2012 SelectSmart.com Presidential Candidate Selector Positions Mitch Daniels (born April 7, 1949) Governor of of Indiana. A Republican.

Foreign policy and war issues: "As White House Budget Director, Mitch Daniels brashly predicted that the Iraq War would not only be 'an affordable endeavor,' he had the audacity to tell the world the Iraqis 'would not require sustained aid.' Sitting in the comfort of his kitchen at his Geist Reservoir mansion, Mitch Daniels insisted by phone to a reporter for the New York Times on December 31, 2002, that the Iraq War costs 'will be in the range of $50 to $60 billion.'" -Bob Woodward, "All the President’s Men" Source

Security/liberties: Views unknown at this time.

Social Security: "Daniels remains the most ambitious privatizer of any governor currently in office, turning over to outside entities not just control of a major cross-state highway but prisons, hospitals and welfare case management. Like most privatizers, Daniels doesn't like the term, but his pursuit of the idea led the New York Times last summer to dub him 'Governor Privatize'." Source Sopported private Social Security accounts. Source

Stem cell research: "I have no moral objection to research conducted on adult stem cells. In fact, some very interesting and important work in this area is being done at the Indiana University School of Medicine. I do not in principle oppose state support for such research, but in general I believe that our state's limited resources for investment should be focused on later stage research efforts that can support the commercialization of new discoveries and the creation of new companies and jobs from them. If/when adult stem cell research gets to that stage, state investment may make sense." Source

Abortion issues: Believes that abortions should be legal only when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape, or when the life of the woman is endangered. "I support the prohibition on partial-birth abortion." Source

Same sex issues: Answered "no" to the following questions: "Should Indiana recognize civil unions between same-sex couples?" and "Should same-sex couples be allowed to marry?" Source

Trade issues: Views unknown at this time.

Budget issues: "Gov. Mitch Daniels said Tuesday he generally supports a federal stimulus package that would include some money for Indiana and other states, particularly for infrastructure projects such as highways and bridges.Daniels was among about 40 governors who met with President-elect Barack Obama in Philadelphia to discuss the impact the faltering economy is having on states." Source
He served as Bush's Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director from January 2001 through June 2003. "Daniels instituted a first-of-its-kind accountability system for all governmental entities. Daniels came under fire for overseeing a $236 billion annual surplus turn into a $400 billion deficit during his 29-month tenure. Supporters argued that Daniels was one of the few in the administration working toward restraint, and that ultimately he had to take marching orders from the administration...On his first day in [the governor's] office, Governor Daniels created Indiana's first Office of Management and Budget to look for efficiencies and cost savings across state government. In 2005, Governor Daniels led the state to its first balanced budget in eight years and, without a tax increase, turned the $600 million deficit he inherited into a $300 million surplus in a single year. Governor Daniels used this surplus to repay hundreds of millions of dollars the state had borrowed from Indiana's public schools in previous administrations." Source

Business & labor issues: "Gov. Mitch Daniels on Jan. 11 rescinded the collective bargaining rights and contracts of 23,000 state employees, including 14,000 workers represented by the Unity Team, a joint local of the AFT and the United Auto Workers." Source "I support an eventual reduction in Indiana's relatively high corporate income tax. Our plan to cut and cap property taxes resulted in the largest tax reduction in Indiana history." Source

Capital punishment: Supports the death penalty. Source

Gun control: His views are consistent with those of the NRA. Source

Minimum wage: Opposed increasing his state's minimum wage. Source

Health care: Said he does not support the principle that would "Ensure that citizens have access to basic health care through managed care, insurance reforms, or state-funded care where necessary."Source Daniels has expressed a desire to repeal the Health care Reform bill passed by Congress in 2010, seeing the Indiana plan as a better model that individual states could follow as opposed to a national system of health care. Source

Prescription drugs: Views unknown at this time.

Environmental issues: "Despite intensifying pressure from environmentalists and lawmakers in neighboring states, Gov. Mitch Daniels on Wednesday declared Indiana will not retreat from its decision to allow the BP oil refinery in Whiting to release more pollutants into Lake Michigan... The new discharge permit, which BP says is needed to proceed with a $3 billion plant expansion, allows the refinery to increase daily ammonia output 54 percent and release 35 percent more suspended solids -- silty materials leftover after wastewater is treated and filtered. While significantly greater than current levels, the increased discharges still fall within federal limits." Source

Marijuana issues: Would not decriminalize the possession of marijuana. Source

Immigration issues: "You won't find this on my priority list. But we'll see what the Legislature does." The bills would establish escalating penalties on businesses for each time they hire an illegal immigrant. The state Chamber of Commerce opposed the bill last year, and may do so again if similar legislation is passed. -GOP12.com Source
In an August 2010 interview, when asked about the recently passed immigration law in Arizona, Daniels responded: "if the legislature wants to look at such a law, I would be glad to work with them on it. Again, I think Arizona has every right to pass that law. And it may well be an ideal fit for their circumstances. We are not in the same situation they are, and may not need the same sort of approach, but I'm open to it." Source

Education issues: Opposes the idea of allowing parents to use vouchers to send their children to any private or religious school. Source

Indiana governor's website Campaign site