My wife doesn’t follow politics too close and wants to make an informed vote come November based on what the candidates say they will do. Not on how their personalities, speech patterns, or past history effect her. We’re going to do what the Politicians have always hoped we’d do and that’s take them at their word. So she asked me to create a blind taste test of the 2. To take the test you first have to prioritize the issues. For example How we handle the war in
Education
Environment/Clean Energy
Terrorism
Healthcare
Gas Prices
Economy
Immigration
Certain issues they both are in agreement. For example gay marriage. Both are opposed to gay marriage, and for civil unions. However both say the Federal government should stay out of that issue and let states decide. Capital Punishment: Both are for the Death Penalty.
I will not list the candidates in order either. So Obama may be candidate #1 on a question or two and then McCain will be candidate #1 for a question or two. This will hopefully protect you from building a pattern. At the end of the test the 8 issues will be listed again with the candidates number revealed next to it. So if you list Education as your most important issue and give it 8 points and prefer #2’s plan and also like #2’s plan on your second most important issue of Terrorism giving that issue 7 points. You may find that Obama was #2 on the Education and McCain was #2 on the Terrorism. For you then Obama would have a 1 point lead. These answers are taken from the candidates sites to avoid confusion from leading questions by interviewers. I’ve attempted to strip down the plans using their own words to the essence of the plan, and could only provide the details that they themselves provide on their site. I didn’t want to use quotes or figures provided by people on their campaigns, because sometimes those people are wrong. Anyways this is what they put on their sites to answer your questions so they think this is what you need to know. I have eliminated what I considered to be the more minuet details of some plans, but encourage you after you take the test to check both candidates’ sites out if you’re still undecided.
http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/issues/
http://www.barackobama.com/issues/
An independent site that does a pretty good job is http://www.issue2008.com/
So here we go!
Education
#1 is for school choice believing that if parents can send their kids (and the federal tax dollars with them) to the school of their choice, the competition created between the schools will make them all better in the long run.
#2 will create Early Learning Challenge Grants to promote state "zero to five" efforts and help states move toward voluntary, universal pre-school. Will quadruple Early Head Start, and increase Head Start funding. To improve drop out trends he will provide funding to school districts to invest in intervention strategies in middle school - strategies such as personal academic plans, and teaching teams. Will also double funding for the main federal support for afterschool programs.
#1 will remove one to two combat brigades each month, and have all of our combat brigades out of
#2 will leave troops at current level indefinitly. Will only begin withdrawl when U.S. military leaders assure him Iraqi troops can defend their nation with out further assistance. Will not promise any U.S. dollars to help with refugees, but will encourage the international community to help spur entrepernurship in Iraq.
Enviroment/Clean Energy
#1 Wants a climate cap-and-trade mechanism that would set a limit on greenhouse gas emissions and allow entities to buy and sell rights to emit, similar to the acid rain trading program of the early 1990s. Market participants are allotted total permits equal to the cap on greenhouse gas emissions. If they can invent, improve, or acquire a way to reduce their emissions, they can sell their extra permits for cash. The cap and trade system would encompass electric power, transportation fuels, commercial business, and industrial business – sectors responsible for just below 90 percent of all emissions. Small businesses would be exempt.
#2 will invest $150 billion over 10 years to advance the next generation of biofuels and fuel infrastructure, accelerate the commercialization of plug-in hybrids, promote development of commercial-scale renewable energy, invest in low-emissions coal plants, and begin the transition to a new digital electricity grid. establish a 25 percent federal Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) to require that 25 percent of electricity consumed in the U.S. is derived from clean, sustainable energy sources, like solar, wind and geothermal by 2025. will invest federal resources, including tax incentives, cash prizes and government contracts into getting the first two billion gallons of cellulosic ethanol into the system by 2013. requires fuels suppliers to reduce the carbon their fuel emits by ten percent by 2020. provide retooling tax credits and loan guarantees for domestic auto plants and parts manufacturers, so that they can build new fuel-efficient cars.
Terrorism
#1 will require chemical facilities to enhance security. Establish guidelines for tracking, controlling, and accounting for spent fuel at nuclear power plants. Provide $37.5 million over 5 years for drinking water systems to upgrade their monitoring and security efforts.
#2 feels strongly that our nation's military spending, except in time of genuine emergency, must be funded by the regular appropriations process, not by "emergency" supplementals. This will force Congress and the President to spend more wisely. This money should be spent to increase the size of our troops. We have asked too much of too few. The proper compensation, training, and equipping of our troops should make a military career more attractive to some who would like to serve their country.
Healthcare
#1 guarentees all Americans insurance. Employers that do not offer or make a meaningful contribution to the cost of quality health coverage for their employees will be required to contribute a percentage of payroll toward the costs of the national plan. Children can be covered on parents plan till aged 25. The overall cost to tax payers is estimated to be between 50-65 billion a year. Will lower over all healthcare costs by increasing competition among insurance companies. plan will force insurers to pay out a reasonable share of their premiums for patient care instead of keeping exorbitant amounts for profits and administration. repeal the ban that prevents the government from negotiating with drug companies. increase the use of generic drugs in Medicare, Medicaid, and FEHBP and prohibit big name drug companies from keeping generics out of markets.
#2 plan says every family will receive a direct refundable tax credit - effectively cash - of $2,500 for individuals and $5,000 for families to offset the cost of insurance. Families will be able to choose the insurance provider that suits them best and the money would be sent directly to the insurance provider. Those obtaining innovative insurance that costs less than the credit can deposit the remainder in expanded Health Savings Accounts. Will lower costs with faster introduction of generic drugs. Coordinated care - with providers collaborating to produce the best health care - offers better outcomes at lower cost. Medicaid and Medicare should not pay for preventable medical errors or mismanagement. Pass medical liability reform that eliminates lawsuits directed at doctors who follow clinical guidelines and adhere to safety protocols.
Lower Gas Prices
#1 is for imposing a 20 percent tax on the cost of a barrel of oil above $80. The tax would help pay for a $1,000 tax cut for families, an expansion of the earned- income tax credit and assistance for people who can't afford their energy bills.
#2 wants to reform the laws and regulations governing the oil futures market believing that speculators have driven up the price of oil far past it’s actual value.
Economy
#1 proposes that Holders of a non-conventional mortgage taken after 2005 will be offered new 30 year FHA mortgages to help avoid foreclosure. Permanently repeal the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT). Proposes to raise the personal exemption for each dependent from $3,500 to $7,000. Permit corporations to immediately deduct the cost of equipment investment. Reduce The Federal Corporate Tax Rate To 25 Percent From 35 Percent to keep companies from moving overseas. Proposes A One-Year Spending Pause To Evaluate Federal Programs.
#2 proposes expanding the stimulus check program to another 20 billion dollars. Establish a $10 billion Foreclosure Prevention Fund that will help families facing foreclosure to responsibly refinance their mortgages. Extend and Expand Unemployment Insurance and is calling for a temporary expansion of the UI program for those who have exhausted their current eligibility. tax credit of up to $500 per person, or $1,000 per working family. Eliminate Income Taxes for Seniors Making Less than $50,000. Invest $60 billion over 10 years, to provide financing to transportation infrastructure projects across the nation leading to illions of new jobs. Raise the minimum wage, index it to inflation.
Immigration
#1 Recognize the importance of a flexible labor market to keep employers in business and our economy on top. It should provide skilled Americans and immigrants with opportunity. Recognize the importance of building strong allies in
#2 supports additional personnel, infrastructure and technology on the border and at our ports of entry. Stiffen fines on employers who hire undocumented immigrants. Promote economic development in Mexico
Now you should have the 8 issues with with a #1 or #2 next to each one. Again you weighted them yourself with 8 as most important issue to 1 for least important issue. Now the big reveal!
Education #1 McCain #2 Obama
Iraq #1 Obama #2 McCain
Enviroment #1 McCain #2 Obama
Terrorism #1 Obama #2 McCain
Healthcare #1 Obama #2 McCain
Lower Gas Prices #1 Obama #2 McCain
Economy #1 McCain #2 Obama
Immigration #1 McCain #2 Obama
So hopefully this helped a little in deciding in how you should cast your vote. I'd love to hear any feedback by posting a comment.
http://www.wnok.com/pages/blog_comments_KN.html