Obama & McCain
Domestic Policy
Ideology
Democrats
• Greater government role • Emphasis on Equality – Increase social spending – More regulation • Social Liberals
Republicans
• Smaller government role • Emphasis on Freedom – Decrease social spending – Less regulation • Social Conservatives
Economy
Obama
Taxes • Cut taxes for middle class (for families earning less than $250k/year) and for seniors. Note: the median household income in 2006 was $48,451 (U.S. Census Bureau) • Eliminate Bush tax cuts (for families making over $250k/year) • Tax relief for small businesses
McCain
Taxes • Make Bush tax cuts permanent (for families making $250,000 and up) • Cut corporate tax rates, personal gains taxes, and estate taxes • Ban internet and cell phone taxes
Economy (continued)
Obama
Jobs • Give companies incentives to keep jobs in the US • Raise minimum wage from $6.55/hr • Support fair trade; tax companies that move jobs overseas; protect union jobs • Invest in green energy jobs
McCain
Jobs • Give companies incentives to keep jobs in the US • Reduce trade barriers • Invest in nuclear and clean coal jobs
Economy (continued)
Obama
Spending • Get rid of unnecessary government spending • End earmarks • Provide $50 billion to jumpstart the economy & invest $250 million per year in ―business incubators‖ • Stop foreclosures for 90 days
McCain
Spending • Cut spending growth for a year • End earmarks • Balance budget by 2013 • Spend $300 billion to buy bad mortgages at face value
Health Care: Current Challenges
• Currently, 45.7 million Americans are without healthcare • U.S. spends 16% of our GDP on healthcare, more than most other industrialized countries. • Since 2000, cost of employer-based healthcare plans increased 100 percent. • The price of healthcare increased two times the rate of inflation. • In 2007, the average healthcare premium per person was $4,400 and $12,100 per family.
Health Care
Obama
• Require large companies to offer coverage for workers • Create a coverage system similar to Federal Employees Health Benefits plan • Require that children have insurance; offer tax credits to those who can’t afford it. • Forbid insurance companies from denying coverage because of preexisting conditions. • Small businesses exempt
McCain
• Tax the value of employerprovided health benefits • Health insurance tax credit of $5k for families, $2.5k for individuals • Money left over from tax credit would be put into account • Insurance companies not required to cover preexisting conditions • Portable health insurance
Education
Obama
• • • • • More government involvement ―Zero to Five‖ plan No Child Left Behind Charter schools Recruit, prepare, retain & reward teachers • Funding for higher education – Eliminate Federal Family Education Loan Program • Interventions and support strategies – Focus on the home – Prevent juvenile delinquency – Dropout intervention
McCain
• Less government involvement • Allocate money for early education • No Child Left Behind • Vouchers • Better pay for teachers; reward successful teachers • Funding for higher education – Expand Federal Family Education Loan Program • Interventions and support strategies – Centers of Excellence – After-school tutoring
Climate Change/Energy
Obama
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McCain
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Clean energy economy ―Green collar jobs‖—investment Alternative energy (10% from alternative sources by 2012) Nuclear power: address waste and security issues Cap and trade Supports windfall tax Reduce greenhouse gas emissions 80% by 2050 Make US a leader in climate change Reduce dependency on foreign oil – Domestic oil: supports drilling on existing fields and alternative energy
Clean energy economy ―Green collar jobs‖—tax credits Alternative energy and clean coal Nuclear power: 45 new nuclear plants by 2030 Cap and trade Against windfall tax and for tax credits Reduce greenhouse gas emissions 60% by 2050 Make US a leader in climate change Reduce dependency on foreign oil – Domestic oil: expand drilling and build nuclear power plants
Immigration
Obama
• Secure borders • Supports a path for illegal immigrants in certain cases • Prosecute employers of illegal immigrants • Increase quotas for families and meet the demand for jobs • Temporary worker programs to meet demand for jobs • Keep comprehensive worker databases • Work with Mexico to improve its economy
McCain
• Secure borders • Supports a path for illegal immigrants in certain cases • Prosecute employers of illegal immigrants • Eliminate family backlogs • Temporary worker programs to meet demand for jobs • Keep comprehensive worker databases
Social Issues
Obama
• Pro-Choice – Supports Roe v. Wade – Allows partial-birth abortion only when the health of the mother is in danger Stem-cells – Supports research on excess cells Gay Marriage – Supports civil unions with all the same legal rights – Supports gay adoption rights •
McCain
Anti-Choice – Doesn’t support Roe v. Wade (promotes adoption) – ―Pro-life‖ in all cases Stem-cells – Supports stem cell research but opposes ―fetal farming‖ Gay Marriage – Supports civil unions/domestic partnerships – Doesn’t support gay adoption
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Vice Presidential Candidate
Biden
• Social liberal • Small town roots • Experience
– 36 years as senator from Delaware – Chairman of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Drugs – Chairman of the Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control
Palin
• Social conservative • Female with small town roots • Executive experience – 20 months as Governor of Alaska – 6 years as Mayor of Wasilla, Alaska • ―Maverick‖
―Barack Obama: Change We Need.‖ Obama for America 2008. 16 October 2008. 16 October 2008 ―FactCheck.org: Health Care Spin.‖ FactCheck.org – Annenberg Political Fact Check. 14 October 2008. 16 October 2008 ―JohnMcCain.com – McCain-Palin 2008.‖ McCain-Palin 2008. 16 October 2008. 16 October 2008 . Ludden, Jennifer. ―Immigration Issue Doesn’t Divide McCain, Obama.‖ 2008. NPR. 23 Oct. 2008. . ―NCHC – Facts About Healthcare – Health Insurance Costs.‖ National Coalition on Healthcare. 2008. 16 October 2008 ―Obama and McCain’s Plans on Education.‖ CBS Evening News. 16 October 2008. 21 October 2008 ―Politics – Campaign 2008.‖ The New York Times. 21 October 2008. 21 October 2008 ―The Candidates and the Economy: A Plethora of Plans.‖ The Economist. 16 October 2008. 16 October 2008 Toppo, Greg. ―Where they Stand: McCain, Obama Split on Education.‖ USA Today. 14 October 2008. 21 October 2008 ―United States – Fact Sheet – American FactFinder.‖ US Census Bureau. 2006. 21 October 2008.