JOE BIDEN
Health Care
Biden plans to build upon the Affordable Care Act by providing a public health insurance option.
Gun Control
Biden wants to remove liability protection for gun manufacturers and distributors and intends to ban assault weapons.
Marijuana
Biden supports the decriminalization of marijuana and believes decriminalization should be studied further before any long-term laws are enacted.
College Tuition and Loan Repayment
Biden plans to invest in community colleges and other areas of low-cost, high-quality education.
Environment
Biden supports elements of the Green New Deal, which supports renewable energy and resource efficiency.
Reproductive Rights
Biden disagrees with his previous support of the Hyde Amendment. He now supports the governmental funding of abortion.
Immigration
Biden says the immigration system requires comprehensive reform and plans to ensure humanity in the treatment of those crossing the border, and that families are not separated during the immigration process.
Military Spending
Biden plans to spend more money on technological innovation and intelligence gathering, rather than weapon systems.
Information acquired from joebiden.com, cbsnews.com, vox.com and militarytimes.com
MIKE BLOOMBERG
Health Care
Bloomberg plans to create an affordable insurance similar to Medicare and lower the cost of care and prescription drugs, as well as improving current health care policies. 
Gun Control
Bloomberg plans to enact stricter gun laws, make background checks universal and ban assault weapons. 
Marijuana
Bloomberg supports the decriminalization of marijuana on the state level.
College Tuition and Loan Repayment
Bloomberg wants to make two-year college tuition free. Furthermore. he wants to make four-year college tuition more affordable for average income families and debt-free for lower income families. 
Environment
Bloomberg says by using 100 percent clean energy and greener options, everyday people can lower the cost of their homes and steer the world to a cleaner future.
Reproductive Rights
Bloomberg supports women’s right to an abortion, and providing female care easily and safely. He also aims to lower the prices of birth control.
Immigration
Bloomberg supports safe and legal immigration to the United States, giving every qualifying person the opportunity to obtain a visa. He plans to rescind Trump’s ban on travel from Muslim-majority countries. 
Military Spending
Bloomberg said the Defense Department should slow down military spending, especially regarding the expense of weapons.
Information acquired from: mikebloomberg.com, washingtontimes.com and militarytimes.com
PETE BUTTIGIEG
Health Care
The core of Buttigieg’s health care policy is “Medicare for All who want it,” giving people the option to join an affordable public plan.
Gun Control
Buttigieg’s plan to prevent gun violence includes creating legal standards for responsible gun ownership and researching gun violence. 
Marijuana
Buttigieg plans to legalize marijuana and expunge past convictions for its possession. He pledges to eliminate federal incarceration for drug possession, reduce sentences for other drug offenses and to apply both of those retroactively.
College Tuition and Loan Repayment
Buttigieg plans to make public college tuition free for 80 percent of American families. He will automatically enroll struggling student borrowers in income driven repayment plans, and loans will be canceled tax-free after being enrolled in them for 20 years.  
Environment
Buttigieg plans to double the amount of clean electricity generated in the United States by 2025, and achieve net-zero emissions from industry and agriculture by 2050.
Reproductive Rights
Buttigieg’s plan includes coverage of preventive and comprehensive reproductive care for women, including abortion.
Immigration
Buttigieg’s immigration plan has four components: promote belonging and democracy, modernize the immigration system, protect the border and those who arrive there and engage with the global community. 
Military Spending
Buttigieg plans to re-prioritize military investments, primarily through ending ongoing war and focusing on strategic security operations.
Information acquired from peteforamerica.com and the Washington Post
AMY KLOBUCHAR
Health Care
Klobuchar supports universal health care, involving changes to Obamacare to spur a decrease in costs for consumers.
Gun Control
Klobuchar supports universal background checks and the ban of assault weapons, as well as mandating a waiting period for firearm purchases.
Marijuana
Klobuchar was once known as a tough crime prosecutor who imprisoned many people for drug convictions. However, he now supports marijuana legalization.
College Tuition and Loan Repayment
Klobuchar supports extending public schooling through two years of community college or technical school, refinancing student loans at lower interest rates and expansion of education tax credits. 
Environment
Klobuchar supports government-supported environmental improvements by working within the Green New Deal, the Senate Climate Action Taskforce and the Clean Power Plan.
Reproductive Rights
Klobuchar wants to guarantee further funding for Planned Parenthood. She supports women’s reproductive rights, including abortion in most cases. 
Immigration
Klobuchar supports comprehensive immigration reform, including a pathway to citizenship, and supports the DREAM Act. 
Military Spending
Klobuchar supports cutting parts of the Defense Department Budget.
Information acquired from amyklobuchar.com, Politico, USA Today, New York Times, U.S. News and Military Times
 
BERNIE SANDERS
Health Care
Sanders believes health care is a basic human right and should be guaranteed to every American in the form of Medicare for All.
Gun Control
Sanders believes the federal Government should institute a ban on assault weapons and mandate instant background checks on anyone attempting to purchase a gun.
Marijuana
Sanders plans to legalize marijuana use at the federal level by nominating staff at DEA in support of the change.
College Tuition and Loan Repayment
Sanders wants to make all public colleges and universities tuition-free, cancel all student loan debt and cap student loan interest rates at 1.88 percent. 
Environment
Sanders supports the Green New Deal. He plans to transform the energy system to 100 percent renewable energy and create 20 million jobs needed to solve the climate crisis. 
Reproductive Rights
Sanders supports Planned Parenthood, abortion access, birth control, health equity and sex education.
Immigration
Sanders plans to reinstate and expand DACA, develop a humane policy for those seeking asylum and completely reform the immigration enforcement system. 
Military Spending
Sanders is open about his dislike of high military spending, and proposes deep budget and spending cuts.
Information acquired from berniesanders.com, Business Insider and plannedparenthood.org
 
TOM STEYER
Health Care
Steyer supports universal health care. He wants to create a public option strong enough to compete with private insurance, drive down costs and expand coverage.  
Gun Control
Steyer has a plan, “We Can End Gun Violence,” which will implement universal background checks and red flag laws, ban assault weapons and create a new office of gun safety and enact licensing requirements.
Marijuana
Steyer plans to decriminalize marijuana in his criminal justice plan.
College Tuition and Loan Repayment
Steyer believes in affordable higher education for everyone and reducing debt through forgiving certain types of loans and refinancing, reducing unfair loan services.
Environment
Steyer’s justice-centered climate plan will allow communities to report what they need, and the administration will issue $250 billion in climate bonds to invest. He wants to create an inclusive, people-led movement. 
Reproductive Rights
Steyer plans to fight for full reproductive justice for women. He opposes cuts to sexual and reproductive health.
Immigration
Steyer believes the United States is a “nation of immigrants,” and hopes to make progress on immigration reform to make the U.S. a safe haven for refugees.
Military Spending
Steyer plans to cut the defense budget.
Information acquired from tomsteyer.com, the Washington Post and plannedparenthood.org
 
ELIZABETH WARREN
Health Care
She plans to increase the quality of and access to health care across the nation while lowering healthcare costs. Warren has promised to reduce corruption among insurance, drug and pharmaceutical companies within her first 100 days in office to immediately reduce the costs of healthcare. 
Gun Control
Warren has promised to immediately expand background checks for gun purchases, and she will work with Congress to create a federal licensing system.  
Marijuana
Warren is an advocate of legalizing marijuana and to stop criminalizing addiction. She hopes to reduce drug use by focusing on rehabilitation efforts rather than incarceration.
College Tuition and Loan Repayment
Warren has promised universal free public college and the cancellation of up to $50,000 student loan debt for 42 million Americans. 
Environment
Warren has committed $1 trillion over the next 10 years to match Gov. Inslee’s commitment towards achieving 100 percent clean energy for the United States. 
Reproductive Rights
As part of Medicare For All and expanding national healthcare coverage, Warren will include equal-access coverage for reproductive healthcare. 
Immigration
Warren has promised to separate law enforcement from immigration enforcement to improve morale and safety within communities. She has also promised to decriminalize illegal migration and instead focus criminal prosecutions on serious federal crimes. 
Military Spending
Warren wants to refocus foreign and security policy from expanding our overall military to improving foreign diplomacy by cooperating with allies in a common interest.
Information acquired from elizabethwarren.com
 
Editor’s note:
*Candidates included in this democratic primary guide were qualifiers for the Feb. 25 debate
**President Donald Trump has won the first three caucuses and is polling above 80 percent in the republican primary according to many polls