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Green Party presidential candidate Dr. Jill Stein. (Official campaign photo (c) Lisa Abitbol)

(Lisa Abitbol)

Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein presents herself as a viable alternative this year to the two major-party candidates, who have the lowest approval ratings of any presidential nominees in the past seven decades.

Stein, 66, of Lexington, Mass., is making her second bid for president on the Green Party ballot line.

The Harvard-educated doctor received almost 500,000 votes for president in 2012, which she boasts is still the record for most votes received by a woman candidate for president in the general election.

Stein says she became involved in politics more than a decade ago because she didn't like the country's direction, and had become alarmed about children becoming ill from environmental pollution and unhealthy foods they are provided.

She and running mate Ajamu Baraka support a "Green New Deal" under which the government would end dependence on fossil fuels, fight climate change and create millions of new green-energy jobs.

Here's where Stein and Baraka stand on 11 key issues in the 2016 presidential race:

TAXES

Stein would rewrite the tax code, raising taxes for the wealthy and cutting taxes for the poor and middle class. She would raise the Social Security payroll tax by removing the cap on earnings above $118,500 for the 2016 tax year. She would require full disclosure of corporate tax subsidies in the federal budget.

JOBS/ECONOMY

Stein supports a $15-per-hour federal minimum wage. She would break up big banks and establish publicly-owned banks and utilities. Stein also opposes free trade agreements, which she calls "corporate trade agreements." She would enact paid sick leave and family leave, with overtime protection for workers.

Stein wants to establish direct public employment, similar to the Depression-era Works Progress Administration. Those who can't find private employment would be hired in public services and public works jobs.

CIVIL LIBERTIES

Stein supports repealing the Patriot Act, and opposes government surveillance and unwarranted spying on Americans. She would repeal provisions that give the president power to detain American citizens without due process.

FOREIGN POLICY/MILITARY

Stein says she would cut off all foreign aid to nation's she deems as "human rights abusers," including U.S. allies Israel, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. She would cut U.S. military spending by at least 50 percent and close more than 700 foreign military bases. Stein also wants to freeze the bank accounts of countries funding terrorism, and says that includes the Saudi royal family. She would withdrawal all troops and military contractors form Iraq and Afghanistan.

IMMIGRATION

Stein wants to provide a legal path to citizenship for immigrants, and immediately stop deportations that she says are tearing families apart. She says Donald Trump's plan to ban immigrants based on their religion is unconstitutional. Stein would offer subsidized health care and education to undocumented immigrants.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Stein opposes jailing youth for any crimes they commit. She also opposes the death penalty. She would restore voting rights to offenders, even while they are in prison.



MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION

Stein supports legalizing marijuana, and would treat substance abuse as a health problem, not a criminal offense. She would release non-violent drug offenders from prison, and remove such drug offenses from their records.

EDUCATION

Stein would guarantee tuition-free public education from pre-school through college for all Americans. She would cancel all student loan debt, an estimated $1.3 trillion, by ordering the Federal Reserve to buy and forgive all outstanding loans. She equates the move to the federal bailout of banks during the Great Recession.

ENVIRONMENT

Stein's signature policy is the "Green New Deal" which promises to change how energy is used and delivered, and fight climate change. She says millions of new jobs could be created if the U.S. ends fossil fuel use, and transitions to 100 percent clean, renewable energy by 2030. Stein has vowed to prosecute Exxon for "lying to the world about climate change."

My attorney general will prosecute Exxon for lying to the world about climate change. We need to end fossil fuels before it's too late. — Dr. Jill Stein🌻 (@DrJillStein) August 11, 2016

DEFICIT/BUDGET

Stein's plan is to increase spending on social needs through her 50 percent cut of the military budget. She would cancel military weapons programs such as the F-35 fighter, a new strategic bomber and the development of new nuclear weapons to save more $2 trillion over a decade.

HEALTH CARE

Stein, a medical doctor, would make free health care a right for all Americans through a "Medicare for All" single-payer program. There would be no co-pays, premiums or deductibles or restrictions based on pre-existing illness, age or immigration status. She wants to eliminate private health insurance, and reduce prescription drug prices by negotiating bulk purchases.

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