Jun 3, 2008 8:15 PM (21 hrs ago) By The Associated Press, AP
WASHINGTON (Map, News) -
A look at where Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain stand
on a selection of issues as they go head-to-head for the presidency:
ABORTION
McCain: Opposes abortion rights. Has voted for abortion restrictions
permissible under Roe v. Wade, and now says he would seek to overturn
that guarantee of abortion rights. Would not seek constitutional
amendment to ban abortion.
Obama: Favors abortion rights.
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CAMPAIGN FINANCE
McCain: The co-author of McCain-Feingold campaign finance law, he plans
to run his general campaign with public money and within its spending
limits. He has urged Obama to do the same. He turned down federal
matching funds for primaries so he could spend more than the limits.
Federal Election Commission letter said he needs FEC approval before
withdrawing from the primary public financing system, but FEC has not
had quorum to act. McCain says he needs no such approval. McCain accepts
campaign contributions from lobbyists.
Obama: The presidential campaign's fundraising champion has brought in
nearly $265 million. Has signaled he will raise private money for his
general election, despite his proposal last year to accept public
financing and its spending limits if the Republican nominee does, too.
Obama refuses to accept money from federal lobbyists and has instructed
the Democratic National Committee to do the same for its joint victory
fund, an account that would benefit the nominee. Obama does accept money
from state lobbyists and from family members of federal lobbyists.
CUBA
McCain: Ease restrictions on Cuba once U.S. is "confident that the
transition to a free and open democracy is being made."
Obama: Ease restrictions on family-related travel and on money
Cuban-Americans want to send to their families in Cuba. Open to meeting
new Cuban leader Raul Castro without preconditions. Ease trade embargo
if Havana "begins opening Cuba to meaningful democratic change."
DEATH PENALTY
McCain: Has supported expansion of the federal death penalty and limits
on appeals.
Obama: Supports death penalty for crimes for which the "community is
justified in expressing the full measure of its outrage." As Illinois
lawmaker, wrote bill mandating videotaping of interrogations and
confessions in capital cases and sought other changes in system that had
produced wrongful convictions.
EDUCATION
McCain: Favors parental choice of schools, including vouchers for
private schools when approved by local officials, and right of parents
to choose home schooling. More money for community college education.
Obama: Encourage but not require universal pre-kindergarten programs,
expand teacher mentoring programs and reward teachers with higher pay
not tied to standardized test scores, in $18 billion plan to be paid for
in part by delaying elements of moon and Mars missions. Change No Child
Left Behind law "so that we're not just teaching to a test and crowding
out programs like art and music." Tax credit to pay up to $4,000 of
college expenses for students who perform 100 hours of community service
a year.
GAY MARRIAGE
McCain: Opposes constitutional amendment to ban it. Says same-sex
couples should be allowed to enter into legal agreements for insurance
and similar benefits.
Obama: Opposes constitutional amendment to ban it. Supports civil
unions, says states should decide about marriage.
GLOBAL WARMING
McCain: Broke with President Bush on global warming. Led Senate effort
to cap greenhouse gas emissions; favors tougher fuel efficiency. Favors
plan that would see greenhouse gas emissions cut by 60 percent by 2050.
Supports more nuclear power.
Obama: Ten-year, $150 billion program to produce "climate friendly"
energy supplies that he'd pay for with a carbon auction requiring
businesses to bid competitively for the right to pollute. Joined McCain
in sponsoring earlier legislation that would set mandatory caps on
greenhouse gas emissions. Supports tougher fuel efficiency standards.
GUN CONTROL
McCain: Voted against ban on assault-type weapons but in favor of
requiring background checks at gun shows. Voted to shield gun-makers and
dealers from civil suits. "I believe the Second Amendment ought to be
preserved - which means no gun control."
Obama: Voted to leave gun-makers and dealers open to suit. Also, as
Illinois state lawmaker, supported ban on all forms of semiautomatic
weapons and tighter state restrictions generally on firearms.
HEALTH CARE
McCain: $2,500 refundable tax credit for individuals, $5,000 for
families, to make health insurance more affordable. No mandate for
universal coverage. In gaining the tax credit, workers could not deduct
the portion of their workplace health insurance paid by their employers.
Obama: Mandatory coverage for children, no mandate for adults. Aim for
universal coverage by requiring employers to share costs of insuring
workers and by offering coverage similar to that in plan for federal
employees. Says package would cost up to $65 billion a year after
unspecified savings from making system more efficient. Raise taxes on
wealthier families to pay the cost.
HOUSING
McCain: Open to helping homeowners facing foreclosure if they are
"legitimate borrowers" and not speculators.
Obama: Tax credit covering 10 percent of annual mortgage interest
payments for "struggling homeowners," scoring system for consumers to
compare mortgages, a fund for mortgage fraud victims, new penalties for
mortgage fraud, aid to state and local governments stung by housing
crisis, in $20 billion plan geared to "responsible homeowners."
IMMIGRATION
McCain: Sponsored 2006 bill that would have allowed illegal immigrants
to stay in the U.S., work and apply to become legal residents after
learning English, paying fines and back taxes and clearing a background
check. Now says he would secure the border first. Supports border fence.
Obama: Voted for 2006 bill offering legal status to illegal immigrants
subject to conditions, including English proficiency and payment of back
taxes and fines. Voted for border fence.
IRAN
McCain: Favors tougher sanctions, opposes direct high-level talks with
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Obama: Initially said he would meet Ahmadinejad without preconditions,
now says he's not sure "Ahmadinejad is the right person to meet with
right now." But says direct diplomacy with Iranian leaders would give
U.S. more credibility to press for tougher international sanctions.
IRAQ
McCain: Opposes scheduling a troop withdrawal, saying latest strategy is
succeeding. Supported decision to go to war, but was early critic of the
manner in which administration prosecuted it. Key backer of the troop
increase. Willing to have permanent U.S. peacekeeping forces in Iraq.
Obama: Spoke against war at start, opposed troop increase. Now says his
plan would complete withdrawal of combat troops by end of 2009, four
months sooner than his previous commitment. Before that, had said a
timetable for completing withdrawal would be irresponsible without
knowing what facts he'd face in office.
SOCIAL SECURITY
McCain: Would consider "almost anything" as part of a compromise to save
Social Security, yet rules out higher payroll taxes for now.
Obama: Proposes raising cap with an unspecified "small adjustment" that
would subject a portion of higher incomes to Social Security taxes.
STEM CELL RESEARCH
McCain: Supports relaxing federal restrictions on financing of embryonic
stem cell research.
Obama: Supports relaxing restrictions on federal financing of embryonic
stem cell research.
TAXES
McCain: "No new taxes" if elected. Twice opposed Bush's tax cuts, at
first because he said they were tilted to the wealthiest and again
because of the unknown costs of Iraq war. Now says those tax cuts,
expiring in 2010, should be permanent. Proposes cutting corporate tax
rate to 25 percent. Promises balance budget in first term, says that is
unlikely in his first year.
Obama: Raise income taxes on wealthiest and their capital gains and
dividends taxes. Raise corporate taxes. $80 billion in tax breaks mainly
for poor workers and elderly, including tripling Earned Income Tax
Credit for minimum-wage workers and higher credit for larger families.
Eliminate tax-filing requirement for older workers making under $50,000.
A mortgage-interest credit could be used by lower-income homeowners who
do not take the mortgage interest deduction because they do not itemize
their taxes.
TRADE
McCain: Free trade advocate.
Obama: Seek to reopen North American Free Trade Agreement to strengthen
enforcement of labor and environmental standards. In 2004 Senate
campaign, called for "enforcing existing trade agreements," not amending
them.
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