“I will attempt to appoint strict constructionists. I doubt seriously I'm going to direct them to rule in any particular way in any particular case or philosophy. But I'm going to look for somebody who understands that the law is made by the legislatures, the Congress, based upon the traditions, values and history of the people of the U.S.…”
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“During my administration, we passed the 24-hour waiting period, parental notification, and informed consent. I signed the partial-birth abortion ban, which was later overturned by the courts.”
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“I became concerned about human cloning during my administration--it emerged as a scientific possibility--and I passed a law to ban human cloning in Virginia…”
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“I'm not interested in sending a message of anger or hatred to anybody in this race--anyone. But I don't support gay marriage. I think that the traditional marriage values that we've had over generations in America is the appropriate thing. To the extent that people can find some way to build some kind of contractual relationship between themselves, fine, but I don't think it should rise to a civil union, which is really a substitute for the concept of marriage and I don't support that either.…”
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As for stem-cell research, I banned human cloning because I'm nervous about experimenting with people--I don't like that, I think it's a dangerous path to go down. I'd like to find some ways that we can do some of that work under federal supervision that doesn't create people for the purpose of destroying people for experimentation.
Taxes/Fiscal Policy
As Governor of Virginia, Jim Gilmore, cut 16 different taxes totaling $1.5 billion, created more than 250,000 new jobs and gave the state its lowest unemployment in 40 years. As Chairman of The Advisory Commission on Electronic Commerce, Jim Gilmore led the national fight to block taxation on the internet and helped repeal federal communications taxes in place since 1898. As a candidate for President, Jim Gilmore supports efforts to reduce taxes including making the Bush tax cuts permanent. Jim Gilmore believes high taxes are too great a burden on the nation's economy and on working families. As President, he will work to close tax loopholes, reduce runaway spending and create jobs and opportunity to help end the nation's culture of dependence.
Illegal Immigration
“I would like to avoid a fence, but I believe it is an element that is on the table if it would be helpful. I believe the additional personnel and technology--whatever we have to do--we have to control the border. We cannot address the illegal immigration issue unless we control the border. Nothing else works unless you do that, that's the Northern and Southern borders.…”
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“Then you have to address the issue of the estimated 12 million people that are here. They are not undocumented workers, they are illegal aliens. That's what they are--they came here illegally. We have got a real problem that we've let get out of hand and what do you do? I believe we have to find them. We have to afford a time frame for people to come in and register and at least be here and we know where they are and who they are and what their role is here in the U.S. But I reject an amnesty. I reject that idea that there is an automatic path to citizenship.…”
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“Another element of that of course is that we should require employers to participate in this national program--that they cannot hire illegal aliens. And they should be subject to severe criminal penalties if they do.… I do not want to see a program that takes 12 million people and dumps them across the Northern and Southern borders. I don't want to see that, and I don't think it is practical. But it is also not practical to use that as an excuse to do nothing. Instead, what we have to do is we have to demand a registration program so we can get these numbers under control. There has to be some bite to it.…”
