Are you looking for a nonpartisan voter guide to the Steve Daines vs. Amanda Curtis Senate race? One that will give you an unbiased, no-spin comparison of candidate positions on key issues? That's what our Campus Election Engagement Project guide will give you! We are a national nonpartisan initiative working with college and university administrators, faculty, and student leaders to increase student participation in America's elections. For the 2014 elections we have created and distributed voter guides to campuses in more than 20 states so they can provide their communities with accurate information for informed voting. Because these guides have been so well received and are useful for all voting citizens who want to be better informed, we are also posting them here.
We developed our guides by analyzing information from trusted resources such as www.votesmart.org, www.ontheissues.org, www.ballotpedia.com, www.politifact.com, www.factcheck.org, www.vote411.org and from candidate websites, public debates and interviews, and statements in major media outlets. We also showed them to groups like campus Young Republicans and Young Democrats at the schools we work with to verify their fairness and lack of bias.
So here are the issue-by-issue stands for Steve Daines and Amanda Curtis , with additional links at the bottom for each candidate if you'd like to dig deeper.
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Budget: Did you support raising the Federal debt ceiling with no strings attached?
Daines: No
Curtis: Unknown
Campaign Finance: Do you support the DISCLOSE Act, which would require key funders of political ads to put their names on those ads?
Daines: Unknown
Curtis: Yes
Campaign Finance: Do you support the Supreme Court's Citizens United decision, which allowed unlimited independent political expenditures by corporations and unions?
Daines: Yes
Curtis: No
Economy: Do you support raising the minimum wage?
Daines: No--opposes national minimum wage, believes should be left to states
Curtis: Yes
Economy: Do you support extending unemployment benefits beyond 26 weeks?
Daines: No
Curtis: Yes
Economy: Do you support the Dodd-Frank Act, which established the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and sought to increase regulation of Wall Street corporations and other financial institutions?
Daines: No
Curtis: Unknown
Economy: Do you support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth?
Daines: No
Curtis: Yes
Education: Do you support refinancing of student loans at lower rates, paid for by increasing taxes on income over a million dollars?
Daines: Unknown
Curtis: Supports refinancing of student loans, greater Pell Grant support, and investment in career & technical schools.
Environment: Do you believe that human activity is a major factor contributing to climate change?
Daines: No
Curtis: Yes
Environment: Do you support government action to limit the levels of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere?
Daines: No
Curtis: Yes-believes EPA rules can be met without harming Montana coal plants
Environment: Do you support government mandates and/or subsidies for renewable energy?
Daines: Some support, but prioritizes fossil fuels, especially coal
Curtis: Probable yes. Supports development of all energy resources, but supported disclosure of energy efficiency for state buildings and supports green jobs as priority.
Gay Marriage: Do you support gay marriage?
Daines: No
Curtis: Yes
Gun Control: Do you support enacting more restrictive gun control legislation?
Daines: No--opposes expanded background checks
Curtis: Yes--Gun owner and "Strong supporter of Second Amendment rights" but supports expanding background checks to gun shows
Healthcare: Do you support repealing the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare?
Daines: Yes
Curtis: No--Says it's not perfect but "making a huge difference" in access to health care. Criticizes MT legislature for blocking Medicaid expansion to people making 138% of poverty line.
Healthcare: Did you support shutting down the federal government in order to defund Obamacare in 2013?
Daines: Yes
Curtis: No
Immigration: Do you support the D.R.E.A.M. Act, which would allow children brought into the country illegally to achieve legal status if they've graduated from high school, have a clean legal record, and attend college or serve in the military?
Daines: No
Curtis: Probable yes--promoted Montana measure to give in-state tuition for undocumented graduates of Montana high schools.
Iraq: Should the US recommit troops to Iraq to combat the rise in insurgency?
Daines: No
Curtis: Unknown--but wants "clear exit strategy" for any involvement.
Marijuana: Do you support efforts to decriminalize and/or legalize marijuana?
Daines: No
Curtis: Supports medical marijuana and decriminalization of small amounts of marijuana.
Social Issues: Should abortion be highly restricted?
Daines: Yes--illegal except to save life of the mother
Curtis: No
Social Issues: Should employers be able to withhold contraceptive coverage from employees if they disagree with it morally?
Daines: Yes
Curtis: Unknown
Social Issues: Should Planned Parenthood receive public funds for non-abortion health services?
Daines: No
Curtis: Yes
Taxes: Have you signed the Americans for Tax Reform Pledge to oppose "any and all tax increases" meant to generate additional revenue?
Daines: Yes
Curtis: No
Taxes: Would you increase taxes on corporations and/or high-income individuals to pay for public services?
Daines: No
Curtis: Yes
Learn more about the candidates:
Daines: Steve Daines Billings Gazette summary, Vote Smart pages, and On the Issues pages
Curtis: Amanda Curtis Billings Gazette summary, Vote Smart pages, and On the Issues pages
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