447
Total Votes: 14,009,098
Policy Positions:
- Abortion — Trump has previously been pro choice but has expressed sentiments against abortion, falling more in line with the Party’s platform as recently as this year. The father of six is more or less “pro-life with exceptions” according to his campaign website. He also described himself as being the “best protector of the sanctity of life” during an interview in May 2016. In addition, the candidate said Planned Parenthood doesn’t deserve federal funds as long as abortion is legal.
- Drugs — In 1990, Trump thought the United States needed to legalize drugs to win the war on drugs. He has shifted from that stance, telling Fox’s Sean Hannity he is against the legalization of marijuana. He does, however, support the legalization of medical marijuana because he knows “people that have serious problems… and… it really, really does help them.”
- Gun control — The New York native has already been endorsed by the NRA, which is big for a Republican candidate. He is also big on the Second Amendment but supports stronger background checks. He would ask that the research would take into account criminal and mental health records, while barring people on the government’s terrorist watch list. In the same accord, he is against a ban on high volume magazines, calling it a “total failure” and has called for a concealed carry permit to be legal in all 50 states. He has also gone back and forth on guns in schools.
- Education — The Penn graduate has previously called the Common Core, the standard of knowledge and skills by subject and grade level, “D.C. educating the students.” According to a Fox News Sunday interview in October 2015, the department of education would see budget cuts come their way under a Trump administration.
- Health care — Previously, the candidate has said he was for universal healthcare but has since aborted this stance. Although he is for all Americans having health insurance, the businessman’s website has stated he would work to completely repeal Obamacare. In addition, he would allow for the sale of health insurance across state lines.
- Immigration — Trump’s signature issue calls for mass deportation of over 11 million undocumented immigrants, constructing a wall on the mexican border, upping law enforcement, and restricting legal immigration. He is also a staunch opponent of birthright citizenship.
- LGBT Rights — To start, Trump now supports North Carolina’s HB 2 but has noted that the law will inhibit the state’s business propositions in his early critique of the law. Also, he is against gay marriage, expressing that marriage is between a man and a woman.
- Environment — The candidate has held to the idea that climate change and global warming is a hoax. In addition, he has stated he would solve the California water crisis, although he has also said there is no drought. The candidate is also an adamant supporter of the Keystone XL pipeline.
- Social Security — Trump supports Social Security, opposing possible cuts against the system. In accord, he has previously called the benefits system a “Ponzi scheme” and wanted it privatized.
- Tax Reform — To say that he’s completely against the current structure is an understatement. Trump would like to do away with the current tax structure, replacing it with a four bracket system of 0%, 10%, 20%, and 25%. Additionally, he would ensure that businesses are taxed 15%, at most. He has said that the U.S. is most taxed in the world, but would find money though budget cuts in different departments.
Opposition
- Libertarian— Gary Johnson
- Democratic — Hillary Clinton
- Green — Dr. Jill Stein
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