Vote Smart: The 2008 Candidates and their stances

Obama:

Abortion:

· No litmus test; nominate to Court based on their fairness. (Oct 2008)

· 1990: Wrote law article that that fetus cannot sue mother. (Aug 2008)

· FactCheck: Abortions HAVE gone down under Pres. Bush. (Aug 2008)

· Ok for state to restrict late-term partial birth abortion. (Apr 2008)

· We can find common ground between pro-choice and pro-life. (Apr 2008)

· Undecided on whether life begins at conception. (Apr 2008)

· Trust women to make own decisions on partial-birth abortion. (Apr 2007)

Economy

• Barack Obama will provide a tax cut for working families:

Obama and Biden will restore fairness to the tax code and provide 95 percent of working Americans the tax relief they need. They will create a new "Making Work Pay" tax credit of up to $500 per person, or $1,000 per working family.

• Provide tax relief for small businesses and startups:

Obama and Biden will eliminate all capital gains taxes on startup and small businesses to encourage innovation and job creation.

• Fight for fair trade:

Obama and Biden will fight for a trade policy that opens up foreign markets to support good American jobs. They will use trade agreements to spread good labor and environmental standards around the world.

Civil Rights

· Barack Obama will combat employment discrimination:

Obama and Biden will work to overturn the Supreme Court's recent ruling that curtails women’s and racial minorities' ability to challenge pay discrimination. They will also pass the Fair Pay Act to ensure that women receive equal pay for equal work and the Employment Non-Discrimination Act to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity or expression.

· Strengthen civil rights enforcement:

Obama and Biden will reverse the politicization that has occurred in the Bush Administration's Department of Justice. They will put an end to the ideological litmus tests used to fill positions within the Civil Rights Division.

· Expand hate crime statutes:

Obama and Biden will strengthen federal hate crimes legislation, expand hate crimes protection by passing the Matthew Shepard Act, and reinvigorate enforcement at the Department of Justice's Criminal Section.

Defense

· Barack Obama will rebuild the military for 21st century tasks:

Obama and Biden will complete the effort to increase our ground forces by 65,000 soldiers and 27,000 Marines. They will also invest in 21st century missions like counterinsurgency by building up our special operations forces, civil affairs, information operations, foreign language training and other units and capabilities that remain in chronic short supply.

· Restore the readiness of the National Guard and Reserves:

Obama and Biden will provide the National Guard with the equipment it needs for foreign and domestic emergencies. They will ensure that reservists and Guard members are treated fairly when it comes to employment, health, and education benefits.

· Engage our allies in meeting our common security challenges:

Obama and Biden will renew alliances and ensure our allies contribute their fair share to our mutual security.

Education

· Barack Obama will reform No Child Left Behind:

Obama and Biden believe teachers should not be forced to spend the academic year preparing students to fill in bubbles on standardized tests and he will improve the assessments used to track student progress to measure readiness for college.

· Invest in early childhood education:

The Obama-Biden comprehensive "Zero to Five" plan will provide critical support to young children and their parents. And they will help states move toward voluntary, universal pre-school.

· Make college affordable to all Americans:

Obama and Biden will create a new American Opportunity Tax Credit worth $4,000 in exchange for community service. It will cover two-thirds the cost of tuition at the average public college or university and make community college tuition completely free for most students.

Energy/Oil

The Obama-Biden comprehensive New Energy for America plan will:

• Provide short-term relief to American families facing pain at the pump
• Help create five million new jobs by strategically investing $150 billion over the next ten years to catalyze private efforts to build a clean energy future.
• Within 10 years save more oil than we currently import from the Middle East and Venezuela combined.
• Put 1 million Plug-In Hybrid cars -- cars that can get up to 150 miles per gallon -- on the road by 2015, cars that we will work to make sure are built here in America.
• Ensure 10 percent of our electricity comes from renewable sources by 2012, and 25 percent by 2025.
• Implement an economy-wide cap-and-trade program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 80 percent by 2050.

Environment

Create Millions of New Green Jobs

• Ensure 10 percent of Our Electricity Comes from Renewable Sources by 2012, and 25 percent by 2025.
• Deploy the Cheapest, Cleanest, Fastest Energy Source -- Energy Efficiency.

Obama and Biden will set an aggressive energy efficiency goal -- to reduce electricity demand 15 percent from projected levels by 2020.

• Weatherize One Million Homes Annually.

Obama and Biden will make a national commitment to weatherize at least one million low-income homes each year for the next decade, which can reduce energy usage across the economy and help moderate energy prices for all.

• Develop and Deploy Clean Coal Technology.

Obama’s Department of Energy will enter into public private partnerships to develop five “first-of-a-kind” commercial scale coal-fired plants with clean carbon capture and sequestration technology.

• Prioritize the Construction of the Alaska Natural Gas Pipeline.

As president, Obama will work with stakeholders to facilitate construction of the pipeline. Not only is this pipeline critical to our energy security, it will create thousands of new jobs.

Reduce our Greenhouse Gas Emissions 80 Percent by 2050

• Implement an economy-wide cap-and-trade program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 80 percent by 2050.

The Obama-Biden cap-and-trade policy will require all pollution credits to be auctioned, and proceeds will go to investments in a clean energy future, habitat protections, and rebates and other transition relief for families.

• Make the U.S. a Leader on Climate Change.

Obama and Biden will re-engage with the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) -- the main international forum dedicated to addressing the climate problem. They will also create a Global Energy Forum of the world’s largest emitters to focus exclusively on global energy and environmental issues.

Gay Marriage:

· Opposes gay marriage; supports civil union & gay equality

Gun Control

• Ok for states & cities to determine local gun laws. (Apr 2008)
• FactCheck: Yes, Obama endorsed Illinois handgun ban. (Apr 2008)
• Respect 2nd Amendment, but local gun bans ok. (Feb 2008)
• Provide some common-sense enforcement on gun licensing. (Jan 2008)
• 2000: cosponsored bill to limit purchases to 1 gun per month. (Oct 2007)
• Concealed carry OK for retired police officers. (Aug 2007)
• Stop unscrupulous gun dealers dumping guns in cities. (Jul 2007)
• Keep guns out of inner cities--but also problem of morality. (Oct 2006)
• Bush erred in failing to renew assault weapons ban. (Oct 2004)
• Ban semi-automatics, and more possession restrictions. (Jul 1998)
• Voted NO on prohibiting lawsuits against gun manufacturers. (Jul 2005)

Health Care

· Barack Obama will make health insurance affordable and accessible to all:

The Obama-Biden plan provides affordable, accessible health care for all Americans, builds on the existing healthcare system, and uses existing providers, doctors and plans to implement the plan.

· Obama will lower health care costs:

The Obama plan will lower health care costs by $2,500 for a typical family by investing in health information technology, prevention and care coordination.

· Promote public health:

Obama and Biden will require coverage of preventive services, including cancer screenings, and will increase state and local preparedness for terrorist attacks and natural disasters.

Homeland Security

· Barack Obama will defeat terrorism worldwide:

Obama and Biden will find, disrupt, and destroy al Qaeda; prepare the military to meet 21st century threats; and win “the Battle of Ideas” by ensuring American foreign policy is consistent with America's traditional values.

· Prevent nuclear terrorism:

Obama and Biden will lead the effort to secure nuclear weapons materials at vulnerable sites within four years and help our allies stop the smuggling of weapons of mass destruction.

· Strengthen American biosecurity:

Obama and Biden will work to prevent bioterror attacks and mitigate consequences by improving U.S. intelligence collection and response management.

Immigration

· America has nothing to fear from today's immigrants. (Jun 2008)

· We need comprehensive reform, like McCain used to support. (Jun 2008)

· Recognize the humanity of immigrants: Todos somos Americanos. (Jun 2008)

· GovWatch: Anti-immigrants fuel xenophobia, but 45% increase. (Jun 2008)

· Encourage every student to learn a second language. (Feb 2008)

· Need to look at different aspects of immigration reform. (Feb 2008)

· Have border patrolled, surveillance, and deploy technology. (Feb 2008)

· Increasing the legal fees on immigrants is not helping. (Feb 2008)

· Deporting 12 million people is ridiculous and impractical. (Feb 2008)

Social Security

· Barack Obama will protect Social Security:

Obama and Biden are committed to ensuring Social Security is solvent and viable for the American people, now and in the future. They are strongly opposed to privatizing Social Security.

Taxes

• Middle class families will see their taxes cut – and no family making less than $250,000 will see their taxes increase. The typical middle class family will receive well over $1,000 in tax relief under the Obama plan, and will pay tax rates that are 20% lower than they faced under President Reagan. According to the Tax Policy Center, the Obama plan provides three times as much tax relief for middle class families as the McCain plan.
• Families making more than $250,000 will pay either the same or lower tax rates than they paid in the 1990s. Obama will ask the wealthiest 2% of families to give back a portion of the tax cuts they have received over the past eight years to ensure we are restoring fairness and returning to fiscal responsibility. But no family will pay higher tax rates than they would have paid in the 1990s. In fact, dividend rates would be 39 percent lower than what President Bush proposed in his 2001 tax cut.
• Obama’s plan will cut taxes overall, reducing revenues to below the levels that prevailed under Ronald Reagan (less than 18.2 percent of GDP). The Obama tax plan is a net tax cut – his tax relief for middle class families is larger than the revenue raised by his tax changes for families over $250,000. Coupled with his commitment to cut unnecessary spending, Obama will pay for this tax relief while bringing down the budget deficit.

War

· Barack Obama will responsibly end the war in Iraq:

Immediately upon taking office, Obama will give his Secretary of Defense and military commanders a new mission in Iraq: successfully ending the war. The removal of our troops will be responsible and phased.

· Encourage political accommodation:

Obama and Biden will press Iraq's leaders to take responsibility for their future and to substantially spend their oil revenues on their own reconstruction.

· Increase stability in Iraq and the region:

Obama and Biden will launch an aggressive diplomatic effort to reach a comprehensive compact on the stability of Iraq and the region. They also will address Iraq's refugee crisis.

Welfare

· Still denying decent wages, good benefits, & fair treatment. (Jul 2008)

· AdWatch: Fought for workers from college thru Senate. (Jul 2008)

· GovWatch: Welfare laws he "passed" were federally mandated. (Jul 2008)

· Cut poverty in half in 10 years, with faith-based help. (Apr 2008)

· Welfare policies contributed to erosion of black families. (Mar 2008)

· Create 20 Promise Neighborhoods in high-poverty cities. (Feb 2008)

McCain:

Abortion

· I 've never imposed a litmus test on Supreme Court nominees. (Oct 2008)

· Obama voted no on partial-birth ban & born-alive treatment. (Oct 2008)

· Pro-life and an advocate for the Rights of Man everywhere. (Feb 2008)

· GovWatch: 1999: Don't force women to have illegal operations. (Feb 2008)

Economy

· Supported the $700 billion Wall Street bailout package.

· Supported increasing the federal insurance for money deposited in personal bank accounts to $250,000

· Wants to bring jobs back to America

· Veto every wasteful spending project

Civil Rights

· Equal pay for equal work case was a trial lawyer's dream. (Oct 2008)

· FactCheck: Pay discrimination still subject to time limits. (Oct 2008)

· Supports CA Prop. 8: one-man-one-woman marriage. (Jul 2008)

· Voted against MLK holiday in 1983; now calls that a mistake. (Apr 2008)

· Don't ask, don't tell is working; don't tamper with it. (Jun 2007)

· Confederate flag on top of capitol was wrong; in front is ok. (May 2007)

· Leave gay marriage to the states. (Jan 2007)

Defense

· Supports using military to suspend terrorists

· Stricter rules for visa applications from nations known to sponsor terrorism

· Is again phone tapping and other privacy violations to prevent terrorism

· Holds the entire country responsible when sponsoring terrorism

· Supports pre-emptive strikes

Education

· Supports national standardized testing

· Increase funding for block grants to aid the hiring of additional teachers

· Supports teacher testing and rewards teachers with merit pay

· Increase funding of programs such as Pell grants and Stafford loans to help student spay for college

Energy

· Energy independence will create millions of jobs. (Oct 2008)

· All of the above: nuclear, wind, tide, solar, gas, coal. (Oct 2008)

· Offshore drilling & nuke power instead of $700B to enemies. (Sep 2008)

· FactCheck: Voted against new investments in renewable energy. (Sep 2008)

· FactCheck: US sends $357B to hostile countries, not $700B. (Sep 2008)

· Attack the energy problem on every front. (Sep 2008)

· Job creation program with alternate energy & nuclear power. (Aug 2008)

Environment

· Climate Policy Should Be Built On Scientifically-Sound, Mandatory Emission Reduction Targets And Timetables.

Climate Policy Should Utilize A Market-Based Cap And Trade System.

Climate Policy Must Include Mechanisms To Minimize Costs And Work Effectively With Other Markets.

Climate Policy Must Spur The Development And Deployment Of Advanced Technology.

Climate Policy Must Facilitate International Efforts To Solve The Problem.

Gay Marriage

· Against

Gun Control

· John McCain believes that every firearms owner has a responsibility to learn how to safely use and store the firearm they have chosen, whether for target shooting, hunting, or personal protection. He has supported legislation requiring gun manufacturers to include gun safety devices such as trigger locks in product packaging.

Health Care

· OBAMA FICTION
John McCain Will Tax Health Care Benefits For The First Time And Will Be the Largest Middle Class Tax Increase In History.

· THE FACTS
This Obama charge is a blatant mischaracterization of the McCain Health Plan. It only focuses on the fact that the value of the employer provided insurance will now show up as additional income for the employees – what he fails to mention – is that John McCain’s generous refundable tax credit ($5,000 for families and $2,500 for individuals) will not only shield millions of families from a tax increase but will actually give them MORE dollars to invest in their health care needs.

Homeland Security

· Wants to improve homeland security to find Osama Bin Laden

o Believes in doing anything necessary to find him

· Does not believe in the president conducting surveillance for national security purposes. He does not believe that the president has the right to disobey any law.

· Voted NO on restricting business with entities linked to terrorism

· Voted no on adopting the comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty

Immigration

"As you know, I and many other colleagues twice attempted to pass comprehensive immigration legislation to fix our broken borders; ensure respect for the laws of this country; recognize the important economic contribution of immigrant laborers; apprehend those who came here illegally to commit crimes; and deal practically and humanely with those who came here, as my distant ancestors did, to build a better, safer life for their families, without excusing the fact they came here illegally or granting them privileges before those who have been waiting their turn outside the country. Many Americans did not believe us when we said we would secure our borders, and so we failed in our efforts. I don't want to fail again to achieve comprehensive immigration reform. We must prove we have the resources to secure our borders and use them, while respecting the dignity and rights of citizens and legal residents of the United States. When we have achieved our border security goal, we must enact and implement the other parts of practical, fair and necessary immigration policy. We have economic and humanitarian responsibilities as well, and they require no less dedication from us in meeting them."

- John McCain

Social Security

Advocates supplementing Social Security benefits with individual investment accounts. Prefers slowing the growth benefits to raising taxes. When asked about Social Security during a GOP debate, he stated: "Every man, woman and child in America needs to know it's going broke, and we've got to do the hard things. We've got to fix it for the future generations of Americans ... It's got to be bipartisan. And you have to go to the American people and say we won't raise your taxes. We need personal savings accounts, but we [have] to fix this system."

Taxes

Voted against 2001 and 2003 Bush tax cut laws, but later voted in favor of extending tax cuts through 2010. Says he would keep the current rates on dividends and capital gains, and maintain the current income and investment tax rates. Says he opposes a proposal supporters call the "Fair Tax," which would repeal income taxes and other taxes and abolish the Internal Revenue, but has previously said he would sign it into law as president. Says he would double the child deduction from $3,500 to $7,000 and permanently repeal the alternative minimum tax. Says he would reduce the corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 25 percent. Advocates raising the exemption from taxation on estates up to $10 million while cutting the tax rate to 15 percent. Proposes that a three-fifths majority vote in Congress be required to raise taxes. Says he would permit corporations to immediately deduct the cost of equipment investment. Would prohibit new cellular telephone taxes and ban Internet taxes. Wants to establish a permanent tax credit equal to 10 percent of wages spent on research and development.

War

· Does not believe in setting a withdrawal time table

· Feels that Iraq needs American troops until the job is finished

· Goal is that Iraq becomes a functioning democracy

· Believes that the United Nations should play a role in supporting provincial governments' elections in late 2008 and the national government elections in 2009.

· Believes that economic progress is essential to sustaining security gains in Iraq. States that international community should bolster proven microfinance programs to spur local-level entrepreneurship throughout the country. Also believes that Iraq's neighbors should promote regional stability by directly investing the fruits of their oil exports in Iraq.

Welfare

· Believes that lower and middle income Americans need more help

· Welfare recipients should be required to spend at least 40 hours a week in a combination of work and training programs.

· Supports housing assistance for low-income families

· McCain indicates his support for direct federal poverty aid through religious, community-based or other non-profit organizations. He says, “Welfare and anti-poverty assistance is a shared responsibility among federal, state and local government; the private sector; community and faith-based organizations. Welfare policy must provide a strong safety net, while promoting work, responsibility, self sufficiency and dignity.”

Works Cited

Cable News Network. "Issues - Election Center 2008." Election Center 2008. 2008. CNN. 2 Nov. 2008

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Gordon, Jesse. "Candidates on the Issues." On the Issues: Every Political Leader on Every Issue. 2008. On

the Issues. 2 Nov. 2008 .

McCain-Palin 2008. "McCain-Palin 2008." Johnmccain.com. McCain-Palin 2008. 2 Nov. 2008

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Obama for America. "Barack Obama and Joe Biden: The Change We Need." Barackobama.com. Obama

for America. 2 Nov. 2008 .