Candidates on the Issues
Robert David STEELE Vivas
Chapter in ELECTION 2008: Lipstick on the Pig (Earth Intelligence Network, 2008)
Full Text Online to Facilitate Automated Translation
The two “leading” candidates, John McCain and Barack Obama, have offered us platitudes and promises that have no foundation in a balanced budget, and no acknowledgement that both of them, as Senators, have failed to pay attention since August 2006 when Business Week first suggested that a major recession was coming.
A whiff of recession smoke seems to have entered the room, and those of a pessimistic bent can already see the flicker of flames outside the window. Nouriel Roubini, an economist at New York University who was worried about a global recession in 2004, is now predicting that “the U.S. is heading toward a sharp recession by early 2007.” In his view, “current economic and financial conditions in the U.S. eerily resemble those that led to the stock market crash in October, 1987.”[1]
Below is my illustration, followed by tables, both from the superb online source, On the Issues, with permission. I do not include Joe Biden and Sarah Palin, or others, because what matters here is the range of differences among partisan groups, not individual preferences. “Proposed” is my common sense middle ground pro-populist recommendation. Visit On the Issues!
Quotes on Moderation[2]
“I was no party man myself, and the first wish of my heart was, if parties did exist, to reconcile them.” George Washington
“I never submitted the whole system of my opinions to the creed of any party of men whatever in religion, in philosophy, in politics, or in anything else where I was capable of thinking for myself. Such addiction is the last degradation of a free and moral agent. If I could not go to heaven but with a party, I would not go there at all.” Thomas Jefferson
“There is nothing which I dread so much as a division of the republic into two great parties, each arranged under its leader, and concerting measures in opposition to each other. This, in my humble apprehension, it to be dreaded as the greatest political evil under our Constitution.” John Adams
“Be temperate in wine, in eating, girls, and cloth, or the Gout will seize you and plague you both,” Benjamin Franklin
“The middle of the road is all of the usable surface. The extremes, right and left, are in the gutters.” Dwight D. Eisenhower
“Extreme opposites resemble the other. Each believes that we have only two choices: appeasement or war, suicide or surrender, humiliation or holocaust, to be either Red or dead.” John F. Kennedy
“On human rights, civil rights and environmental quality, I consider myself to be very liberal. On the management of government, on openness of government, on strengthening individual liberties and local levels of government, I consider myself a conservative.” Jimmy Carter
” Most Americans are sensible, good-hearted, and prudent. The issue, then, is whether there is a political party [to suit them]. ” Paul Tsongas
“When we put aside partisanship, embrace the best ideas regardless of where they come from and work for principled compromise, we can move America not left or right, but forward.” Bill Clinton
On the following pages, all active links lead to very good background information at On the Issues.
Economic Issues
Budget & Economy Proposed: Balance Budget, End Debt, Close Federal Reserve, Gold.
Key Terms: Balanced Budget Amendment (BBA); Budget deficit; Consumption taxes; Corporate income taxes; Corruption; Death tax; Debt; Defense spending; Discretionary spending; Duties; Entitlements; Federal Reserve; Federal revenue sources; Fiscal policy; Gold Standard; Ignorance; Income taxes; Individual income taxes; Interest; Monetary policy; Mortgage crisis; Non-discretionary spending; Off-budget; Other taxes; Oversight; Progressive tax; Regressive tax; Regulation; Sales taxes; Social insurance (FICA); Social Security Trust Fund; Supplemental spending; Usury; Wall Street greed
Democrats |
Republicans |
GOP/Green |
Edwards: Roll back tax cuts |
Huckabee: Cut federal spending; defer to states |
Paul: Return to gold standard; deregulate economy |
Clinton: Balance budget; pay down debt |
Keyes: Limit spending |
Romney: Cut deficit; reduce pork; cap spending |
Obama: Pay-as-you-go; regulate mortgages |
McCain: Balance budget; Lockbox. |
Nader: Human economy is not booming |
Graphic Copyright © 2008 The Speakout Foundation and OnTheIssues.org used with permission.
Government Reform Proposed: Balanced budget, line item veto, office of strategy, two deputy vice presidents (one for national security, one for commonwealth), end winner take all in Cabinet and in Congress (proportional leadership assignments, no party line voting)
Key terms: Amendment X to the US Constitution; Balanced Budget Amendment; Block Grants; Campaign Finance; Reform; Devolution; Devolution to States; Election Reform; federal matching funds; Hard money; PAC money; Reinventing Government; Soft money; Term Limits (including judges); Unfunded Mandates
Democrats |
Republicans |
GOP/Green |
Edwards: Limit lobbyists; public cmpn finance |
Huckabee: Strengthen states; term limits |
Paul: No earmarks; close non-Constitutional agencies |
Clinton: Soft-money ban; govt not solution |
Keyes: Decrease campaign $; more disclosure |
Romney: For line-item veto; against McCain-Feingold |
Obama: Public campaign finance; limit lobbyists |
McCain: Anti-influence peddling |
Nader: Remove corporate influences |
Graphic Copyright © 2008 The Speakout Foundation and OnTheIssues.org used with permission.
Social Security This is the greatest single reason to keep federal government. Proposed: Restore and protect while increasing retirement age to 75, adding 3 month sabbaticals every six years, and incentivizing multi-generational families and neighborhoods including mobile assisted care and rapid response non-emergency assistance for the elderly.
Key Terms: Account Separately (de-politicize); Earnings Test (remove); IRAs; Lockbox; Medicare and Medicaid; Off-Budget; Privatization; Retirement Accounts; Social Security Investment; Social Security Trust Fund
Democrats |
Republicans |
GOP/Green |
Edwards: Protect it; no diversions |
Huckabee: Personal accounts but not privatized |
Paul: Personal accounts; let young opt out |
Clinton: Preserve protections |
Keyes: Privatize; Lock-box |
Romney: Private accounts; honor commitments |
Obama: No privatization; raise cap |
McCain: Lockbox & privatize |
Nader: Against privatization |
Graphic Copyright © 2008 The Speakout Foundation and OnTheIssues.org used with permission.
Tax Reform Proposed: end individual income taxes, tax financial transactions, have high-end consumer taxes; reduce estate tax; tax currency transactions heavily; end corporate fraud (different books for IRS and stockholders, income-export tax fraud).
Key Terms: Amendment XVI to the US Constitution; Capital Gains Tax; charitable deduction; Death Tax; estate tax; Faith-based organization; Flat Tax; Flat Tax & Sales Tax; Inheritance Tax; Marginal Tax Rates; Marriage Penalty; Married Filing Jointly; mortgage interest deduction; National Sales Tax; Tax Rates; Tax Surplus; Value-Added Tax; VAT
Democrats |
Republicans |
GOP/Green |
Edwards: Repeal tax cuts for rich |
Huckabee: Supports FairTax; simplify taxes |
Paul: End income tax; but no flat tax |
Clinton: Say no to GOP tax cuts |
Keyes: Abolish IRS & income tax |
Romney: Tax cuts raise revenues; fees ok |
Obama: End Bush tax cuts; keep estate tax |
McCain: Simplify & reduce taxes |
Nader: Keep progressivity; raise corporate taxes |
Graphic Copyright © 2008 The Speakout Foundation and OnTheIssues.org used with permission.
Technology & Infrastructure Proposed: Internet neutrality, Open Spectrum, Free/Open Source Software, regulate Google, provide end-user control of their own content, anonymous banking; recapitalize all forms of infrastructure but wind down communities in flood plains and cities in desert, capitalize growth in The Empty Quarter.[3]
Key Terms: Bridges, Dams, & Tunnels (collapsing infrastructure); Computer and Internet Usage; Digital E-Government; Electrical grid (collapsing); E-rate; High-Frequency Active Auroral Research Program (HAARP); Human Genome Project; Intel vs. FTC; Internet access in classrooms; Internet access in schools; Internet Issues; Internet Sales Tax; iPatriot Act; Microsoft vs Java; Microsoft vs Netscape; Millennium Bug; Napster; Triana Satellite; V-Chip; Weather manipulation; Y2K Bug; warrantless wiretapping
Democrats |
Republicans |
GOP/Green |
Edwards: Promote Internet |
Huckabee: Tax Internet; TV indecency rules |
Paul: No network neutrality; no Fairness Doctrine |
Clinton: Bridge digital divide |
Keyes: Regulate TV; fund NASA |
Romney: Invest in infrastructure; expect change |
Obama: More R&D $; invest in transportation |
McCain: No Internet tax; yes porn filters |
Nader |
Graphic Copyright © 2008 The Speakout Foundation and OnTheIssues.org used with permission.
Welfare & Poverty Proposed: Stabilize dollar, limit interest rates, end individual taxation, strive for 100% union membership (60% in four years), learnfare & workfare, control borders and stop giving expert worker visas to foreigners taking high-tech jobs away from citizens.
Key Terms: Charitable Choice; Deductibility; Entitlement; Faith-Based Organizations (FBO); Food Stamps; Lifetime limit; Poor; Reform; Tax-exempt; Welfare load; Welfare-to-Work; Work requirements
Democrats |
Republicans |
GOP/Green |
Edwards: Cities Rising: $ for EITC |
Huckabee: Charitable Choice & faith-based providers |
Paul: No faith-based initiatives; yes Section 8 |
Clinton: Raise minimum wage |
Keyes: Solve social ills with family & faith |
Romney: Supports workfare |
Obama: Help welfare recipients; engage faith |
McCain: Pro workfare; pro block grants |
Nader: Pro-union; anti-big business |
Graphic Copyright © 2008 The Speakout Foundation and OnTheIssues.org used with permission.
Social Issues
Abortion Proposed: Strongly support pro-life choices, but woman ultimately decides. Praise Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas for his Stare Decisis judgment on Roe v. Wade. Life does begin at conception; mother’s rights end with start of second tri-mester.
Key Terms: Clinic Access; Cloning; health issue (pro-choice); Human Life Amendment; Human Life Bills; informed consent; Judicial Activism; moral issue (pro-life); Parental Consent; Partial-Birth Abortion; Right to Choose; Right to Life; rights of the mother; rights of the unborn; Roe v. Wade; RU-486; Stare Decisis; States’ Rights; Stem Cells; Strict Constructionism; viability’ of the fetus
Democrats |
Republicans |
GOP/Green |
Edwards: Right to choose; partial birth ok |
Huckabee: Outlaw all abortions |
Paul: Life begins at conception; no stem cells |
Clinton: Safe, legal & rare |
Keyes: Strongly pro-life |
Romney: Sanctity of life; but was pro-choice |
Obama: Yes on Roe; yes on stem cells |
McCain: Pro-life |
Nader: Let women decide |
Graphic Copyright © 2008 The Speakout Foundation and OnTheIssues.org used with permission.
Corporations Proposed: home rule, boycott, eat local, fair trade, end personality fraud
Key Terms: Export volumes; Farming Issues; Globalization; Government payments; Inflation; Labor Issues; Minimum wage; Union membership
Democrats |
Republicans |
GOP/Green |
Edwards: Attack corporate indifference |
Huckabee: Support marketplace |
Paul: Supports bankruptcy reform |
Clinton: Limit bankruptcies; end corporate welfare |
Keyes: Protect workers against elite |
Romney: Close loopholes; protect smaller companies |
Obama: Close loopholes; reward domestic jobs |
McCain: Restrict corporations some |
Nader: Shift power to consumers |
Graphic Copyright © 2008 The Speakout Foundation and OnTheIssues.org used with permission.
Education Proposed: Redirect $20 billion a year from secret intelligence to free online & fully-funded Head Start, K-12, and college on a competitive basis. Apprenticeship & civics every year. No bi-lingual education—three months intensive English free for all immigrants, English language competency required for both access to education and to government employment at all levels.
Key Terms: Bilingual Education; Goals 2000; Phonics; School Prayer; School Vouchers; Smaller Class Size; Social Promotion; Straight A Act; Student Testing; Teacher Pay; Teacher Testing
Democrats |
Republicans |
GOP/Green |
Edwards: No vouchers; more teachers |
Huckabee: Teach character; support charters |
Paul: Close Dept. of Ed.; tax credit for parochials |
Clinton: Support public schools; no vouchers |
Keyes: No public monopoly; yes school prayer |
Romney: Vouchers over teachers' unions |
Obama: Merit pay; free college |
McCain: More testing; more prayer; vouchers |
Nader: Invest in public education; teach citizenship |
Graphic Copyright © 2008 The Speakout Foundation and OnTheIssues.org used with permission.
Families & Children Proposed: Support families, design neighborhoods, one good job per family, with no taxation of family or on healthy food and beverages, get TV out of kid’s lives
Key Terms: After-school; Anti-male bias; Child Deductions; Child Support; Day care; Deadbeat Dads; Deductions; Family Leave; Fatherhood rights; Internet Smut; Pre-school; Social effects; Tax Credits; TV Ratings; V-Chip
Democrats |
Republicans |
GOP/Green |
Edwards: Help working parents |
Huckabee: Covenant marriage; teach morality |
Paul: No state overriding parental decisions |
Clinton: It takes a village to raise a child |
Keyes: Moral breakdown of families |
Romney: Strengthen families |
Obama: Teach sex-ed; listen to evangelicals |
McCain: Labeling for parents; blame media |
Nader: Corporate TV hurts kids |
Graphic Copyright © 2008 The Speakout Foundation and OnTheIssues.org used with permission.
Health Care Proposed: Tax unhealthy good and services, eliminate toxins, provide all necessary information on lifestyle, environment, natural cures; fund evidence-based medicine.
Key Terms: Active Euthanasia; Alternative Medicine; Asbestos; Chinese Medicine; Consumer Choice; Death with Dignity; Elective Surgery; Euthanasia; Evidence-Based Medicine; External Appeal; Indian Medicine; Generally accepted practices; Healing; Health insurance; Health reform; HMO; Involuntary Euthanasia; Legal Liability; Managed Care; Marijuana; Medical Necessity; Natural Cures; Passive Euthanasia; Patient’s Bill of Rights; Physical Assisted Suicide; Prevention; Public health; Right to Die; Safe Air; Safe Food; Safe Water; Scope of Coverage; State Regulation; Tobacco Settlement; Toxins in Products
Democrats |
Republicans |
GOP/Green |
Edwards: Cover every child; anti-HMOs |
Huckabee: Focus on prevention & consumers |
Paul: Against mandated insurance & managed care |
Clinton: Universal coverage |
Keyes: No right-to-die; no health I.D. |
Romney: State-based plans with mandates plus market |
Obama: Focus on affordability; focus on AIDS |
McCain: Patient rights; limit HMOs |
Nader: Cradle-to-grave non-profit system |
Graphic Copyright © 2008 The Speakout Foundation and OnTheIssues.org used with permission.
Principles & Values Proposed: Restore Constitution, eliminate individual income taxes, transparent budgets and all legislation and budgets online one week in advance of voting; character through school, apprenticeships, and mandatory national service twice: after high-school and at mid-career (each time a shared boot camp, then three tracks: Armed, Peace, and America Corps).
Key Terms: Centralizing power; Centrist; Conservative; Conservative; Constitution’ Decentralizing power; Economic views; Fiscal frugality; Government intervention; Green; Leftist; Liberal; Libertarian; Local not federal; Natural Law; Political philosophy; Populist; Reform; Reforming existing institutions; Religious rights; Rightist; Social views; Socialist; Strength abroad
Democrats |
Republicans |
GOP/Green |
Edwards: Two Americas |
Huckabee: Character IS the issue; support culture of life |
Paul: No dictating behavior; yes limited government |
Clinton: New Democrat |
Keyes: Unalienable rights under God |
Romney: Learns from mistakes; ran Olympics; Mormon |
Obama: Yes we can; Audacity of Hope |
McCain: Set an example |
Nader: New Populism: power corrupts |
Graphic Copyright © 2008 The Speakout Foundation and OnTheIssues.org used with permission.
Domestic Issues
Civil Rights Proposed: Quality education is the right; civil unions, churches decide marriage.
Key Terms: Affirmative Action; Amendment I to the US Constitution; Article 9 Clause 2 of the US Constitution; Bilingual education; Civil Union; Confederate Flag in Public Places; Disabilities Act (ADA) & Handicapped Access (Health Care); Disabled Rights; Domestic Violence; Driving While Black; Equal Pay for Equal Work; FISA; Flag-Burning Amendment; Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (FISA); Funding for NEA; Gambling, Prostitution, Pornography; Glass Ceiling; Guantanamo: Habeas corpus; Hate Crimes; iPATRIOT ACT; Kidnapping for Rendition; Mental Illness Discrimination (Health Care); Minority Rights; PATRIOT Act; Racial Profiling; Redlining; Religious Rights; Rendition for Torture; Reverse Discrimination; Right to Privacy (see Technology); Same-sex marriage; School Prayer (see Education); Secret Renditions; Secret wiretapping: Ten Commandments in Public Places (see Principles & Values); Texas v. Johnson (flag burning); Torture; victimless crimes; Waterboarding; Women’s Rights
Democrats |
Republicans |
GOP/Green |
Edwards: Aff. Action; no DOMA |
Huckabee: No civil unions; no affirmative action |
Paul: No affirmative action; no Marriage Amendment |
Clinton: Pro-gay rights & women's rights |
Keyes: Anti-gay rights & affirmative action |
Romney: No gay marriage; help women & minorities |
Obama: Strong civil unions & affirmative action |
McCain: Anti-quota; for Flag protection |
Nader: Pro-gay; pro-privacy; pro-women |
Graphic Copyright © 2008 The Speakout Foundation and OnTheIssues.org used with permission.
Crime Proposed: End death & three strikes; legalize marijuana & hemp, full employment.
Key Terms: 114; 119; Amendments V and VIII to the US Constitution; Broken Windows’ Laws; Capital Punishment; Community intelligence networks; Community Policing; Hate Crimes; Intelligence-led policing; National Guard role as community intelligence center watchstanders; Three Strikes’ Laws; Tort Reform
Democrats |
Republicans |
GOP/Green |
Edwards: No 3 Strikes; death penalty ok |
Huckabee: Ok on death penalty; not 3 Strikes |
Paul: Against death penalty; against hate crime laws |
Clinton: 3 Strikes ok; DNA required |
Keyes: Death; no hate crimes |
Romney: Death penalty; One Strike you're out |
Obama: Alternate sentencing; restrict death penalty |
McCain: Death; more prisons; less parole |
Nader: Focus on prevention; no death penalty |
|
Graphic Copyright © 2008 The Speakout Foundation and OnTheIssues.org used with permission.
Drugs Proposed: get CIA and DEA out of drug business; burn banks for laundering, invest in free education and full provision of clean water and clean energy in Afghanistan, Mexico, and the Andean countries where all the drugs are produced and are—for now—vital to those economies.
Key Terms: Alcoholism; Amendment XVIII and XXI to the US Constitution; Death penalty; Demand; Drug war; Effects; Legalization; Medical marijuana; Needle Exchanges; Prohibition; Self-harm; Supply; Treatment; War on drugs
Democrats |
Republicans |
GOP/Green |
Edwards: Drug courts; reasonable sentences |
Huckabee: Punishment over education |
Paul: War on Drugs is a failure |
Clinton: Treatment & drug courts |
Keyes: More penalties |
Romney: Fight for drug war |
Obama: Understand drug abuse |
McCain: More border; more penalties |
Nader: Stop prohibition |
Graphic Copyright © 2008 The Speakout Foundation and OnTheIssues.org used with permission.
Environment Proposed: Zero Waste, Natural Capitalism, Green to Gold, Biomimicry, expose true costs of all products and services via bar codes and online free data, mandate clean air and disease-free air in all buildings and public transportation including airlines and trains.
Key Terms: Acts of God or Man; Alternative Energy; Amendment V to the US Constitution; ANWR: Arctic National Wildlife Refuge; BLM: The Bureau of Land Management; Brownfields; BTU Tax; Clean Air Act: (CAA); Clean Water Act: (CWA); Climate Change Treaty; coastal wetlands; Command-and-control; Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFÉ) standard; Cost Control; Deregulation Crisis; Devolution; drop in Great Lakes water levels; drought in the Midwest; Effects on the US; eminent domain; Endangered Species; Endangered Species Act (ESA); Energy; Energy Conservation; Environmental degradation; extreme storms; Federal Lands; FWS: The Fish & Wildlife Service; Global Warming; Greenfields; Greenhouse Gas Treaty; Greenhouse gases; Kyoto Protocol; Land Trusts; NPS: The National Park Service; Pollution Control; Rio Treaty; States; Suburban Sprawl; Superfund; Takings; temperature rise; toxic waste sites; Urban Redevelopment; USFS: The US Forest Service; winter rain; Wise Use
Democrats |
Republicans |
GOP/Green |
Edwards: No forest roads; reduce CO2 |
Huckabee: Conservation; caretaking; clean up |
Paul: Focus on property rights; ban Yucca ads |
Clinton: Fund EPA & clean air |
Keyes: Marketable pollution credits |
Romney: Tough on Big Dig; focus on clean environment |
Obama: Protect National Parks; reduce mercury |
McCain: End farm subsidies; expand CWA |
Nader: More funds; more rules |
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Graphic Copyright © 2008 The Speakout Foundation and OnTheIssues.org used with permission.
Gun Control Proposed: Right to bear arms is non-negotiable less felons still on probation. Concealed permits not required—felons who have paid their debt to society need only carry a card certifying their restoration to full citizenship status—states may not abridge felon rights once court’s sentence has been completed. Achieve accountability with barrel printing and cartridge signatures—anyone can kill, be identified, and if wrong, held accountable.
Key Terms: Amendment II to the US Constitution; Background Checks; Brady Bill; Child-Safety Locks; concealed carry; gun lobby; Gun Ownership; Gun-Show Loophole; instant background checks; juvenile access to guns; licensing; Militia definition; National Rifle Association (NRA); open carry; registration; right of self-protection; Right to Bear Arms; Second Amendment rights; sportsmen's rights; Trigger Locks; US v. Miller; waiting periods
Democrats |
Republicans |
GOP/Green |
Edwards: 2nd Amendment with rules |
Huckabee: Supports 2nd amendment fully |
Paul: No gun bans; allow concealed carry |
Clinton: More restrictions |
Keyes: No more laws; more morals |
Romney: Ok to ban some lethal weapons |
Obama: Restrict guns; allow suing gun makers |
McCain: More gun laws; more gun rights |
Nader: More restrictions; some bans |
Graphic Copyright © 2008 The Speakout Foundation and OnTheIssues.org used with permission.
Jobs Proposed: end absentee ownership of farms; 60% union membership; limit interest to 10%; make full employment the law and the outcome; raise minimum wage to achieve quality of life at last highest point. Limit CEOs to 100X wages of lowest worker they employ; mandate same books for IRS as for stockholders; impose severe penalties on short-term investments.
Key Terms: Annual Leave; Benefits; Citizen rights; Equal Pay; Farm subsidies; Guest workers; Living Wage; Minimum wage; Overtime; Pay Gap; Sick Leave; Training; Uncompensated overtime; Union membership
Democrats |
Republicans |
GOP/Green |
Edwards: Raise min. wage; protect unions |
Huckabee: Subsidize farms; unions over CEOs |
Paul: No minimum wage increase; no farm subsidies |
Clinton: Living wage |
Keyes: No gov't jobs; yes family farms |
Romney: Farm subsidies; incentives for training |
Obama: Living wage; support unions |
McCain: No subsidies; yes workfare |
Nader: Reduce pay gap |
Graphic Copyright © 2008 The Speakout Foundation and OnTheIssues.org used with permission.
International Issues
Energy & Oil Proposed: Tax externalized costs ($12 per gallon); two-way grid, do it all.
Key Terms: Acts of God or Man; Alternative Energy; Amendment V to the US Constitution; ANWR: Arctic National Wildlife Refuge; BLM: The Bureau of Land Management; Brownfields; BTU Tax; Clean Air Act: (CAA); Clean Water Act: (CWA); Climate Change Treaty; coastal wetlands; Command-and-control; Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFÉ) standard; Cost Control; Deregulation Crisis; Devolution; drop in Great Lakes water levels; drought in the Midwest; Effects on the US; eminent domain; Endangered Species; Endangered Species Act (ESA); Energy; Energy Conservation; Environmental degradation; extreme storms; Federal Lands; FWS: The Fish & Wildlife Service; Global Warming; Greenfields; Greenhouse Gas Treaty; Greenhouse gases; Kyoto Protocol; Land Trusts; NPS: The National Park Service; Pollution Control; Rio Treaty; States; Suburban Sprawl; Superfund; Takings; temperature rise; toxic waste sites; Urban Redevelopment; USFS: The US Forest Service; winter rain; Wise Use
Democrats |
Republicans |
GOP/Green |
Edwards: Higher CAFE; no ANWR |
Huckabee: Increase oil; Kyoto was mistake |
Paul: No to CAFE; yes to ANWR drilling |
Clinton: Ratify Kyoto; use hydrogen |
Keyes: Exploit ANWR; end Kyoto & CAFE |
Romney: Drill ANWR; develop nuclear & coal |
Obama: Increase CAFE; alternative energy |
McCain: No ANWR; no on Bush energy plan |
Nader: More funds; less cars |
Graphic Copyright © 2008 The Speakout Foundation and OnTheIssues.org used with permission.
Foreign Policy Proposed: Shift $200 billion from waging war to waging peace; multilateralism; provide all dictators with a five-year exit strategy; make human rights and fair trade the foundation for all commercial relations; stop exporting military weapons.
Key Terms: Afghanistan; Africa; ASEAN; Asian Economic Crisis; Asian Miracle' countries; Asian Tigers; bioterrorism weapons; Brazil; Chechnya; Children's Fund; China; Development Programme (UNDP); East Timor; Economic and Social Council; European Union; General Assembly; Human Rights Commission; India; Indonesia; International Civil Aviation Organization; International Monetary Fund; Iran; Iraq; Israel & Palestine; Japan; Kosovo; Lebanon; North Korea; peacekeeping operations; Refugees (UNHCR)[ Russia; Security Council; South American Union; Syria's Golan Heights; The International Court of Justice; treaty-based organizations; UN dues; UN System; United Nations; Universal Postal Union; Venezuela; War on Terror; Wild Cards; World Bank; World Court; World Health Organization
Democrats |
Republicans |
GOP/Green |
Edwards: Focus on open society |
Huckabee: Non-intervention; support Israel |
Paul: Humble foreign policy instead of empire |
Clinton: Focus on peace |
Keyes: “Anti-China, Anti-UN” |
Romney: Foster democracy with resolve, not arrogance |
Obama: Strengthen NATO; more foreign aid |
McCain: Assertive multilateralism |
Nader: Interventionist with support, not arms |
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Graphic Copyright © 2008 The Speakout Foundation and OnTheIssues.org used with permission.
Free Trade Proposed: Fair trade not free trade. Reveal “true costs” of all goods and services. End slavery in America first, then in the rest of the world.
Key Terms: Americas; Anti-Dumping Laws; anti-globalization; Canada; Chile to join NAFTA; Countervailing Duties; Dumping; East Asia combined for about 15%; Europe combined for about 20%; Fast-Track; Free Trade; free trade zone; General Agreement on Trade and Tariffs; Globalization; human trafficking; Mexico & Japan; MFN; Most Favored Nation; NAFTA; North American Free Trade Agreement of 1994; open borders; override national law; protests; secrecy of WTO proceedings; Side Agreements; slavery; standards; Trade Deficits; trade in women & children; Uruguay; World Trade Organization
Democrats |
Republicans |
GOP/Green |
Edwards: No NAFTA; but PNTR ok |
Huckabee: Trust marketplace; subsidize farms |
Paul: Sovereignty instead of NAFTA & WTO |
Clinton: Humanization plus globalization |
Keyes: Out of WTO; defend sovereignty |
Romney: Open markets abroad |
Obama: No CAFTA; fair trade |
McCain: Open trade; WTO ok |
Nader: Pro-immigrant; anti-globalization |
Graphic Copyright © 2008 The Speakout Foundation and OnTheIssues.org used with permission.
Homeland Security Proposed: Make Stephen Flynn the Secretary with mandate to close it down in four years; restore FEMA; redirect $20 billion from spies to water and food infrastructure and safety; fund Citizen Intelligence Networks ($30M per state per year).
Key Terms: Aegis defense system; Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM); Bio-chemical; Hollow Military; intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM); Loose Nukes; Mutually Assured; National Missile Defense (NMD)’; uclear Test Ban Treaty; Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty; Star Wars; Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START); Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI); submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBM); Terrorists; Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)
Democrats |
Republicans |
GOP/Green |
Edwards: More $; no base closures |
Huckabee: Expand armed forces; close Guantanamo |
Paul: Protect habeas corpus; avoid draft |
Clinton: Ban nuke tests; SDI ok |
Keyes: Less entangled; SDI; strike terrorists |
Romney: Wiretap mosques; double Guantanamo |
Obama: Close Gitmo; address VA; grow military |
McCain: More pay; SDI; more engaged |
Nader: Reduce weapons & overseas troops |
Graphic Copyright © 2008 The Speakout Foundation and OnTheIssues.org used with permission.
Immigration Proposed: increase Border Patrol to 30,000; state & local crack-down on visa violators; withdraw all forces from overseas; create four forces after next including $200 billion peace force; fully fund global free education online in 183 languages, work with Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, and Venezuela to give free cell phones to poor and educate them, world-wide, one cell call at a time. Peace comes from prosperity, and prosperity comes from education one question at a time—the 5 billion poor don’t have eighteen years to waste.
Key Terms: Bilingual Education; Border Patrol; California 40% of all illegals; Canada as transit zone for terrorists; clemency; Foreign born 8% in 1990; census; Hispanic; Illegal; Immigration; Immigration Act of 1990; Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS); Immigration Advocacy; Latin America 20% after Mexico; Legal; Mexico 55% of illegals; Official English status; promote diversity; racism; restricting immigration; wall across the border
Democrats |
Republicans |
GOP/Green |
Edwards: Earned legalization |
Huckabee: Send illegals home; but not kids |
Paul: Bilingualism yes; amnesty no; border fence yes |
Clinton: Comprehensive reform & guest workers |
Keyes: Defend borders; oppose amnesty |
Romney: No tuition breaks; but no job enforcement |
Obama: Path to citizenship; comprehensive reform |
McCain: Comprehensive reform |
Nader: Pro-immigrant; anti-globalization |
Graphic Copyright © 2008 The Speakout Foundation and OnTheIssues.org used with permission.
War & Peace Proposed: Stay the course in Iraq, create fifty-year peacekeeping force with open checkbook for restoring Lebanon as Paris of Middle East and raising two generations of Palestinians and Israelis within mandated co-existence, Jerusalem as an international open city. Redirect $100 billion a year from war to peace, create multinational decision support center and Global Range of Gifts Table to orchestrate $1 trillion a year in individual giving.
Key Terms: Afghanistan; Balkan; Central Asia; Colombia; Cuba; Iran; Iraq; Israel; North Korea; Palestine; Persian Gulf; Somalia; War on Terrorism
Democrats |
Republicans |
GOP/Green |
Edwards: Voted for Iraq; get NATO involved |
Huckabee: Stay in Iraq; talk to Iran; fight jihadists |
Paul: Iraq war is illegal; talk to Iran |
Clinton: Authorized Iraq war; redeploy now |
Keyes: Win in Iraq & war on terror |
Romney: Stay in Iraq until secret withdrawal |
Obama: Leave Iraq carefully but quickly |
McCain: Yes on Iraq war; then & now |
Nader: Iraq war is for oil |
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