Guest Guest Posted February 21, 2008 Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 BARACK Iraq war Barack Obama: Opposed the war from the start and opposed the troop increase. Promises that as president he would immediately begin to remove U.S. troops. Would bring out one or two combat brigades per month until all were withdrawn within 16 months. Would keep some troops in Iraq to protect U.S. diplomats and to fight Al Qaeda if necessary. Health care Barack Obama: Create a new national health plan to allow individuals without access to affordable insurance coverage to buy coverage similar to that available to members of Congress. Taxes Barack Obama: Increase the number of working parents eligible for Earned Income Tax Credits, increase the benefit available to parents who support their children through child support payments and reduce the marriage penalty. Immigration Barack Obama: Supports new employment eligibility verification system and the Citizenship Promotion Act to ensure fair immigration application fees. Gay marriage Barack Obama: Opposes same-sex marriage, supports civil unions. Energy Barack Obama: Supports implementing an economy-wide cap-and-trade program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to the level recommended by top scientists. Trade Barack Obama: Seeks to reopen NAFTA to strengthen enforcement of labor and environmental standards. Abortion Barack Obama: Supports abortion rights. Urges efforts to reduce teen pregnancy, "making it less likely for women to find themselves in these circumstances." Economy Barack Obama: Wants to use $75 billion in tax cuts and direct spending to stimulate the economy. Would provide immediate $250 tax cut to workers and their families, and an immediate, temporary $250 bonus to seniors in their Social Security checks. Education Barack Obama: Would encourage but not require universal prekindergarten. Wants to reward teachers with higher pay not tied to standardized test scores. Wants to change No Child Left Behind "so that we're not just teaching to a test and crowding out programs like art and music." Guns Barack Obama: Voted to leave gunmakers and dealers open to lawsuits. Also, as an Illinois state lawmaker, supported a ban on all forms of semiautomatic weapons and tighter state restrictions on firearms. Despite his support for some gun-control measures, he said last weekend in Idaho: "We've got a lot of hunters in southern Illinois, and I've got no intention of taking away people's guns." Shillary Iraq war Hillary Rodham Clinton: Voted to authorize the invasion of Iraq but says she wouldn't have done so if she knew then what she knows now. Opposed troop increase. Says she would order military leaders to develop a plan that would start bringing U.S. troops home within the first 60 days of her administration. However, she has not committed to a withdrawal timetable and says some troops will have to remain to continue fighting terrorism in Iraq and the region. Health care Hillary Rodham Clinton: Keep existing coverage or access the same private insurance options that their Members of Congress receive through a new Health Choices Menu. Taxes Hillary Rodham Clinton: Supports permanently ending marriage penalty, extending the lower-income tax rates and providing a deduction for college tuition Immigration Hillary Rodham Clinton: Supports the DREAM Act, which provides a path to citizenship through military service or higher education. Gay marriage Hillary Rodham Clinton: Opposes same-sex marriage, favors civil unions. Says it's a state issue. Energy Hillary Rodham Clinton: Supports a $50 billion Strategic Energy Fund, paid for in part by oil companies, to fund investments in alternative energy. Trade Hillary Rodham Clinton: Seeks to reopen North American Free Trade Agreement to strengthen enforcement of labor and environmental standards. Abortion Hillary Rodham Clinton: Supports abortion rights, but says "pro-choice" does not mean "pro-abortion." Has called abortion "a sad, even tragic choice to many, many women," and urged better sex education to prevent unwanted pregnancies. Economy Hillary Rodham Clinton: Proposes stimulus package of up to $110 billion, including $40 billion in tax rebates, a $30 billion fund to help states and cities deal with housing foreclosures, a 90-day moratorium on foreclosures and a five-year interest-rate freeze on subprime mortgages. Education Hillary Rodham Clinton: Wants prekindergarten for all 4-year-olds. Opposes performance-based merit pay for teachers, favors incentives for teachers in high-need places and subjects. Supported No Child Left Behind accountability law but says it has not been properly financed or run. Guns Hillary Rodham Clinton: Voted for ban on assault-type weapons and to require background checks at gun shows. Favored leaving gunmakers and dealers open to civil lawsuits. In 2000 supported proposals for a federal requirement for state-issued gun licenses with a photo on them and a national registry for handgun sales. Expresses support for the 2nd Amendment, which guarantees the right to bear arms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aphoristically Moderate Posted February 21, 2008 Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 Just looked up Obama's position on fixing Social Security. His web site claims that Social Security just taxes the first $97,500 of earned income. He would raise that ceiling. How imaginative, another tax increase. He doesn't say what the new ceiling would be. I personally didn't come near that $97,500. However, my wife easily passed it. Mr. Obama, if you raise my wife's Social Security taxes by raising the ceiling, can she expect a comparable increase in her benefits when she retires? No, I didn't think so. This is Obama'a typical populist message. Since a majority of Americans also don't come near $97,500, they will FEEL that this is a "fair tax increase." In other words, one they don't pay. Social Security isn't welfare. It isn't supposed to be free money that politicians can use to win votes by "taxing the rich and giving to the poor." Remember Barak Obama (and Hillary) voted to make illegal aliens eligible for Social Security benefits back in May of 2006. The vote was conditional on Immigration Reform becoming law passing in 2007, (which it didn't) so I'm sure they can find a way of wriggling out from accounting for their position on this. So Obama's position on Social Security: Increase taxes where you can + Buy votes with it where you can. Ditto that for Hillary. Scott Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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