Bill Richardson on Abortion

• Stem cell research as part of preventive healthcare. (Jul 2007)
• Supreme Court model cannot be justice who dissented on Roe. (May 2007)
• Resist any effort to weaken a woman’s right to choose. (Oct 2002)
• Protect the reproductive rights of women. (Jan 1993)

Bill Richardson on Budget & Economy

• Balanced 5 state budgets; priority to balance federal budget. (Dec 2007)
• Supports restricted Constitutional balanced budget amendment. (Dec 2007)
• Save $150 billion in tax cuts for people who don’t need them. (Dec 2007)
• Balanced Budget Amendment to address $9 trillion debt. (Dec 2007)
• Constitutionally require balanced budget & fiscal discipline. (Sep 2007)
• Mortgage industry needs more liquidity & more transparency. (Aug 2007)
• Grow the trade link to Mexico and attract Hollywood business. (Jan 2004)
• Supports Balanced Budget Amendment. (Nov 1996)

Bill Richardson on Civil Rights

• Won’t accept honorary chair of Boy Scouts due to gay issue. (Sep 2007)
• Focus on achievable civil unions as a path to full inclusion. (Aug 2007)
• Voted for DOMA, but now regrets vote; repeal it. (Aug 2007)
• Included transgender in hate-crimes law. (Aug 2007)
• Apologizes for “maricon” comment; but look at the record. (Aug 2007)
• The country isn’t there yet on gay marriage. (Aug 2007)
• Homosexuality is a choice, but it’s not an issue of science. (Aug 2007)
• Full civil unions with full marriage rights. (Jul 2007)
• Diversity isn’t just talking points; it’s facts of life. (Jun 2007)
• For hate crimes law, domestic partnerships, civil unions. (Jun 2007)
• Let gay and lesbian servicemembers serve openly. (Jan 2007)
• Added sexual orientation & gender identity as NM civil right. (Jan 2007)
• Defeated DOMA in NM by tying it to civil union legislation. (Jan 2007)
• Voted for federal Defense of Marriage Act in 1996. (Jan 2007)
• New Mexico is first “majority minority” state. (Nov 2005)
• Supports minority preferences for government contracts. (Nov 1996)

Bill Richardson on Corporations

• Eliminate $73 billion in corporate welfare. (Dec 2007)
• Resigned from Peregrine Systems amid 2002 financial collapse. (Nov 2007)
• Government is needed to keep markets competitive. (Oct 2007)
• Corporate role is profit, not protecting national interests. (Oct 2007)
• Reward companies that pay over the prevailing wage. (Jun 2007)

Bill Richardson on Crime

• Pushed “Marissa’s Law”--tougher penalties for sex predators. (Nov 2005)
• Toughened DWI and sex offender laws. (Jan 2004)
• Domestic violence incidents start with drinking. (Jan 2004)
• Mandatory jail time, especially for repeat offenders. (Oct 2002)
• Supports death penalty: zero tolerance for heinous crimes. (Oct 2002)
• Impose “truth in sentencing” for violent criminals. (Nov 1996)
• Voted NO on maintaining right of habeas corpus in Death Penalty Appeals. (Mar 1996)
• Voted YES on making federal death penalty appeals harder. (Feb 1995)
• Voted NO on replacing death penalty with life imprisonment. (Apr 1994)

Bill Richardson on Drugs

• Supports national ban on smoking in public places. (Sep 2007)
• Keep drinking age at 21; enforce but also rehab. (Sep 2007)
• Treatment & education over enforcement & incarceration. (Mar 2007)
• Pushed “War on DWI”--you drink, you drive, you lose. (Nov 2005)
• Crack down on illegal drug labs. (Jan 2004)
• No legalization: drugs play an insidious role in crime. (Oct 2002)
• Drug Courts and treatment instead of incarceration. (Oct 2002)
• Mandatory jail sentences for selling illegal drugs. (Nov 1996)

Bill Richardson on Education

• FactCheck: NM teacher salary only moved from 44th to 36th. (Dec 2007)
• FactCheck: NM test scores have not made “enormous progress”. (Dec 2007)
• Make education a top priority and scrap No Child Left Behind. (Dec 2007)
• $60 billion plan to make American education #1 in world. (Dec 2007)
• Create science and math academies with 100,000 new teachers. (Nov 2007)
• Commit to extending school day and/or the school year. (Oct 2007)
• Start earlier with preschool for every child under 4. (Sep 2007)
• Pay off college loans in exchange for national service. (Sep 2007)
• Minimum wage for our teachers: $40,000 per year. (Aug 2007)
• One-point plan on No Child Left Behind: Scrap it. (Aug 2007)
• Scrap No Child Left Behind; it doesn’t work. (Jul 2007)
• Help failing schools; don’t penalize by defunding them. (Jul 2007)
• Minimum wage of $40,000 for teachers. (Jul 2007)
• Supreme Court backstabbed equality of Brown v. Board of Ed. (Jul 2007)
• Nobody asks how we pay for war; why do we ask on education? (Jun 2007)
• Eliminate junk food in schools; statewide smoking ban. (Mar 2007)
• Equip every 7th grader with a laptop computer. (Jan 2004)
• Increase the salary of school teachers. (Jan 2004)
• A plan that can reach straightforward education goals. (Jan 2004)
• Charter schools show tremendous promise. (Jan 2004)
• Expand the lottery scholarship program for college students. (Jan 2004)
• No vouchers: they abandon public schools. (Oct 2002)
• Provide parents with vouchers, even for religious schools. (Nov 1996)
• Voted NO on giving federal aid only to schools allowing voluntary prayer. (Mar 1994)
• Make employee educational assistance tax-deductible. (Jan 1993)

Bill Richardson on Energy & Oil

• About time we got Saudis to increase production. (Jun 2008)
• Windfall profit tax to shift obscene profits from Exxon. (Jun 2008)
• New oil refineries and nuclear plants ok, if done right. (Jun 2008)
• FactCheck: No, NH gas prices are not highest ever. (Jan 2008)
• FactCheck: Reducing GHGs by 90% costs households $800/yr. (Dec 2007)
• 30% renewable sources in our electricity by 2020. (Dec 2007)
• Recommends 90% GHG reduction to IPCC. (Nov 2007)
• Served on boards of three large oil companies. (Nov 2007)
• Need an energy revolution in the US. (Oct 2007)
• Supernova of clean energy policy in New Mexico. (Oct 2007)
• 2020 Vision: An energy revolution in 5 simple steps. (Oct 2007)
• States have addressed global warming; now feds should too. (Oct 2007)
• Hydrogen cars only in 30 years; need plug-ins & hybrids now. (Oct 2007)
• Opposes gas tax: it burdens everyday people. (Oct 2007)
• Regulated utilities can profit by “selling efficiency”. (Oct 2007)
• Iran & Russia are exploring natural gas control like OPEC. (Oct 2007)
• Energy incentives are just anti-government ideology. (Oct 2007)
• Climate change cynics don’t consider cost of inaction. (Oct 2007)
• 50-mpg cars by 2020 even if it costs $6000 per car. (Oct 2007)
• Carbon auction: use market to make emitter pay for emissions. (Oct 2007)
• Bush won’t follow the Kyoto treaty, but my state does. (Jun 2007)
• Buying carbon offsets not enough; sacrifice for common good. (Jun 2007)
• Claimed too early that secrets were safe at nuclear labs. (May 2007)
• Supports nuclear energy, but not waste storage at Yucca Mt. (May 2007)
• Cap-and-trade CO2 emissions, including 50-mpg cars by 2020. (May 2007)
• Sacrifice for Apollo-like program for renewable fuel. (Apr 2007)
• Mandatory emissions reductions to make US energy-independent. (Feb 2007)
• 50 mpg efficiency and 30% renewable electricity. (Jan 2006)
• Oppose carbon tax, favor a cap-and-trade system. (Jan 2006)
• Oversaw Dept. of Energy during nuclear lab security breach. (Nov 2005)
• Tapped Strategic Oil Reserve to pierce bubble in oil prices. (Nov 2005)
• $6M for energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies. (Jan 2004)
• Develop alternative energy, including wind & solar. (Oct 2002)
• Set goal of 25% renewable energy by 2025. (Jan 2007)

Bill Richardson on Environment

• Invest in bike lanes & commuter bike facilities. (Oct 2007)
• Lack of Katrina response by our government was inexcusable. (Jul 2007)
• Katrina response “disgraceful”; reform FEMA & insurance. (Jun 2007)
• Require renewable technologies and ask for conservation. (Jun 2007)
• Expand and create new state parks. (Jan 2004)
• Develop a comprehensive water management plan. (Jan 2004)
• Regulating 15 more contaminants under Clean Water Act. (Oct 1993)
• Declare a forest health emergency on federal lands. (Jan 1993)

Bill Richardson on Families & Children

• Supports paid family leave; voted for Family & Medical Leave. (Sep 2007)

Bill Richardson on Foreign Policy

• Al Qaida gets stronger while Musharraf governs Pakistan. (Jan 2008)
• Set conditions on foreign aid assistance to Musharraf. (Nov 2007)
• Make $10B in aid to Pakistan conditional on democracy. (Nov 2007)
• No conditions on aid to Pakistan, but push for democracy. (Nov 2007)
• 2001-2: Worked on energy strategy for Kissinger Association. (Nov 2007)
• At UN,embraced Clinton’s vision of international cooperation. (Oct 2007)
• US can inspire world with sacrifice instead of arrogance. (Oct 2007)
• US is isolated; need vision to rejoin world. (Oct 2007)
• Jaw-boning is a non-military way to get things done. (Oct 2007)
• Alliance with Latin America on microlending & human needs. (Sep 2007)
• Be tougher on China; it’s a strategic competitor. (Aug 2007)
• UN troops in Darfur, & UN-enforced no-fly zone. (Jul 2007)
• We always forget about Africa; I will care. (Jul 2007)
• Pressure China & Europe to enforce no-fly zone in Darfur. (Jun 2007)
• Talking to your enemies can produce results, like N. Korea. (Jun 2007)
• Israel is less safe with Bush’s policies. (Jun 2007)
• Strategic interests in Russia: loose nukes & Chechnya. (Apr 2007)
• Being stubborn isn’t a foreign policy--diplomacy is. (Apr 2007)
• Re-evaluate embargo for post-Castro Cuba. (Apr 2007)
• Bad guys like Richardson; he can make peace with enemies. (Feb 2007)
• Ask Musharraf to step aside as Pakistan’s ruler. (Jan 2006)
• When negotiating, focus on goals, not locale or format. (Nov 2005)
• First to visit Aung San Suu Kyi under Burmese house arrest. (Nov 2005)
• Negotiated with Castro to halve fee to emigrate from Cuba. (Nov 2005)
• Clinton administration negotiated North Korea nuclear freeze. (Feb 2005)
• US military force only when US territory attacked. (Nov 1996)

Bill Richardson on Free Trade

• Ban contaminated toys and food from China. (Dec 2007)
• No such thing as completely free market; so regulate. (Oct 2007)
• Communism is teaming up with corporations to open up China. (Oct 2007)
• Enforce labor & environmental standards & job safety. (Aug 2007)
• Fair trade includes no slave labor & no child labor. (Jun 2007)
• We need fair trade, not just unabashed free trade. (Feb 2007)
• NAFTA critically important for US as well as Mexico. (Nov 2005)
• Expand regional trade with Chihuahua. (Oct 2002)
• Supports NAFTA, GATT, & WTO. (Nov 1996)

Bill Richardson on Government Reform

• Focus on Iraq, energy reform, and restoring the Constitution. (Dec 2007)
• Use regulated free market for food, drugs, land, & energy. (Oct 2007)
• Same-day registration to increase voter participation. (Jul 2007)
• FactCheck: 28 states have verified paper trails, not just 10. (Jul 2007)
• When all minorities can vote, Democrats win. (Jul 2007)
• Delayed call for Gonzales to resign until failed testimony. (Apr 2007)
• Instituted all-paper ballots for all N.M. elections. (Nov 2006)
• Focus on eliminating waste and fraud from public spending. (Jan 2004)
• Prohibit PAC contributions; restrict campaign spending. (Nov 1996)
• Supports line-item veto. (Nov 1996)

Bill Richardson on Gun Control

• 1993: Opposed Brady Bill in Congress. (Nov 2007)
• No guns for mentally ill or those with criminal background. (Jul 2007)
• Attack poverty at the core of gun violence. (Jul 2007)
• Assault weapons ban did not work; despite his vote for ban. (May 2007)
• Endorsed by NRA for governor; would accept endorsement again. (May 2007)
• The 2nd Amendment is precious. (Apr 2007)
• Endorsed by NRA; has his own concealed carry permit. (Oct 2006)
• We should ally with pro-gun recreationists in West. (Apr 2005)

Bill Richardson on Health Care

• FactCheck: Between 7% and 31% of costs are administrative. (Dec 2007)
• Universal health care is a right for every American. (Dec 2007)
• Give students incentives to become health professionals. (Oct 2007)
• Universal health care, no matter who you are. (Sep 2007)
• New healthcare system in one year, with no new bureaucracies. (Sep 2007)
• Cover undocumented workers under health plan. (Jul 2007)
• FactCheck: Correct that 33% of Medicare is diabetes. (Jul 2007)
• Fund fight on HIV/AIDS both nationally and internationally. (Jun 2007)
• NM plan: mandatory; prevention-based; choose your own plan. (Jun 2007)
• Focus on preventive healthcare without raising taxes. (Apr 2007)
• All Americans need same coverage as members of Congress. (Mar 2007)
• State flexibility creates universal coverage without taxes. (Feb 2007)
• Shift Medicaid costs back from states to federal. (Nov 2005)
• Secure lower prescription drug costs for seniors. (Jan 2004)
• Focus on raising childhood immunization rates. (Jan 2004)
• Increase access to affordable health care. (Jan 2004)
• Consolidate mental health and substance abuse therapy needs. (Jan 2004)
• Restrain Medicaid costs and maintain benefits. (Jan 2004)
• Affordable access to healthcare for all New Mexicans. (Oct 2002)
• New Mexico Cares: invest in our health. (Oct 2002)
• Supports managed competition & medical savings accounts. (Nov 1996)

Bill Richardson on Homeland Security

• Habeas corpus may not be suspended in war on terror. (Dec 2007)
• 2 years of college tuition for 1 year of national service. (Dec 2007)
• Human rights can be more important than national security. (Nov 2007)
• Qaeda targets oil infrastructure until we wean ourselves off. (Oct 2007)
• Ignoring Nuclear Test Ban creates world distrust. (Oct 2007)
• I will restore habeas corpus and the rule of law. (Sep 2007)
• Maintain Geneva Conventions; keep restrictions on torture. (Sep 2007)
• Rescind authority to eavesdrop without court order. (Sep 2007)
• No first use of nukes; but keep options on table. (Aug 2007)
• Voted against don’t-ask-don’t-tell; get rid of it now. (Aug 2007)
• Focus on international terrorism & fissionable material. (Aug 2007)
• Provide veterans with health care anywhere they want. (Jun 2007)
• Hero’s health card gives veterans access anywhere, anytime. (Mar 2007)
• Reorder priorities: shift $400B from war to human needs. (Mar 2007)
• We should not be known for Guantanamo and Abu Ghraib. (Feb 2007)
• Convince Muslims by closing Guantanamo & stopping renditions. (Feb 2007)
• Seek immediate negotiations with the Soviet Union on nuclear. (Jan 2006)
• 9/11 shifted world focus from nukes to terrorism. (Nov 2005)
• Negotiated for 1994 release of pilots downed in North Korea. (Feb 2005)
• Negotiated for 1995 release of US workers arrested in Iraq. (Feb 2005)
• Spend $250K annually to fight base closures. (Oct 2002)
• Homeland Security Department at federal AND state level. (Oct 2002)
• Eliminate funding for SDI. (Nov 1996)
• Establish a Women's Bureau in Dept. of Veterans Affairs. (Aug 1993)

Bill Richardson on Immigration

• Allowed giving driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants. (Nov 2007)
• Driver’s license for illegals helps public safety. (Nov 2007)
• Declared state of emergency in NM’s four border counties. (Nov 2007)
• We pay for immigrant healthcare; have them pay into system. (Sep 2007)
• Increase H-1B visas to permit more skilled workers. (Sep 2007)
• Border wall is horrendous example of misguided policy. (Sep 2007)
• Federal raids are ineffective; we dehumanize immigrants. (Sep 2007)
• Sanctuary cities ok until we have comprehensive policy. (Sep 2007)
• Include same-sex couples in binational marriage sponsorship. (Aug 2007)
• Comprehensive reform needed; but McCain-Kennedy bill flawed. (Jun 2007)
• McCain-Kennedy bill is not amnesty; it has strong standards. (Jun 2007)
• A wall on Mexican border is not America. (Jun 2007)
• A wall divides families and doesn’t solve the problem. (Jun 2007)
• The 2007 immigration bill is not an amnesty bill. (Jun 2007)
• Opposes compromise immigration bill: it tears apart families. (May 2007)
• Border fence hasn’t worked; border patrols & tech have. (May 2007)
• Driver’s licenses & scholarships for illegals; not amnesty. (May 2007)
• Legalization plan, not this stupid wall being proposed. (Mar 2007)
• Declared state of emergency on Mexican border. (Nov 2006)
• Path to legalization if illegals pay taxes & learn English. (Nov 2006)
• Reduce immigration; no automatic citizenship for kids. (Nov 1996)
• Guarantee human services to illegal immigrants. (Nov 1996)

Bill Richardson on Jobs

• AdWatch: Over 80,000 new jobs; NM 6th in nation. (Aug 2007)
• FactCheck: NM gained 68,100 new jobs, not 80,000 as claimed. (Aug 2007)
• FactCheck: NM ranks 17th in job growth; not 6th, as claimed. (Aug 2007)
• Focus our farm policy on renewable fuels. (Aug 2007)
• Would accept minimum wage as president. (Jul 2007)
• Tax credit for creating jobs paying over the prevailing wage. (Mar 2007)
• Increase the minimum wage to $7.50. (Mar 2007)
• Film industry initiatives create jobs. (Jan 2004)

Bill Richardson on Principles & Values

• Giuliani left Iraq Study Group; uninterested in war deaths. (Nov 2007)
• Predicts a win in New Hampshire primary. (Nov 2007)
• Well-off childhood in Mexico as son of Citibank executive. (Nov 2007)
• Lead by example by climate negotiations with the world. (Oct 2007)
• The New Realism: end policy based on unilateralist illusions. (Oct 2007)
• Would not leave NM governorship to be vice president. (Sep 2007)
• With me, you get both change AND experience. (Aug 2007)
• My sense of social justice comes from being a Roman Catholic. (Aug 2007)
• Decisive political moment: wife agreeing to marry him. (Aug 2007)
• I have the most experience and I represent change. (Aug 2007)
• Running on resume & record, to be president of middle class. (May 2007)
• Offered MLB contract, but mistakenly called that drafted. (May 2007)
• Biggest mistake is impatience, like pushing minimum wage. (Apr 2007)
• I can bring people together. (Apr 2007)
• Pledges to not engage in negative campaigning on Dems. (Feb 2007)
• Richardson’s Rules for negotiating. (Nov 2005)
• New Progressivism: combine opportunity with accountability. (Nov 2005)
• In Guinness Book of World Records for most handshakes. (Nov 2005)

Bill Richardson on Social Security

• Don’t raise the cap; it’s a 15% tax on middle class. (Sep 2007)
• Stop talking about privatization; stop raiding trust fund. (Jul 2007)
• Focus budget reform like Soc. Sec., avoiding future burden. (Nov 2005)

Bill Richardson on Tax Reform

• End unfair & unequal tax structure for wealthiest 2%. (Dec 2007)
• Replace Bush tax cuts with cuts for middle class. (Jun 2007)
• Cut NM capital gains tax & income tax from 8.2% to 4.9%. (Nov 2005)
• Continue to cut taxes and reform the tax code. (Jan 2004)
• Reduce income tax; create Taxpayer Bill of Rights. (Oct 2002)
• $12B in federal economic stimulus as state block grants. (Jan 2008)

Bill Richardson on War & Peace

• Surge failing politically, even if reducing violence. (Jun 2008)
• Only Congress has authority to declare war on Iran. (Dec 2007)
• Pledge that Iran will not develop a nuclear bomb. (Oct 2007)
• Negotiate with Iran without any conditions. (Oct 2007)
• UN pressure in 1997 kept Saddam from restarting nuke program. (Oct 2007)
• Multilateral security with Iran; instead of saber-rattling. (Oct 2007)
• Leaving some troops is just changing mission, not ending war. (Sep 2007)
• When US exits, Iraqi insurgents will fight terrorists. (Aug 2007)
• African-American community has disproportionate war pain. (Jul 2007)
• Sanctions would work on Iran. (Jun 2007)
• Open an ideological front in the war against Jihadism. (Feb 2007)
• Get bin Laden in Pakistan unilaterally, if Pakistan can’t. (Jan 2006)
• We have an opportunity to get Musharraf to step aide. (Jan 2006)
• Negotiated with Taliban in 1998 to extradite Osama bin Laden. (Nov 2005)
• Move troops to Afghanistan to fight al Qaeda. (Jun 2007)

  Iraq War

• Donor conference: get EU & Arabs to pay for reconstruction. (Nov 2007)
• The surge is not working; Petraeus just being team player. (Sep 2007)
• Iraqi situation is about to implode; withdraw all troops. (Sep 2007)
• Tri-partite entity within Iraq; reconcile three groups. (Aug 2007)
• Move out troops, through Turkey & Kuwait, in 6-8 months. (Aug 2007)
• Withdrawing from Iraq lets real peace & reconciliation begin. (Aug 2007)
• Iraq has become an endless quagmire. (Jul 2007)
• Long road ahead is hauntingly similar to 1968. (Jun 2007)
• No troops left behind at bases; green zone; or for training. (Jun 2007)
• No long-term Korea-like presence in Iraq. (Jun 2007)
• Obsession with Iraq makes us more vulnerable to al Qaeda. (Jun 2007)
• Deauthorize the war; original resolution no longer operative. (May 2007)
• Iraq now in civil war, & US troops are nothing but a target. (May 2007)
• Time for Iraqis to take over their own security. (May 2007)
• Supporting war initially was a mistake. (May 2007)
• Stop funding for Iraq war-it is a disaster and must end. (Apr 2007)
• Withdraw US troops by end of 2007, with no residual force. (Apr 2007)
• Iraq policy is a massive failure; Iraq is in civil war. (Apr 2007)
• Congress should de-fund and de-authorize the war. (Apr 2007)
• Congress authorized this war; now de-authorize it. (Feb 2007)
• Find ways to withdraw from Iraq, but with diplomacy. (Feb 2007)
• Iraq was single biggest issue as Clinton’s UN ambassador. (Nov 2005)
• Voted against Kuwait war but later regretted it. (Feb 2005)

Bill Richardson on Welfare & Poverty

• Strategy to deal with poverty: unions; living wage; EITC. (Jun 2007)
• New Mexico ranked 48th worst in poverty, but moving forward. (May 2007)
• Increase tax deduction for charities. (Nov 1996)