HEALTH CARE

Barack Obama

• Would create a national health insurance program for individuals who do not have employer-provided health care and who do not qualify for other existing federal programs. Allows individuals to choose between the new public insurance program or from among private insurance plans that meet certain coverage standards. Requires employers who do not provide health coverage for employees to pay into the national health insurance program. Does not mandate individual coverage for all Americans, but requires coverage for all children. Allows individuals below age 25 to be covered through their parents' plans. Cost estimated between $50 billion and $65 billion, to be paid for by eliminating Bush tax cuts for those earning over $250,000.

John McCain

• Opposes federally mandated universal coverage. Would increase awareness and promote the use of existing children's health insurance programs while expanding community health centers. Supports health care tax dividends for low-income Americans, medical malpractice reform, improving electronic record-keeping, expanding health savings accounts, and encouraging small businesses to band together to negotiate lower rates with health care providers.

IRAQ

Barack Obama

• Calls for the removal of one to two combat brigades each month and a complete withdrawal of our combat brigades within 16 months, seek a new accord on Iraqi's constitution and governance with representatives on all levels, and plans to provide $2 billion for the creation of an international working group to address the Iraqi humanitarian crisis.

John McCain

• Advocate sending reinforcements to Iraq to implement a classic insurgency strategy of securing the population, pushes for political reconciliation and good government within Iraq, and was an early proponent of sending additional American troops to Iraq.

ECONOMY

Barack Obama

• Would pump $75 billion into the economy via tax cuts and direct spending targeted to working families, seniors, homeowners and the unemployed. The plan also includes $45 billion in reserves that can be injected into the economy quickly in the future if the economy continues to deteriorate. Would provide an immediate $250 tax cut for workers and their families and an immediate, temporary $250 bonus to seniors in their Social Security checks. Would provide an additional $250 tax cut to workers and an additional $250 to seniors if the economy continues to worsen. Would extend and expand unemployment insurance.

John McCain

• Would lower the corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 25 percent. Would allow first-year deduction of equipment and technology investments and establish a permanent research and development tax credit equal to 10 percent of wages spent on R&D.

IMMIGRATION

Barack Obama

• Supported Bush-backed immigration reform legislation, which would have increased funding and improved border security technology, improved enforcement of existing laws, and provided a legal path to citizenship for some illegal immigrants. Voted to authorize construction of a 700-mile fence along the U.S.-Mexican border.

John McCain

• Co-sponsored Bush-backed immigration reform legislation, which would have increased funding and improved border security technology, improved enforcement of existing laws, and provided a legal path to citizenship for some illegal immigrants. Voted to authorize construction of a 700-mile fence along the U.S.-Mexican border.

FOREIGN POLICY

Barack Obama

• End the war in Iraq, reconcile with the government, and bring our troops home.
• Obama is willing to meet with the leaders of all nations, friend and foe.
• Plans to work with Israelis and Palestinians to achieve the goal of two states, a Jewish state in Israel and a Palestinian state, living side by side in peace and security.
• Strengthen the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty so that countries like North Korea and Iran that break the rules will automatically face strong international sanctions.
• The international community must, over the Sudanese regime’s protests, deploy a large, capable UN-led and UN-funded force with a robust enforcement mandate to stop the killings in Darfur.

John McCain

• Supports the development and deployment of theater and national missile defense to reduce the possibility of strategic blackmail by rogue regimes and to secure our homeland from the very real prospect of missile attack by present or future adversaries.
• Believes we must enlarge the size of our armed forces to meet new challenges to our security.
• Says military action is an option in regards to Iran, but would consult with congressional leaders before taking action.

ENERGY and the ENVIRONMENT

Barack Obama

• Said he does not support a federal gas tax holiday and called it a "classic Washington gimmick." After voting for an Illinois gas tax holiday while in the Illinois State Senate, he noted that, "Six months later we took a look, and consumers had not benefited at all, but we had lost revenue. I learned from a mistake." Suspend purchasing oil for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, and advocates a windfall profits tax on oil companies. Against lifting federal government restrictions on offshore drilling and opposes drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Proposes reducing carbon emissions by 80 percent by 2050 by using a market-based cap-and-trade system. Would invest $150 billion over 10 years in clean energy and supports next generation biofuels. Proposes increasing fuel economy standards and would require that 25 percent of electricity consumed in the U.S. is derived from clean, sustainable energy sources by 2025 and would create a Global Energy Forum and re-engage with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

John McCain

• Has called for the suspension of the 18.4-cent-a-gallon federal gas tax and 24.4-cent-a-gallon diesel tax from Memorial Day to Labor Day. The McCain campaign has said the lost revenue would be paid for by money from the general fund. Advocates suspending the purchase of foreign oil for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve during periods of high prices to reduce demand, and believes the federal government should lift restrictions on offshore drilling and provide incentives to states permitting offshore exploration. Against drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Calls for building new nuclear reactors. Proposed a $300 million award for "the development of a battery package that has the size, capacity, cost and power to leapfrog the commercially available plug-in hybrids or electric cars."

ABORTION/GAY MARRIAGE/STEM CELL RESEARCH

Barack Obama

• Preserve women’s rights under Roe v. Wade a priority as President. He opposes any constitutional amendment to overturn the Supreme Court's decision in that case.
• Opposes constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage, and supports civil unions.
• Supports expanding federal funding for embryonic stem cell research

John McCain

• Believes Roe v. Wade must be overturned.
• Believes the institution of marriage is a union between one man and one woman, and but opposes a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. He says individual states should decide the issue, and supports legal benefits for same-sex partners.
• Supports federal funding for embryonic stem cell research on embryos that would otherwise be discarded or perpetually frozen.

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