Politics have invaded my workplace, and I’m pretty sure it’s all my fault. Every day, my boss and I have some sort of discussion on what just happened, and I seem to really have wound up the UPS man. It started so innocently. By the end of the conventions several co-workers were coming to me and we were having long, drawn out discussions about all things political.
During one such conversation, my colleague Kara told me that she was frustrated by the election coverage on TV. She laid out what she, as a voter, really wanted from the candidates.
"This is what I want. I want a pamphlet. On one side I want John McCain and where he stands on a list of issues. On the other side I want Obama's list of where he stands on those issues. Then I'll go down it like a checklist. I agree with 2 of McCain’s points, and 3 of Obama's points, so I guess I'm going to vote for Obama."
Like many Americans, she’s tired of campaign ads on TV. That’s why she wants to see a pamphlet: “I'm so sick of candidate commercials! Well McCain did this, oh yeah, well Obama did this. Are you kidding me, what is this, third grade recess?”
I asked Kara how a pamphlet distributed to every American home would simplify the process.
“It would save this country so much money that is put towards campaign commercials and what not and it clear cut. There would be less confusing, no bickering back and forth. If you are going to stand for something, than admit to it, quit skirting the issue and stand up for what you believe in.”
24 year old Kara is concerned about the outcome of the election and how it will affect her as an individual.
“This election will affect me very personally. This election could decide on the lives of millions of people out there that can't be considered "married" because they are of the same sex. This election could determine what my rights are as a woman and what I can and can't do to my OWN BODY! This election could either pull our economy out of the gutter or continue to flush it further down the drain. It could decide the lives of the family and friends I have that are fighting for our freedom.”
Maybe a pamphlet is the answer. Just a simple tri-fold, one color brochure. No need for fancy artwork, but a bullet pointed list. It seems that most voters I talk to cite certain issues as the reason they cast their ballots. Whether you vote on a single issue, or look at the whole picture, it is important to get as much information as you can, and make sure it’s from an accurate source.
So Kara, I’ve made you a pamphlet. Well, sort of. It’s not like I had in mind in the last paragraph, but I did spend time reading through the policies and platforms of both candidates. Here is my substitute for a pamphlet, on the issues you asked for. The information below is excerpted from www.johnmccain.com, and www.barackobama.com. These excerpts are straight from the websites, and as always, you can get the full platform position papers at these websites.
ISSUE: HEALTHCARE
Barack Obama: “Obama will make available a new national health plan so all Americans, including the self-employed and small businesses, can buy affordable health coverage that is similar to the plan available to members of Congress.”
John McCain: “John McCain Will Reform The Tax Code To Offer More Choices Beyond Employer-Based Health Insurance Coverage. While still having the option of employer-based coverage, 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.”
ISSUE: TAXES
Barack Obama: “Obama and Biden will create a new "Making Work Pay" tax credit of up to $500 per person, or $1,000 per working family. The "Making Work Pay" tax credit will completely eliminate income taxes for 10 million Americans. Obama and Biden will dramatically simplify tax filings so that millions of Americans will be able to do their taxes in less than five minutes. Obama and Biden will ensure that the IRS uses the information it already gets from banks and employers to give taxpayers the option of pre-filled tax forms to verify, sign and return.”
John McCain: “Entrepreneurs should not be taxed into submission. John McCain will keep the top tax rate at 35 percent; maintain the 15 percent rates on dividends and capital gains, and phase-out the Alternative Minimum Tax. A lower corporate tax rate is essential to keeping good jobs in the United States. America was once a low-tax business environment, but as our trade partners lowered their rates, America failed to keep pace. We now have the second highest corporate tax rate in the world, making America a less attractive place for companies to do business.”
ISSUE: EDUCATION (K-12)
Barack Obama: “Obama will improve our schools by recruiting well-qualified teachers to every classroom in America. Obama will improve teacher compensation by rewarding expert, accomplished teachers for taking on challenging assignments and helping teachers succeed. Obama also will reduce the high school dropout rate and close the achievement gap by investing in proven intervention strategies in the middle grades and in summer
learning and afterschool opportunities.
John McCain: “John McCain will devote five percent of Title II funding to states to recruit teachers who graduate in the top 25 percent of their class or who participate in an alternative teacher recruitment program such as Teach for America, the New York City Teaching Fellowship Program, the New Teacher Project, or excellent university initiatives. He will encourage alternative certification methods for highly motivated teachers to enter the field. John McCain will make real the promise of NCLB by giving parents greater choice. Choice is the best way to protect children against a failing bureaucracy. But parents must have more control over the money.”
ISSUE: HIGHER EDUCATION
Barack Obama: “Obama will create a new American Opportunity Tax Credit that will make tuition at the nation’s community colleges completely free and will cover up to two-thirds the cost of tuition at the nation’s public colleges and universities. This $4,000 tax credit will be fully refundable and available at the time of enrollment in college
– when families need the money.”
John McCain: “The answer is not to impose more regulations on institutions, but to encourage the government to support innovative approaches to education, removing regulatory barriers that prevent us from moving forward with new ideas. By simplifying the existing educational tax benefits, I can ensure that a greater number of families have a lower tax burden when they are helping to send their children to college.”
ISSUE: ABORTION
Barack Obama: “Obama has been a consistent champion of reproductive choice and will make preserving a women’s right to choose under Roe v. Wade a priority as president. Obama also supports expanded access to contraception, health information and preventive services to reduce unintended pregnancies.”
John McCain: “John McCain believes Roe v. Wade is a flawed decision that must be overturned, and as president he will nominate judges who understand that courts should not be in the business of legislating from the bench. However, the reversal of Roe v. Wade represents only one step in the long path toward ending abortion. Once the question is returned to the states, the fight for life will be one of courage and compassion - the courage of a pregnant mother to bring her child into the world and the compassion of civil society to meet her needs and those of her newborn baby.”
Barack Obama: “Obama is the only major candidate who had the judgment to oppose the Iraq War from the beginning. He will end the war responsibly by bringing our troops home within 16 months, pressing for a political solution to Iraq’s civil war, and launching the diplomatic and humanitarian initiatives that are needed to bring stability to Iraq.”
John McCain: “John McCain believes it is strategically and morally essential for the United States to support the Government of Iraq to become capable of governing itself and safeguarding its people. He strongly disagrees with those who advocate withdrawing American troops before that has occurred. The best way to secure long-term peace and security is to establish a stable, prosperous, and democratic state in Iraq that poses no threat to its neighbors and contributes to the defeat of terrorists. When Iraqi forces can safeguard their own country, American troops can return home.”