ISSUES IN THE U.S. SENATE RACE

Here are positions taken on major issues by Democratic U.S. Sen. Alan Cranston and Republicans vying in the June 3 primary election for the chance to face him in November.

CRANSTON Immigration Wants to beef up Border Patrol but doesn’t think budget problems will allow it. Opposes sanctions against employers hiring illegal aliens. Opposes a guest worker program. Supports amnesty for illegals already in U.S. Nicaragua Opposes military aid to the contras and argues that Nicaragua’s Central American neighbors should lead the way in forcing the Sandinista government to enact reforms. Terrorism Supported Reagan’s recent strike against Libya but worries that it won’t eliminate future terrorist incidents. Closing the Deficit Opposed Gramm-Rudman automatic cuts in domestic and military programs because he feels they will hurt essential services such as air traffic control. Would close tax loopholes and establish a minimum tax on all corporations and wealthy individuals. Military Spending Would increase enough to cover inflation. Tax Reform Favors lower rates in the Senate Finance Committee bill but opposes its increases in capital gains taxes, its elimination of IRA deductibility and its less favorable treatment of real estate investments. Trade Policy Opposes protectionism and subsidies but strongly favors administrative or legislative action, such as fines, to ban unfair practices by foreign competitors. Arms Control Supports verifiable arms agreements. Opposes MX. Abortion Leaves choice up to woman. Supports public funding for abortions for all needy women. Offshore Oil Drilling Supports a moratorium on offshore drilling until environmentally safe sites can be identified.

ANTONOVICH Immigration Would beef up Border Patrol and augment it with U. S. troops. Supports employer sanctions. Supports a guest worker program and amnesty for illegals already in U.S. Nicaragua Supports Reagan plan to give $100 million in military and non-military aid to the contras and would press U. S. allies not to trade with Nicaragua. Terrorism Supported attack on Libya and would make preemptive strikes when intelligence sources foresee a terrorist attack on U. S. citizens or property. Closing the Deficit Would have voted for Gramm-Rudman automatic cuts but has trouble squaring that with his support for Reagan’s desire for an 8% increase above inflation for military spending. Would not raise taxes. Military Spending Favors Reagan’s 8% increase after inflation. Tax Reform Favors lower rates in Senate Finance Committee bill but opposes its increases in capital gains tax rates and opposes its elimination of deductibility on IRAs. Trade Policy Opposes protectionism and subsidies, favors tougher talk by U.S. Arms Control Supports signing verifiable arms agreements. Supports MX. Abortion Would support constitutional amendment banning abortion. Offshore Oil Drilling Supports immediate drilling in environmentally safe areas.

DAVIS Immigration Would beef up Border Patrol but opposes using U. S. troops. Opposes employer sanctions and amnesty. Supports guest worker idea. Nicaragua Supports Reagan aid plan for contras . Terrorism Supported attack on Libya and has revived a proposal from his days as Los Angeles police chief: “Give terrorists a fair trial and hang them at the airport.” Closing the Deficit Would have voted for Gramm-Rudman but has trouble squaring that with his desire to see military spending spared from the automatic cuts. Would not raise taxes. Military Spending Wants to increase military spending but would settle for less than Reagan wants. Tax Reform Supports the Senate Finance Committee bill as it stands and believes attempts to alter it would destroy the concept of tax reform and lower rates. Trade Policy Opposes protectionism and subsidies, favors tougher talk. Arms Control Supports verifiable agreements. Supports MX. Abortion Would allow abortion up until month a fetus could survive outside womb. Opposes public funding except when mother’s life in danger. Offshore Oil Drilling Supports immediate drilling in environmentally safe areas.

FIEDLER Immigration Would increase border patrol and consider using troops as a supplement. Opposes employer sanctions and amnesty. Supports guest workers. Opposes constitutionally sanctioned practice of giving U.S. citizenship to children of illegal aliens. Nicaragua Supports Reagan aid plan for contras . Terrorism Supported attack on Libya and believes in preemptive strikes based on intelligence reports. Closing the Deficit Voted for Gramm-Rudman but would support more military spending if it could be negotiated. Would not raise taxes. Military Spending Supports Reagan request for 8% increase above inflation but would compromise in order to pass budget. Tax Reform Favors lower rates in Senate bill but opposes elimination of IRA deductibility. Trade Policy Will support protectionism if trading partners are unfair. Opposes subsidies. Arms Control Supports verifiable agreements. Supports MX. Abortion Opposes amendment banning abortion. Opposes public funding except when mother’s life in danger. Offshore Oil Drilling Believes localities should decide whether they want drilling off their shores.

HERSCHENSOHN Immigration Wants a sixfold increase in funding for Border Patrol but would not use troops. Opposes employer sanctions and amnesty. Supports guest workers. Nicaragua Supports Reagan aid plan for contras but would push for whatever is needed “to achieve victory.” Terrorism Supported attack on Libya but would get much tougher: Any time a U.S. citizen is harmed by a terrorist he would strike one of a list of countries harboring terrorists if the precise identity of the attacker could not be ascertained. Closing the Deficit Would have voted against Gramm-Rudman because it would automatically cut military and because the act “has computers doing the budget-cutting job that political leaders should do.” Would not raise taxes. Military Spending Supports Reagan and would not compromise. Would make military budget separate from other appropriations and approve it on a four-year basis. Tax Reform Likes the Senate bill but would prefer a flat tax rate that would raise only the money necessary to meet expenses “and not reward or punish any taxpayers.” Trade Policy Opposes protectionism and subsidies, favors tougher talk. Arms Control Would sign no agreement with Soviet Union if U.S. has to give up anything. Supports MX. Abortion Would “reluctantly” support constitutional amendment banning abortion. Prefers educational program to “point out the horror of abortion.” Offshore Oil Drilling Would allow immediate leasing of all tracts to “find out how much oil is out there.”

LAFFER Immigration Would let the free market determine if U. S. employers need Central American workers. If they do, issue them visas. Calls employer sanctions “obnoxious” and says, “The Immigration and Naturalization Service should be trying to catch terrorists and drug smugglers, not chasing people who come here to find jobs.” Nicaragua Doesn’t like Sandinistas or contras but would support limited aid to contras . Terrorism Supported Reagan attack but would also offer large bounties to anyone turning in known terrorists. Closing the Deficit Would have voted for Gramm-Rudman. Would further cut taxes if possible. Military Spending Supports Reagan’s request for 8% above inflation but would also look for waste in Pentagon. Tax Reform Wants an 11.5% flat tax on business production and one on individual gross income. Would abolish capital gains tax and make rent on a primary residence tax deductible. Trade Policy Opposes protectionism and subsidies, favors tougher talk. Arms Control Supports verifiable agreements. Supports MX. Abortion Opposes abortion. Offshore Oil Drilling Believes localities should decide.

NAYLOR Immigration Would increase Border Patrol and consider using troops. Supports employer sanctions and guest workers. Opposes amnesty concept in general. Nicaragua Supports Reagan aid plan for contras . Terrorism Supported Reagan attack on Libya and believes in preemptive strikes based on intelligence. Closing the Deficit Would have voted for Gramm-Rudman. Would not raise taxes. Military Spending Would increase military spending 2% to 4% above inflation. Tax Reform Would prefer to amend the Senate bill to retain favorable treatment of capital gains and IRAs but would support the bill as is if necessary. Trade Policy Opposes protectionism and subsidies but would impose a tariff on products subsidized by trading partners. Arms Control Supports verifiable agreements. Supports MX. Abortion Leaves choice up to woman. Opposes public funding except when mother’s life in danger. Offshore Oil Drilling Supports immediate drilling on environmentally safe sites.

ZSCHAU Immigration Would increase Border Patrol but opposes using troops. Supports guest workers. Would support employer sanctions if fairly enforced and amnesty if stricter controls are in place. Nicaragua Supports Reagan military aid plan for contras after opposing it last year. Continues to call for diplomatic efforts to reform Sandinistas. Terrorism Supported Reagan attack on Libya and believes in preemptive strikes based on intelligence. Closing the Deficit Voted for Gramm-Rudman. Once proposed a one-year surtax to help close deficit but now says he would not raise taxes because it has become “the easy way out” in Congress. Military Spending Would increase military spending 3% above inflation. Repeatedly calls for curbs on waste in Pentagon. Tax Reform Favors lower rates in Senate bill but opposes increases in capital gains tax rates and opposes limits on IRA deductibility. Trade Policy Opposes protectionism and subsidies, favors tougher talk. Arms Control Supports verifiable agreements. Opposes MX. Abortion Leaves choice up to woman. Opposes public funding except when mother’s life in danger. Offshore Oil Drilling Supports a moratorium on offshore drilling until environmentally safe sites can be identified.