Political positions of Herman Cain
Economic issues
Bank bailouts, and "too big to fail"
Cain supported the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) bank bailouts as a way to revive the economy, viewing it as an investment opportunity for the taxpayers. In a 2008 editorial, Cain wrote, "Owning a part of the major banks in America is not a bad thing. We could make a profit while solving a problem."
In May 2011, regarding his TARP support, Cain said, "I don’t have any regrets . . . I studied the situation. I didn’t have trouble with the idea; I had trouble with its implementation, picking winners and losers."
In October 2011, Cain said he does not believe in the concept of "too big to fail" and has stated that he did not agree with the bailouts of "JP Morgan and the big banks on Wall Street".
Debt ceiling
Cain opposes any increase in the debt limit for the federal government. He was quoted in a July 27, 2011, Politico article that: "I don’t believe the debt ceiling should be raised. I don’t believe the debt ceiling has to be raised...Those are scare tactics. Those are simply exaggerated scare tactics."
Federal Reserve
Cain believes that there was no need for an audit of the Federal Reserve. Cain also commented that while such an audit is not a high priority for him, he does not object to it. He has stated that he finds it highly unlikely that anything would be found in such an audit, as the internal controls of the Fed are extensive, and that the Fed's problems stem from a politicization of the bank, rather than a failure to exercise due care for those internal controls.
Gold standard
Cain supports the Gold standard, saying that abandoning it "allowed Congress to inflate our currency whenever they overspent. Now look at the mess that we have."
Social Security
Cain has criticized the current implementation of Social Security, describing it as a "scam." He favors reforming the current system "through free market solutions."
Several times, Cain has referenced the Chilean model of redoing social security. He supports the "Chilean model" for younger citizens while retaining the current system for current beneficiaries.
Taxes
Cain has supported shifting the tax burden from investment on to consumption. Cain has called for the elimination of taxes on capital gains, and suspending taxes on repatriated foreign profits. He also supports elimination of the estate tax; and in 2007 in testimony before the Senate Finance Committee called for the permanent repeal of that tax. Prior to his presidential campaign, Cain supported lowering the corporate tax rate from 35 to 25 percent.
Cain testified in front of the House Ways and Means Committee on May 9, 2002, in support of HR 2525, which would institute a national retail sales tax. According to the Washington Times, Cain has been known as a supporter of the broad national consumption tax on retail sales called the FairTax. During his presidential campaign in 2011, Cain introduced his signature "9–9–9" plan for a 9% tax on individuals, sales, and businesses.
9–9–9 Plan
Welfare
Cain has criticized social welfare programs in the United States, stating that, "Programs today are designed to make people more dependent rather than less dependent."
Social issues
Abortion
Cain identifies as pro-life and opposes abortion in all cases, except where the mother's life is endangered. He believes that life begins at conception. He favors defunding Planned Parenthood, an organization he has referred to as "Planned Genocide" because he views it as guilty of genocide against black Americans. Cain reaffirmed his position two days after a controversial interview during which many of his opponents believed he had changed his stance. In an email to supporters, he said the following:
Affirmative action
Cain supports ensuring that minorities receive the same opportunities as non-minorities. He does not agree with a "quota" style affirmative action system, which he believes gives an advantage to minorities simply because they are a minority.
Homosexuality
Cain is an opponent of the legalization of marriage for same sex couples in the United States. He supports the Defense of Marriage Act. He would seek to reinstate the Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy.
Islam
Cain has made a number of comments regarding American Muslims, and the hypothetical implementation of sharia law in the United States.
Some comments made by Cain regarding Muslims have caused controversy. He said that he was "uncomfortable" when he found that the surgeon operating on his liver and colon cancer was a Muslim. He later explained: "based upon the little knowledge that I have of the Muslim religion, you know, they have an objective to convert all infidels or kill them". He has also spoken of his distrust of another Doctor when his name "sounded too foreign", telling the audience at a Biblically-themed amusement park "My mind immediately started thinking, wait a minute, maybe his religious persuasion is different than mine! She [the nurse] could see the look on my face and she said, 'Don't worry, Mr. Cain, he's a Christian from Lebanon'. Hallelujah! Thank God!"
Cain denies claims he said he would not appoint Muslims., Politifact.com</ref> He was asked in March 2011 if he would feel comfortable appointing a Muslim to his administration, or as a judge. Cain responded: "No, I will not ... There's this creeping attempt, there's this attempt, to gradually ease Shariah Law, and the Muslim faith into our government. It does not belong in our government"
He explained that his view was in reaction to a lawsuit in which the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) sought to block the implementation of a 2008 Oklahoma law which would have denied the use of Sharia law in state courts, and a Florida judge's decision to use Sharia law to settle a dispute within a mosque, despite the Court's decision not to use ecclesiastical law in the past (see Kreshik v. St. Nicholas Cathedral), and a case in New Jersey. Cain has described his position as being "careful and cautious."
He has also argued that Muslims should be prevented from building mosques in which to teach Jihad unless they have widespread approval from the local community. Cain campaigned for Muslims to be banned from building an Islamic Center at a site in Tennessee, claiming that it was "an infringement and an abuse of our freedom of religion" and "just another way to try to gradually sneak Shariah law into our laws". Defending himself against the suggestion that this would be discrimination, during an interview he said: "I'm willing to take a harder look at people who might be terrorists, that's what I'm saying". On July 18, 2011, Cain declared that communities in the United States had the "right" to ban mosques. He justified his view by arguing that Muslims are trying to promote Shariah law within the U.S, and also that his position did not amount to "religious discrimination". CAIR said that his comments were unconstitutional and could give legitimacy to anti-Muslim bigotry. Southern Baptist Convention leader Richard Land also said that Cain had disregarded the constitutional rights of Muslims.
On July 27, 2011, Cain met with Muslim leaders at the All Dulles Area Muslim Society (ADAMS) in Sterling, Virginia. He also toured the ADAMS mosque. After the meeting, he reiterated his opposition to the use of sharia law in courts, but said, "I am truly sorry for any comments that may have betrayed my commitment to the U.S. Constitution and the freedom of religion guaranteed by it. Muslims, like all Americans, have the right to practice their faith freely and peacefully."
Foreign policy
About foreign policy
Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain defended his foreign policy knowledge. "I'm not supposed to know anything about foreign policy. Just thought I'd throw that out," he said to a Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reporter while on his campaign bus on Monday, the afternoon after his interview with the paper's editorial board. "I want to talk to commanders on the ground. Because you run for president (people say) you need to have the answer. No, you don't! No, you don't! That's not good decision-making."
Cuba
Cain said he was not a fan of the "Wet feet, dry feet policy", in an interview with the television station WPLG.
Prisoner Exchanges
Anwar al-Awlaki
“I don’t believe that the president of the United States should order the assassination of citizens of the United States,” Cain said. “That’s why we have our court system, and that’s why we have our laws.”
In a brief Q&A with our panel after his speech, Cain told the crowd that he fully supported Barack Obama’s decision to strike Anwar al-Awlaki.
Libya
When asked about U.S. foreign policy toward Libya, "Cain repeated he would have 'assessed the [Libyan] opposition differently,' speaking in generalities about his problem-solving approach," and expressing confusion regarding the issue.
"Cain suggested on [November 18, 2011] that the Taliban were playing a role in Libya's new government."
Afghanistan
Cain has been supportive of a US presence in Afghanistan, and of the War in Afghanistan (2001–present).
Iraq
Cain supports the Iraq War, and opposes any timetable for withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq, arguing it to be equivalent to surrender.
Iran
Cain favors a "diplomatic approach" to nuclear disarmament, but that the United States should be wary of the Iranian government.
2011 alleged Iran assassination plot
In mid-October 2011, Cain said that a U.S. Missile Defense System would have discouraged Iran from launching an alleged assassination plot.
In early November 2011, he agreed the missile system wouldn't deter Iran's use of a terrorist campaign and said his intended point was his "concern about their march toward having a nuclear weapon."
Israel and Palestine
Cain supports Israel, and believes that the US should aid Israel in defending itself. After President Obama said that the starting point of negotiations for peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians should be based on the 1967 borders with mutually agreed-upon land swaps, Cain said:
North Korea
Cain opposes any form of negotiation with North Korea, and has argued for maintaining "peace through strength".
Russia
Cain opposed the New START treaty, because he believes that the US should retain freedom to develop nuclear weapons systems.
China
Yes, they're a military threat," Cain said on the PBS NewsHour, in response to a question from Judy Woodruff. "They've indicated that they're trying to develop nuclear capability and they want to develop more aircraft carriers like we have. So yes, we have to consider them a military threat." "We already have superiority in terms of our military capability, and I plan to get away from making cutting our defense a priority and make investing in our military capability a priority," he said.
Cain addressed the gaffe in an interview with Ginni Thomas of The Daily Caller on Wednesday evening, and attempted to clarify his comments. "Maybe I misspoke," he said. "What I meant was China does not have the size of the nuclear capability that we have. They do have a nuclear capability. I was talking about their total nuclear capability."
Uzbekistan
Cain continued, “Knowing who is the head of some of these small insignificant states around the world, I don’t think that is something that is critical to focusing on national security and getting this economy going. When I get ready to go visit that country, I’ll know who it is, but until then, I want to focus on the big issues that we need to solve.”
Other issues
2008 presidential election
In 2008, Cain initially praised Democratic candidate Barack Obama, saying of Obama that "His gift is the gift of oratory. That's not just the ability to speak, but the ability to connect with people." He also said that he would consider supporting Obama "under the right circumstances" but only if he made a serious attempt to "reach across the aisle". Eventually, Cain instead endorsed Mitt Romney in the Republican primary.
Capital punishment
Cain advocates the use of capital punishment in the United States. When asked if the death penalty should be thrown away when evidence comes into question, he replied "No. If you do away with it, that will only brainwash people into thinking that they can do whatever they want and get away with it."
Education
Cain opposes federal education schemes such as No Child Left Behind and advocates "unbundling" education, weakening the United States Department of Education in favor of state control of education. He has argued for greater performance-related pay for teachers, as well as for vouchers and charter school systems.
Energy and the environment
Cain favors offshore drilling and supports drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). He favors allowing consumers to choose alternative energy sources such as solar and wind through the private market instead of the government providing funding and incentives to particular corporations and industries.
Cain's ideology on the climate represents what is termed climate change denial. He has made statements indicating a belief that anthropogenic global warming is a hoax, referring to it as "poppycock" and claiming that scientists were "busted" of having "manipulated the data."
Health care
Cain favors repealing the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). Cain, a cancer survivor, also has said that the PPACA would have killed him although there is no mechanism in the reform that would have done that. Cain favors allowing the free market to play the largest role in health care.
Cain supported the 2011 Ryan budget plan, which sought to privatize Medicare, describing it favorably as a "voucher program."
Immigration
Cain believes illegal immigrants should be able to go through the traditional citizenship process but opposed what he has described as a sense of automatic "entitlement" by people here illegally. Cain was quoted as saying, "America can be a nation with high fences and wide open doors."
Cain has said that he would favor erecting an electric fence on the United States – Mexico border, saying "It's going to be 20 feet high. It's going to have barbed wire on the top. It's going to be electrified. And there's going to be a sign on the other side saying, 'It will kill you — Warning.'" He later indicated that his statement was an exaggeration as a joke.
Cain supports a constitutional amendment stating that children born to illegal immigrants in the U.S. are not U.S. citizens. Cain has also said that he does not support changing the Fourteenth Amendment, which states that all persons born in the U.S. and subject to the jurisdiction thereof are citizens of the United States.
Occupy Wall Street
In October 2011, Cain described the Occupy Wall Street movement as "un-American". He further stated, "I don’t have facts to back this up, but I happen to believe that these demonstrations are planned and orchestrated to distract from the failed policies of the Obama administration. Don’t blame Wall Street, don’t blame the big banks, if you don’t have a job and you’re not rich, blame yourself." In response, fellow Republican candidate Buddy Roemer defended the protests.
Second Amendment
Cain believes that any concealed carry law must be dealt with at the state level and that states have the right to control gun rights.
Supreme Court justices
Cain has expressed support for Justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas.
Sexual harassment legislation
In the early 1990s, following the Clarence Thomas hearings, Cain as the then-CEO of Godfather's Pizza expressed concern about laws making it easier for women to sue their supervisors for sexual harassment: “This bill opens the door for opportunists who will use the legislation to make some money....I’m certainly for civil rights, but I don’t know if this bill is fair because of what we’ll have to spend to defend ourselves in unwarranted cases.”
References
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