Are you looking for a nonpartisan guide to the Todd Akin/Claire McCaskill U.S. Senate race, one that contrasts candidate stands in a fair way? The Campus Election Engagement Project, a nonpartisan effort to get students involved in the election, has produced guides for the presidential race and key Senate races that institutions like colleges and other nonprofits can circulate to give their communities accurate information in a way that they can't with more partisan guides.
For more detailed info on any of Todd Akin's positions, go to his Vote Smart page and click on the [....] to the right of issue you're interested in.
For more detailed info on any of Claire McCaskill's positions, go to her Vote Smart page and click on the [....] to the right of issue you're interested in.
Abortion: Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation?
Akin Pro-life, including in cases of rape or incest McCaskill pro-choice
Afghanistan: Do you support continued United States combat operations in Afghanistan?
Akin Yes McCaskill Yes
Budget: In order to balance the budget, do you support reducing defense spending?
Akin No McCaskill Yes
Budget: In order to balance the budget, do you support an income tax increase on income above $250,000 by letting the Bush tax cuts on that bracket expire?
Akin No McCaskill Yes
Campaign Finance: Do you support the Supreme Court's Citizens United decision, which prohibited the government from restricting independent political expenditures by corporations and unions?
Akin Yes McCaskill No
Campaign Finance: Do you support the DISCLOSE Act, which would require key funders of political ads to put their names on those ads?
Akin No McCaskill Yes
Economy: Do you support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth?
Akin No McCaskill Yes
Economy: Do you support providing tax incentives to businesses for the purpose of job creation?
Akin Yes McCaskill Yes
Economy: Do you support the Dodd-Frank financial regulation act, which established the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau?
Akin No McCaskill Yes
Education: Do you support increased federal aid to college students to help with the cost of their education?
Akin No McCaskill Yes
Education: Do you support requiring states to implement education reforms in order to be eligible for competitive federal grants?
Akin No McCaskill Mixed--Critical of No Child Left Behind
Energy: Do you support reducing restrictions on offshore energy production?
Akin Yes McCaskill Relaxing some restrictions, keeping some others
Environment: Do you support the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions?
Akin No McCaskill Yes
Environment: Do you believe human activity is a major driving force in climate change?
Akin No McCaskill Yes
Guns: Do you support restrictions on the sale and possession of guns?
Akin No McCaskill Favors assault weapon ban, supports gun rights in other areas
Health Care: Do you support keeping or repealing the 2010 Affordable Care Act?
Akin Repeal McCaskill Keep
Health Care: Should individuals be required to purchase health insurance, with assistance from government subsidies for small businesses and low-income individuals, as mandated in the 2010 Affordable Care Act?
Akin No McCaskill Yes
Health Care: Should insurance companies be required to cover patients with pre-existing conditions, as mandated in the 2010 Affordable Care Act?
Akin No McCaskill Yes
Immigration: Do you support requiring illegal immigrants to return to their country of origin before they are eligible for citizenship?
Akin Yes McCaskill Yes
Immigration: Do you support the DREAM Act, which would allow children of illegal immigrants to stay in this country if they've graduated high school, have a clean legal record, and attend college or serve in the military?
Akin No McCaskill Yes
Gay Marriage: Do you support same-sex marriage?
Akin No McCaskill For civil unions and ending Don't Ask Don't Tell. Against gay marriage
Social Security: Do you support allowing individuals to divert a portion of their Social Security taxes into personal retirement accounts?
Akin Yes McCaskill No
Created by the Campus Election Engagement Project, a non-partisan effort, founded by Paul Loeb, to help college and university administrators, faculty, and staff get their students engaged in the election. Candidate positions are drawn primarily from the Project Vote Smart, a non-partisan, nonprofit organization providing factual, unbiased information on candidates, officials, issues, and legislation, with positions inferred from candidate stands and more detailed information available on the candidates' Issue Position pages. See also the University of Pennsylvania Annenberg School's FactCheck.org, which lets you check the truth of candidate claims.
For a comprehensive guide to all races including state initiatives and local Congressional and legislative races, see Vote411.org, created by the League of Women Voters. You enter your address, or the address of your school, and click "Get Personalized Information on Candidates and Issues," and it will give you information provided by the respective campaigns on their stands, taking you first through national races, then statewide races, then local ones. You do have to scroll down to the bottom where it offers a comparison, because checking the box by a candidate won't automatically bring up their stands.