Johnson supports an Arizona immigratin law with provisions blocked by a federal court that would have granted local law enforcement officaials rights to check legal status of suspected illegal immigrants.

On national security, Johnson says he would depend on military, not political leaders for strategy. "It means that we must fight the war without artificial measuring sticks," according to his 2010 campaign site. Johnson also opposes prosecuting terrorism suspects in civilian courts.

Johnson said he would also defer to the military on issues such as "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," governing whether homosexuals can openly serve in the armed forces. Johnson criticized attempts to repeal the policy through legislation in 2009, saying the economy was a bigger priority and that "the policy has been subject to little controversy in the military."

Energy and the Environment

Johnson said that if he is elected, "obviously the coal industry is going to be a winner." An opponent of cap-and-trade legislation, he says such legislation is "going to increase the cost of energy in almost every fabric of our lives."

Johnson supports using domestic energy resources while research continues into alternative energy sources such as "clean coal," natural gas, solar and wind power.

Fiscal Policy

Johnson says his top priority is to create jobs and that government needs to get out of the way to achieve that. Johnson advocates lower taxes, an end to "the out-of-control spending" and reducing regulations on businesses.

A critic of the 2009 $787-billion stimulus, Johnson claims the bill provided tax credits to overseas companies.

Declaring himself opposed to all earmarks, Johnson has called "to stop funding programs that are not working, like the National Endowment for the Arts and other pork and earmarks." He said he would also seek cuts of redundant military and other services.

Johnson has called for balancing the budget and addressing spending as a means of bringing down the national debt. A supporter of extending the 2001 and 2003 Bush tax cuts, Johnson supports reducing taxes for all income levels, saying doing so at the top would stimulate investment and job creation and doing so at the bottom would give people more purchasing power. "Today's Federal tax code penalizes the wealthy and incentivizes the poor to subsist on entitlement programs," according to Johnson's 2010 campaign web site.

Johnson opposes raising the retirement age to receive Social Security benefits.

Health Care

A proponent of repealing the 2010 health-care bill, Johnson said the reform was expensive and "bad for business."

Johnson instead supports federal policies that "will stimulate competition and innovation through our existing free enterprise system." Johnson supports portable insurance that can be taken from job-to-job and across state lines. He also supports tort reform and providing tax incentives to people to create health-savings accounts.

Social Issues

A social conservative, Johnson says he against abortion rights, exceept in cases of rape, incest or when the mother's life is in danger. He supports parental notification and a ban on partial-birth abortions. On same-sex marriage, Johnson believes "the gay marriage movement undermines the integrity of the American family." Johnson says marriage is a states' rights issue and the issue should not be decided on the federal level.

A critic of plans to build a mosque near the World Trade Center site in New York City, Johnson criticized President Barack Obama supporting the right to build it. ""I'm deeply committed to defending the Constitution, but this isn't about religious rights - it's about respect for the Americans killed on 9/11," Johnson said.

Free Trade

Johnson supports free trade on a limited basis, saying it only works with countries with "similar economic concepts, goals and capabilities," such as Great Britain and Canada.

During the 2010 campaign, Johnson attacked Rep. Charlie Wilson (D) for what he called votes to send jobs overseas. Wilson retorted that Johnson's company practiced outsourcing for years. Johnson responded by saying he worked as chief information officer for Stoneridge, which used profits from its Asian businesses to create American jobs.

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