Supports the absolute right of a woman to have an abortion. Opposed the congressional ban on partial birth abortion. Voted against a law that would require parental notification before a minor can get an abortion. Will require that all judicial appointments be pro-choice.

Bush
"I will lead our nation toward a culture that values life — the life of the elderly and the sick, the life of the young, and the life of the unborn. I know good people disagree on this issue, but surely we can agree on ways to value life by promoting adoption and parental notification, and when Congress sends me a bill against partial-birth abortion, I will sign it into law." Speech to Republican National Convention, 8/3/00

Opposes abortion except in the case of rape, incest or to save the life of the mother. Signed a law banning partial-birth abortions. Supports laws that require parental notification before a minor can get an abortion. Does not support the use of taxpayer money to pay for abortions. Will not require judicial appointments to be pro-life, but will insist that they strictly interpret the Constitution. Would support — but not pursue — an amendment to the Constitution that would ban abortion (see exceptions above) or would leave the issue up to individual states.

Kerry
"Our system has made mistakes, and it’s been applied in a way that I think is wrong. Secondly, most of the other nations in the world, have adopted that idea, that the state should not engage in killing, because they have very bad memories of what happens when the state engages in killing." Democratic 2004 primary debate at University of Southern California, 2/26/04

Opposes capital punishment, except in the case of terrorism.

Bush
"I do believe that if the death penalty is administered swiftly, justly and fairly, it saves lives." Presidential debate in St. Louis, 10/17/00

Supports the death penalty as long as the legal system takes all possible precautions in guaranteeing that a person sentenced to death is actually guilty of the crime, and that the person has had full access to the legal system.

Kerry
Abstinence education — Believes in the promotion of condom use to teens in sex education programs, and opposes the abstinence-only approach.

School vouchers — Opposes giving vouchers to parents of kids in poor or failing schools, to allow them to send their children to private schools.

Religion in schools — Against measure that would have cut off federal funds to school districts that deny students their right to constitutionally protected voluntary prayer.

Bush
Abstinence education — Has increased funding for abstinence-only sex education in public schools and believes that abstinence is the only certain way to avoid unwanted pregnancies and STDs.

School vouchers — Supports choice for parents when schools fail to adequately teach children and believes the issue of vouchers should be left up to the states. Believes federal money can go to religious schools as part of parental choice.

Religion in schools — Supports not only public school instruction in morality, but also the posting of the Ten Commandments in public schools as a way to teach values that are universal. Believes schools should be allowed to teach both evolution and creationism in classes.

Kerry
"John Kerry is a gun owner and hunter, and he believes that law-abiding American adults have the right to own guns. But like all of our rights, gun rights come with responsibilities, and those rights allow for reasonable restrictions to keep guns out of the wrong hands." www.johnkerry.com, 7/28/04

Supported the Brady Bill banning possession of "assault weapons." Supports background checks for those wanting to purchase firearms at gun shows.

Bush
"Law-abiding citizens ought to be allowed to protect their families. We ought to keep guns out of the hands of people who shouldn’t have them." Presidential debate in St. Louis, 10/17/00

Supports the current ban on assault weapons. Supports background checks for those wanting to purchase firearms at gun shows.

Kerry
"I have always fought for the right of people to be able to be treated equally in America. … I am for partnership rights. I am for civil unions. I am for the Employment Non-Discrimination Act. I am for the hate crimes legislation." CNN "Rock The Vote" Democratic Debate, 11/5/03

Same-sex "marriage" — Believes that marriage is between a man and a woman. Voted against the Defense of Marriage Act in 1996. Opposes the Federal Marriage Amendment. Applauded the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court decision forcing that state to legalize same-sex marriage. Supports full legal rights for same-sex couples. Supports civil unions.

• Co-sponsored the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which would ban workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation.
• Supports adding sexual orientation to federal hate crime laws.
• Supports allowing homosexuals to adopt children.
• Applauded the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Lawrence v. Texas that struck down state laws criminalizing sodomy.
• Supports a Congressional repeal of current policies that exclude homosexuals from serving in the U.S. military.

Bush
"I’m not for gay marriage. I think marriage is a sacred institution between a man and a woman.…I don’t really think it’s any of my concern how you conduct your sex life. That’s a private matter. I support equal rights but not special rights for people." Presidential Debate at Wake Forest University, 10/11/00

Same-sex "marriage" — Opposes homosexual "marriage," and openly called for the passage of the Federal Marriage Amendment.

• Kept open the Office of National AIDS Policy created by President Clinton and named an openly homosexual man to run it.
• Did not repeal any of the pro-homosexual policies adopted
by Clinton, such as spousal benefits for homosexual federal employees.
• Opposes the inclusion of sexual orientation in federal hate crime statutes.
• Opposes allowing homosexuals to adopt children.
• Supported the right of the Boy Scouts of America to set their own policy regarding sexual orientation.