Where They Stand

A comparison of how the major candidates for the Republican nomination stand on key issues:

Issue: Abortion

Alexander: Opposes abortion but says federal government should “stay entirely out of” the issue; would not seek constitutional amendment to ban it

Buchanan: Supports constitutional ban, with no exceptions

Dole: Supports constitutional ban, except for cases of rape or incest or if life of mother is endangered

Forbes: Wants abortion to “vanish in America”; would support prohibition on partial birth and sex-selection abortions, but would not seek constitutional ban; most recently he said he would ultimately support banning abortion “except in cases of genuine, life-threatening emergency, or rape and incest.”

Gramm: Supports constitutional ban, with life-of-mother exception

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Issue: Expand NATO?

Alexander: Yes, adding Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic

Buchanan: No

Dole: Yes, adding Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic

Forbes: Yes, adding Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia

Gramm: Yes, adding Poland, Czech Republic

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Issue: Immigration

Alexander: Opposes cut in legal immigration; opposes national version of California’s Proposition 187; opposes constitutional amendment denying citizenship to children of illegal immigrants born in U.S.

Buchanan: Supports five-year moratorium on legal immigration; supports national version of California’s Proposition 187; supports constitutional amendment denying citizenship to children of illegal immigrants.

Dole: Supports “modest, temporary reduction” in legal immigration; no position on citizenship amendment or national version of California’s Proposition 187, but backed the state initiative.

Forbes: Would not “severely cut” legal immigration; would speed deportation of illegal immigrants; opposes citizenship amendment or national version of California’s Proposition 187.

Gramm: Would cut legal immigration, double border patrol; opposes national version of California’s Proposition 187 or citizenship amendment

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Issue: Tax Reform

Alexander: Would establish two-rate structure; no tax on capital gains; tax on interest income; maintain mortgage interest and charitable deductions.

Buchanan: Supports 25% flat tax; tax interest income and capital gains; maintain mortgage and charitable deductions.

Dole: Calls for “flatter, simpler” tax, but has not specified plan; sees “nothing wrong with single-rate concept”; would protect mortgage and charitable deductions.

Forbes: Supports 17% flat tax on income with no tax of capital gains or interest income for individuals would eliminate mortgage and charitable deductions.

Gramm: Supports 16% flat tax; would tax capital gains and interest income, maintain mortgage and charitable deductions.

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Issue: Trade

Alexander: Backs North American Free Trade Agreement; would expand it to South America and Asia; supports world trade treaty known as GATT.

Buchanan: Opposes NAFTA, GATT; would impose “social tariff” on Third World imports and increase tariffs on imports from China and Japan by 10% and 20%, respectively.

Dole: Supports GATT and NAFTA; opposes NAFTA expansion for now.

Forbes: Supports GATT and NAFTA; would expand NAFTA to South America and Asia, seek free-trade treaty with Japan.

Gramm: Supports GATT and NAFTA, would expand NAFTA to South America.

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Issue: Welfare reform

Alexander: Would eliminate federal welfare; food stamps and nutrition program; would send money back to cities to form nonprofit corporations to assist the poor in new ways.

Buchanan: Supports block grants to states, with only requirement that no funds be spent for abortion services.

Dole: Supports block grant to states, with federal requirements for five-year limit on aid, no additional benefits to women who have children while on rolls.

Forbes: Would “ultimately” return welfare entirely to “states, municipalities and private charities.”

Gramm: Supports block grants to states, with federal requirements for five-year limit on aid, no additional benefits to women who have children while on welfare, no benefits to unwed mothers under age 18.

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Issue: Repeal federal affirmative action programs?

Alexander: Yes

Buchanan: Yes

Dole: Yes

Forbes: Yes

Gramm: Yes

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Issue: Overturn assault weapons ban?

Alexander: Yes

Buchanan: Yes

Dole: Yes

Forbes: Yes

Gramm: Yes

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Issue: Eliminate Education Department?

Alexander: Yes

Buchanan: Yes

Dole: Yes

Forbes: Yes

Gramm: Yes

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Issue: Other ideas

Alexander: Would establish $500 tax credit to encourage donations to charitable organizations; urges that Congress become “part-time citizen legislature.”

Buchanan: Would end lifetime appointment for federal judges, including Supreme Court justices; allow voter “recall and removal” of district and appellate federal judges; allow national referendums “to uphold or reject” Supreme Court decisions.

Dole: Would support legislation to establish English as official language of the U.S.

Forbes: For younger workers, would divert portion of payroll tax from Social Security trust fund into private investment accounts similar to IRAs.

Gramm: Pledges not to seek reelection unless he balances federal budget in four years; would freeze federal spending at inflation rate for four years after balancing budget.

A summary of the views of the long-shot candidates:

Sen. Richard G. Lugar: Would replace the income tax with a national sales tax; would ban abortion except in cases of rape, incest or when life of mother is in danger; would maintain ban on assault weapons; would review affirmative action programs but does not promise to repeal them; opposes efforts to reduce legal immigration; and supports expansion of NAFTA.

Alan Keyes: Would ban abortion except when life of mother is threatened; would replace income tax with “a retail sales tax”; opposes expanding, but would not reduce, legal immigration; opposes affirmative action programs; would overturn assault weapons ban.

Rep. Robert K. Dornan: Would replace income tax with a consumption tax; supports elimination of federal affirmative action programs; supports reductions in legal immigration; would repeal the assault weapons ban; would ban abortion, with life-of-mother exception.

Morry Taylor: Would tax income up to $20,000 at 2%; from $20,000 to $35,000 at 10%, and incomes above $35,000 at 17%. Supports legalized abortion; opposes cutting number of legal immigrants; would repeal assault weapon ban; calls for reciprocity in trade relations.

Researched by ROB CIOE, MALOY MOORE and D.J. SALEM / Los Angeles Times