Mike Pence is the man who will become Vice President of the United States on January 20, 2017, and as such, he will be next in line for the presidency should anything happen to Donald Trump. That means that his policies are going to be a factor during the Trump administration, whether or not he ever gets to implement any of them.
So what are Mike Pence’s policies? Here is where Donald Trump’s pick for running mate stands on broad categories of issues.
Abortion, Birth Control, Fetal Stem Cell Research
Mike Pence is as staunchly pro-life as they come. In fact, once he takes up residence in the Vice President’s Manor, he will likely be the single most p ro-life politician in Washington . In fact, according to an October Cosmopolitan report, Pence wants to see Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion in all 50 states, overturned.
“I’m pro-life and I don’t apologize for it. We’ll see Roe v. Wade consigned to the ash heap of history where it belongs.”
Pence has moved even beyond a simple desire to see Roe v. Wade overturned. Famously, according to a July 15 Mother Jones report, Pence, as Governor of Indiana, signed a law requiring a mother who aborts her pregnancy to pay for a funeral for the aborted fetus .
Gay Rights And Other LGBTQ Issues
If Mike Pence is poised to be one of the most pro-life politicians in Washington, he’s also poised to be possibly the most anti-LGBTQ official in town as well. In fact, according to LGBTQ Nation , Pence’s policies on LGBTQ issues are nothing short of alarming . Some of his more noteworthy anti-LGBTQ moments are worth noting here.
- Supporting a Constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage.
- Signing a bill that would jail same-sex couples for applying for marriage licenses, as well as any public official who issues a marriage license to a same-sex couple.
- Proposed diverting funds for HIV research into institutions that practice or encourage so-called “gay conversion therapy.”
Immigration And Syrian Refugees
As Governor of Indiana, Pence wasn’t in much of a position to weigh in on federal immigration policy. However, in terms of one specific aspect of immigration, which is the resettlement of Syrian refugees in the U.S., Pence was clear where he stood on the issue.
As NPR News reported in October, Pence had tried valiantly to keep Syrian refugees from being settled in Indiana . Lacking the legal authority to refuse them, he tried an indirect tactic, and he blocked federal funds set aside for refugee resettlement from being spent on any refugees from Syria.
Pence’s policy was later rebuffed by a federal court, which ruled that Pence had acted illegally in accepting the federal money for refugees and then preventing it from being spent on refugees.
Marijuana Legalization And The War On Drugs
Mike Pence’s policies on drugs, marijuana legalization, in particular, aren’t exactly as clear as his stances on other issues. Civilized Magazine notes that as Governor of Indiana, Pence was the chief executive of a state with some of the harshest drug laws in the country. Similarly, Pence’s administration has been marked by his “tough on crime stance,” and as On The Issues notes, he’s made statements in the past that indicate he’s opposed to marijuana legalization .
However, he’s also given a few indications that although he doesn’t necessarily support marijuana legalization, he’s also not in favor of some aspects of the War on Drugs. For example, in 2015, he created a task force to look into alternative ways to combat drug use besides increased enforcement and incarceration. He also told a Republicans Against Marijuana Prohibition spokesperson that he’s at least open to considering looking into the medical aspect of marijuana.
The Takeaway
By now there should be zero doubt that Mike Pence is as socially conservative as they come, and although he might possibly see both sides when it comes to one specific issue (medical marijuana), in almost every way, Pence’s policies indicate that he will bring his strong conservative values to Washington with him.
[Featured Image by Drew Angerer/Getty Images]
