Barack Obama (Democrat)Iraq
“Immediate withdrawal of troops at a pace of 1-2 brigades every month, with complete withdrawal by the end of next year.”
Health Care
“Making available a new national health program that will allow individuals and small businesses to buy affordable health care similar to that available to federal employees. No one will be turned away or charged more due to illness, and everyone who needs it will receive a subsidy for their premiums.
Making available a National Health Insurance Exchange to reform the private insurance market. Any American could enroll in participating private plans, which would have to provide comprehensive benefits, issue every applicant a policy, and charge fair and stable premiums.
Ensuring all of the 9 million currently uninsured children have affordable, high-quality health coverage
Expanding Medicaid and SCHIP and ensuring they continue to serve their critical safety net function.
Requiring that insurance plans accept all applicants and do not charge different prices based on pre-existing conditions.
Higher Education
“Increase the maximum Pell Grant from the existing limit of $4,050 to a new maximum of $5,100; eliminate wasteful subsidies to private student lenders and instead support the federal Direct Loan program, invest the savings in additional student aid, and add greater transparency to the student financial aid process.
Homeland Security and Immigration
Create a new employment eligibility verification system so employers can verify that their employees are legally eligible to work in the U.S.
Global Warming
“Implement an economy-wide cap-and-trade program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to the level recommended by top scientists to avoid calamitous impacts.
Invest $150 billion over the next ten years to develop and deploy climate friendly energy supplies, protect our existing manufacturing base and create millions of new jobs.
Dramatically improve energy efficiency to reduce energy intensity of our economy by 50 percent by 2030.
Reduce our dependence on foreign oil and reduce oil consumption overall by at least 35 percent, or 10 million barrels of oil, by 2030.
Make the U.S. a leader in the global effort to combat climate change by leading a new international global warming partnership.
Abortion
Pass the Stem Cell Research Bill; Trust women to make own decisions on partial-birth abortion
Jobs
Voted YES on increasing minimum wage to $7.25; Working full-time should mean enough to support a family; Tax cuts for the rich do not create jobs
Hillary Rodham Clinton (Democrat)Iraq
Steady Phased deployment from Iraq Day 1 in office
Health Care
“Affordable: Unlike the current health system where insurance premiums send people into bankruptcy, the plan provides tax credits for working families to help them cover their costs. The tax credits will ensure that working families never have to pay more than a limited percentage of their income for health care.
Available:
No discrimination. The insurance companies can’t deny you coverage if you have a pre-existing condition.
Reliable:
It’s portable. If you change or lose your job, you keep your health care.
Higher Education
“Double the maximum Hope Scholarship Tax Credit to $3,000, and make it available for four years of college instead of the current two years.
Enable the over five million borrowers with consolidated loans to refinance their loans, just as they would refinance their home mortgage to take advantage of lower interest rates and eliminate origination fees on subsidized loans.
Provide a new incentive to colleges to join the Direct Loan Program, which saves the government and taxpayers 14 cents on every dollar loaned.
Increase funding for successful programs such as TRIO and GEAR UP, which improve access to college for minorities and first generation students.
Strengthen efforts to recruit, train, and retain qualified teachers, paraprofessionals, principals, and superintendents for schools.”
Homeland Security and Immigration
Better technology to allow employers to check imigration status; strengthening borders
Global Warming
“Centered on a cap and trade system for carbon emissions, stronger energy and auto efficiency standards and a significant increase in green research funding, Hillary’s plan will reduce America’s reliance on foreign oil and address the looming climate crisis.
Setting ambitious targets, the plan would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent from 1990 levels by 2050 to avoid the worst effects of global warming, and cut foreign oil imports by two-thirds from 2030 projected levels, more than 10 million barrels per day.
Abortion
“Pro-choice, not pro-abortion. protections of Roe v Wade, while also working hard to expand access to family planning services.
Jobs
“Increase the minimum wage. Create good jobs with good wages to expand the middle class.”
John Edwards (Democrat)Iraq
“Immediate withdrawl of 40,000-50,000 troops; complete withdrawl in 9 to 10 months”
Health Care
“Requiring businesses and other employers to either cover their employees or help finance their health insurance.
Making insurance affordable by creating new tax credits, expanding Medicaid and SCHIP, reforming insurance laws, and taking innovative steps to contain health care costs.
Creating regional “”Health Care Markets”” to let every American share the bargaining power to purchase an affordable, high-quality health plan, increase choices among insurance plans, and cut costs for businesses offering insurance.
Once these steps have been taken, requiring all American residents to get insurance.
Higher Education
College For Everyone Program–offers first years tuition to students who agree to work part-time; expand public univeristy education”
Homeland Security and Immigration Against illegal immigration and vows to protect middle-working class Americans to keep jobs.
Global Warming
“Capping greenhouse gas pollution starting in 2010 with a cap-and-trade system, and reducing it by 15 percent by 2020 and 80 percent by 2050, as the latest science says is needed to avoid the worst impacts of global warming.
Leading the world to a new climate treaty that commits other countries-including developing nations-to reduce their pollution. Edwards will insist that developing countries join us in this effort, offering to share new clean energy technology and, if necessary, using trade agreements to require binding greenhouse reductions.
Creating a New Energy Economy Fund by auctioning off $10 billion in greenhouse pollution permits and repealing subsidies for big oil companies. The fund will support U.S. research and development in energy technology, help entrepreneurs start new businesses, invest in new carbon-capture and efficient automobile technology and help Americans conserve energy.
Meeting the demand for more electricity through efficiency for the next decade, instead of producing more electricity.”
Abortion
Protect and defend the right to choose and reverse the damage that has been done by President Bush’s anti-choice agenda.
Jobs
Increase national average minimum wage from $5.85 to $7.25 and $9.50 by 2012
Mitt Romney (Republican)Iraq
Withdrawal from Iraq would be a mistake
Health Care
“Let states create their own private, market-based insurance”
Homeland Security and Immigration
“Implement mandatory biometrically enabled, tamper proof documentation and employment verification system, and increase legal immigration into America”
Crime
Domestic supports for our agriculture industry
Global Warming
“Wants clean environment, no plans on how to do so”
Abortion
“Opposes Roe v. Wade. Believes that abortion should be banned in all cases except rape, incest, or to save the life of the mother. Vetoed an emergency contraception bill in July 2005. However: Has kept campaign promise not to tamper with state abortion laws. ”
Jobs
Not much has come up in regards to higher education in the Romney Campaign
John McCain (Republican)Iraq
Not enough troops in Iraq; calls for additional troops to be sent
Health Care
Promote competition throughout the health care system – between providers and among alternative treatments. Make patients the center of care and give them a larger role in both prevention and care, putting more decisions and responsibility in their hands. Make public more information on treatment options and require transparency by providers regarding medical outcomes, quality of care, costs, and prices.
Higher Education
Not too much has been surfaced on McCain’s stance on higher education thus far.
Homeland Security
Secure borders
Global Warming
Commitment to clean air and water, and to conserving open space; one of forerunners on global warming issue
Abortion
Prosecute abortion doctors, not women who get them; Pro-Life; would not support child’s abortion
Jobs
Voted NO on restricting employer interference in union organizing.
Mike Huckabee (Republican)Iraq
Insist that Iraq’s neighbors assist military & financially
Health Care
“Oppose mandated health insurance and universal coverage; smokers, alcoholics, & obese people do not get insurance rewards”
Higher Education
Tax-credited programs for Christian schooling; Christian universities get better funding
Homeland Security and Immigration
penalize employers of illegal immigrants
Global Warming
Follow Boy Scout rule: leave earth better than we found it
Abortion
No tax funding for organizations that promote abortion; Outlaw all abortions; err on the side of life
Jobs
“Against “”sexual orientation”” in Employment Non-Discrimination Act; Supports farm subsidies & fully-funded crop insurance”
Rudy Giuliani (Republican)Iraq
“For the US staying the course in Iraq, with no plan to withdraw troops”
Health Care
Privitize health care; increase competition but give vouchers to the poor
Higher Education
Focusing on technical training at Associates Degree level to improve workforce
Homeland Security and Immigration
“Shouldn’t be debating LEGAL immigration, only ILLEGAL; Change rule barring immigrants from running for president”
Global Warming
“Believes” in global warming and wants to decrease pollution and human intervention in global warming”
Abortion
“Forever against abortion, but respect others’ choice; Would personally advise women against abortion”
Jobs
Vibrant unions good; but compelling membership bad.
Dennis Kucinich (Democrat)Iraq
Only democrat running for President who has voted against authorizing the war in Iraq and against funding its continuation
Health Care
“Would establish Medicare for All – a universal, single-payer, not-for-profit health care system that leaves no American behind.”
Higher Education
Free college for all American young people because we have the resources to do it
Homeland Security and Immigration
“Promote Spanish as a second national language; Build relationships between nations, not walls”
Global Warming
Reduce carbon emmiions and looking toward water as alternate source of energy; public ownership of all waters
Abortion
Began as Pro-Lifer but shifted his stance to Pro-choice
Jobs
Against US’s particpation in WTO; looks to save capitalism and big business