McCain vs Obama - How They Stand On Ten Different Issues

John McCain is at lower right. Public domain image.

Barack Obama and his maternal grandparents at his graduation from Columbia University.

Image credit - Creative Commons/Flickr T Toes

Image credit - Mountaineer Pics via Creative Commons/Flickr

Image credit - S. Kennel via Creative Commons/Flickr

Image credit - Thirty30 Photography via Creative Commons/Flickr

This article is a straightforward presentation on how John McCain and Barack Obama stand on ten issues. You can also listen to it on the Straight Talk Podcast.

For Current Polls Nationally and by State/Electoral Vote I highly recommend:

Five-Thirty-Eight-dot-com and The Gallup Daily Polls.

The Federal Budget

McCain - Says he will balance the budget by the end of his first term by curbing wasteful spending, as well as overspending on entitlement programs such as Social Security and Medicare. Wants to make well-to-do Medicare recipients pay higher premiums. Will cut 'earmark' spending.

Obama - Require disclosure of all Congressional 'pet projects' and require lawmakers to pay for any new spending or tax breaks with new revenue or cuts in other programs.

The Death Penalty

Obama - Supports the death penalty but has said previously he doesn't think it deters crime. He supports the right of communities to 'feel justified in expressing the full measure of their outrage' by imposing execution.

McCain - Fully supports the death penalty in America. Voted 'yes' on the 1994 Biden bill that expanded the number of offenses eligible for execution and limited appeals.

Marijuana Legalization and Medical Marijuana

McCain - Opposes both legalization and medical use. Supports the continuation of Federal raids on medical marijuana users in the 12 states that now have such laws. Has stated previously he believes it is a 'gateway drug' leading to harder drugs. Wants to expand anti-drug enforcement in countries such as Columbia.

Obama - Opposes legalization. Supports medical use and would end Federal raids. Wants to end the disparity in sentencing between crack and powder cocaine offenses.

Taxes

Obama - Wants to let Bush tax cuts of 2001 and 2003 expire as scheduled, which gave breaks to Americans making over $250,000 per year. Raise tax on capital gains and dividends, and give tax cuts to lower and middle-income Americans. Supports a Universal Mortgage Tax Credit of 10%. Supports basically eliminating taxes for seniors making less than $50,000 per year.

McCain - Wants Bush tax cuts of 2001 and 2003 made permanent. Supports a simplified income tax system with two rates and a generous standard deduction. Wants to double the deduction for families. Forbid any taxes on internet service or cell phones.

Same-Sex Marriages

McCain - Supports civil unions, but not same-sex marriage. Believes this issue should be decided by states individually, and not an Amendment.

Obama - Supports civil unions, but not same-sex marriage. Would not oppose states who implement same-sex marriage.

The Economy

Obama - Tax incentives to companies who keep jobs in the United States. Has stated previously he wants to renegotiate NAFTA. Supports a $75 billion dollar bill to provide an immediate $500 rebate to families, and an extra $250 to Social Security recipients. Provide more funds to the Unemployment Insurance program. New legislation to stiffen penalties for mortgage fraud and predatory lending.

McCain - Lower taxes for small business. Cut corporate tax rate from 35% to 25%. Tax breaks to companies in the technology fields. Tax credit to research and development efforts in certain companies.

Civil Rights

McCain - Against Affirmative Action, either in total, or the way it is implemented presently. Voted 'yes' to extend Patriot Act provisions allowing the FBI to conduct 'roving wiretaps' and access to business records.

Obama - Wants to expand the Hate Crimes statute by enacting the 'Matthew Shepherd Act' and strengthen the ability of the Justice Department to provide enforcement. Supports overturning the recent Supreme Court decision curtailing the ability of minorities and women to challenge pay discrimination. Ban racial profiling by Federal law enforcement agencies, and providing Federal incentives to local law enforcement agencies who do the same. Harsher penalties on voter fraud. Voted 'no' to extend the 'roving wiretaps' provision of the Patriot Act.

Gun Control

Obama - Supports a ban on assault weapons, i.e. wants to extend the Clinton ban that was allowed to expire by the Bush Administration. Crack down on unscrupulous gun dealers. Tag ammunition per police requests, to help solve gun homicides. Supports instant background checks on gun sales. Has affirmed that the Second Amendment means private ownership of guns is allowed by the Constitution. Supported the recent lifting of the ban on guns in Washington, D.C.

McCain - Does not support a ban on assault weapons. Supports instant background checks at gun show sales.

Health Care

McCain - Opposes universal care. Supports allowing the importation of prescription drugs to lower costs. Offers a $2,500 tax credit for individuals for health care, $5,000 for families.

Obama - Require all children have health coverage. National public-health insurance program similar to the program currently available to Federal employees. Supports universal health care. Grade hospitals on performance.

Abortion

Obama - Pro-choice. Opposes any Constitutional amendment to overturn Roe v Wade.

McCain - Pro-life. Said to CNN in 1999 he would NOT support overturning Roe v Wade, but in South Carolina in 2007 he said he did NOT support Roe v Wade and that it should be overturned. Voted 'no' on the Senate's 2006 fiscal year budget amendment that would have provided $100 million for teen contraceptives and education designed to reduce teen pregnancies.

Energy

McCain - Supports alternative energy efforts. Supports expansion of nuclear power. Supports offshore drilling.

Obama - Phase out incandescent light bulbs by 2014. Proposes giving U.S. automakers assistance with health care for their employees if they build more hybrids, electrics, and alternative fuel vehicles. Cut total emissions nationwide 80% by 2050. Provide an initial $150 billion in Federal funds to develop biofuel and renewable energy sources. Has stated recently he may approve offshore drilling, but has reservations about it.

For more illustrated articles about the election and other subjects, visit the author's main page at adventurebooksdotnewsvinedotcom.

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