Election 08’ Aubrey Henry

Mr. SpenceComputer application

10/14/08

Barack Obama

"There is not a Black America and a White America and Latino America and Asian America; there's the United States of America." - Barack Obama

Barack Obama was born in Hawaii on August 4th, 1961. His father, Barack Obama Sr., was born and raised in a small village in Kenya, where he grew up herding goats with his own father, who was a domestic servant to the British. Barack's mother, Ann Dunham, grew up in small-town Kansas. Her father worked on oil rigs during the Depression, and then signed up for World War II after Pearl America. Barack's father eventually returned to Kenya, and Barack grew up with his mother in Hawaii, and for a few years in Indonesia. Later, he moved to New York, where he graduated from Columbia University in 1983.

LATER IN LIFE (OBAMA)Obama is the first African-American to be nominated by a major political party for president. A graduate of Columbia University and Harvard Law School, where he served as president of the Harvard Law Review, Obama worked as a community organizer and practiced as a civil rights attorney before serving three terms in the Illinois Senate from 1997 to 2004. He taught constitutional law at the University of Chicago Law School from 1992 to 2004. Following an unsuccessful bid for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives in 2000, he announced his campaign for the U.S. Senate in January 2003. After a primary victory in March 2004, Obama delivered the keynote address at the Democratic National Convention in July 2004. He was elected to the Senate in November 2004 with 70 percent of the vote.As a member of the Democratic minority in the 109th Congress, he helped create legislation to control conventional weapons and to promote greater public accountability in the use of federal funds. He also made official trips to Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. During the 110th Congress, he helped create legislation regarding lobbying and electoral fraud, climate change, nuclear terrorism, and care for returned U.S. military personnel. Obama announced his presidential campaign in February 2007, and was formally nominated at the 2008 Democratic National Convention with Delaware senator Joe Biden as his running mate.

Joe Biden• Joe Biden was born November 20,

1942, in Scranton, Pennsylvania, the son of Joseph R. Biden, Sr. and Catherine Eugenia Finnegan and the first of four siblings in an Irish-Catholic family (Joe has two brothers James Brian Biden and Francis W. Biden, and a sister Valerie Biden.

• When Joe Biden was 10 years old, the family moved to a middle-class neighborhood in Delaware. His father was a car salesman, and together with his mother, they worked hard to teach their children to stand up for what matters most.

• In 1961, Joe graduated from Archmere Academy in Claymont, Delaware and enrolled in a University of Delaware in Newark.

John McCain• John Sidney McCain III, the Republican U.S. Senator

from Arizona, was born August 29, 1936 in Panama Canal Zone, Panama. Despite being born on foreign soil, McCain's parents (Admiral John S. McCain, Jr. and Roberta Wright McCain) were U.S. citizens, which gave him American status from birth. McCain's father and grandfather were both famous U.S. Navy Admirals, and instilled in him the values of duty, honor and service of country.  They also helped him get admitted to the U.S. Naval Academy, where he graduated in the bottom 5% of his class.

• On October 26, 1967, during his 23rd air mission, McCain´s plane was shot down during a bombing run over the North Vietnamese capital of Hanoi. He broke both arms and one leg during the ensuing crash. McCain was moved to Hoa Loa prison, nicknamed the “Hanoi Hilton,” on December 9, 1969.

• His captors soon learned he was the son of a high-ranking officer in the U.S. Navy and repeatedly offered him early release, but McCain refused, not wanting to violate the military code of conduct and knowing that the North Vietnamese would use his release as a powerful piece of propaganda.

LATER IN LIFE (MCCAIN)He retired from the Navy as a captain in 1981, moved to Arizona, and entered politics. Elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1982, he served two terms, and was then elected to the U.S. Senate in 1986, winning re-election easily in 1992, 1998, and 2004. While generally adhering to conservative principles, McCain at times has had a media reputation as a "maverick" for having disagreed with his party. After being investigated and largely exonerated in a political influence scandal of the 1980s as a member of the "Keating Five," he made campaign finance reform one of his signature concerns, which eventually led to the passage of the McCain-Feingold Act in 2002. He is also known for his work towards restoring diplomatic relations with Vietnam in the 1990s, and for his belief that the war in Iraq should be fought to a successful conclusion. McCain has chaired the Senate Commerce Committee, has opposed spending that he considered to be pork barrel, and played a key role in alleviating a crisis over judicial nominations.McCain lost his bid for the Republican nomination in the 2000 presidential election to George W. Bush. He ran again for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008, and gained enough delegates to become the party's presumptive nominee in March 2008. McCain was formally nominated at the 2008 Republican National Convention in September 2008, together with his chosen running mate from Alaska, Governor Sarah Palin.

Sarah Palin • She was born Sarah Louise Heath on

February 11, 1964, in Sandpoint, Idaho. At the age of three months, she moved to Alaska when her parents came to teach school in Skagway in southeast Alaska. Sarah Palin's father, Charles, was a science teacher and track coach. Her mother, Sally, was a school secretary.

• Sarah Palin grew up in the small town of Wasilla, about 40 miles north of Anchorage. In 1982, she played on Wasilla High School's state champion girls' basketball team, picking up the nickname "Sarah Barracuda" for her intense playing style.

• After graduating from Wasilla High in 1982, Sarah Palin wore the crown of Miss Wasilla in 1984 and was the runner-up in the Miss Alaska contest. She went on to earn a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Idaho in 1987. She also became a television sports reporter in Anchorage.

The Environment & Global Warming

OBAMA’S VIEWThe issue of climate change is one of the greatest challenges that our generation faces. Senator Obama believes that the U.S. must take aggressive action now to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change. He is a cosponsor of the Global Warming Pollution Reduction Act, which was introduced by Senators Sanders and Boxer. This important legislation would reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. by 80% in the year 2050. Senator Obama is also an original cosponsor of the Climate Stewardship and Innovation Act , which was introduced by Senators Lieberman and McCain and would mandate 60% reductions in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

MCCAIN’S VIEW

Climate change is the single greatest environmental challenge of our time. The facts of global warming demand our urgent attention, especially in Washington. Not only does our dependence on foreign oil bring about sizable national security risks but the preponderance of scientific evidence points to the warming of our climate from the burning of fossil fuels. We can no longer deny our responsibility to lead the world in reducing our carbon emissions.

Iraq & War on Terror

OBAMA VIEWIf George Bush and John McCain want to have a debate about protecting the United States of America, that is a debate I am happy to have any time and any place. And that is a debate I will win, because George Bush and John McCain have a lot to answer for," Obama fired back to a standing ovation.

Obama went on to point out that George Bush and John McCain have to explain to the American people, as we enter our sixth year of war in Iraq that was premised on finding non-existent weapons of mass destruction and has cost thousands of lives and over $600 billion, why Bush-McCain policies have failed to make our country safer.

In addition, Obama suggested that with Osama bin Laden at large and sending out video tapes with impunity, it is impossible for George Bush and John McCain to insist credibly that it is their political opponents who are soft on terror.

MCCAIN VIEW“I know how tough it is for the American people, I know how frustrated Americans are, I understand your frustration … But I also want to tell you that I believe if we fail, the consequences of failure are catastrophic. If we leave Iraq, they are going to follow us home.”

McCain does not believe that a precise timeline for the removal of troops from Iraq should be supplied. Rather, he supports achieving benchmarks that include defeating Al Qaeda in Iraq, and ensuring that Iraq has a functioning government and economy. McCain also says that the United States should put more pressure on Syria and Iran, claiming they are being far too lax in permitting arms and insurgents to cross Iraqi borders. Regardless of whether troops stay or leave in Iraq, McCain is of the general view that the United States should maintain a visible military presence in the Middle East: "The United States must also bolster its regional military posture to make clear to Iran our determination to protect our forces and deter Iranian intervention."

The US health Care System

OBAMA VIEWThe Obama plan will create a National Health Insurance Exchange to help individuals who wish to purchase a private insurance plan. The Exchange will act as a watchdog group and help reform the private insurance market by creating rules and standards for participating insurance plans to ensure fairness and to make individual coverage more affordable and accessible.

• Insurers would have to issue every applicant a policy, and charge fair and stable premiums that will not depend upon health status.

• The Exchange will require that all the plans offered are at least as generous as the new public plan and have the same standards for quality and efficiency.

• The Exchange would evaluate plans and make public the differences among the plans, including cost of services.

MCCAIN VIEWSo John McCain wants to destroy the health insurance of non-elderly Americans instead. Most Americans under 65 currently get health insurance through their employers. That’s largely because the tax code favors such insurance ... as long as the ... plan ...[is] available to all employees, regardless of ... the state of their health. This system does a fairly effective job of protecting those it reaches, but it leaves many Americans out in the cold. Workers whose employers don’t offer coverage are forced to seek individual health insurance, often in vain. For one thing, insurance companies offering “nongroup” coverage generally refuse to cover anyone with a pre-existing medical condition. And individual insurance is very expensive, because insurers spend large sums weeding out “high-risk” applicants — that is, anyone ... likely to actually need the insurance.

The US Education SystemObama ViewThe goal of the law was the right one, but unfulfilled funding promises, inadequate implementation by the Education Department and shortcomings in the design of the law itself have limited its effectiveness and undercut its support. As a result, the law has failed to provide high-quality teachers in every classroom and failed to adequately support and pay those teachers.

• Teacher Retention is a Problem: Thirty percent of new teachers leave within their first five years in the profession.

• Soaring College Costs: College costs have grown nearly 40 percent in the past five years. The average graduate leaves college with over $19,000 in debt. And between 2001 and 2010, 2 million academically qualified students will not go to college because they cannot afford it. Finally, our complicated maze of tax credits and applications leaves too many students unaware of financial aid available to them.

• McCain ViewMcCain’s main focus has been on school choice and competition, which he says will bring about genuine accountability for our schools. He says schools should be allowed to compete for the most effective teachers, and if schools fail to meet needs parents should be given the choice to send kids to another school. His most recent speeches also indicate a growing commitment to virtual learning, teacher quality initiatives, and more local control of education funding. For McCain's viewpoint on the most pressing education issues, we turned to the McCain Campaign's domestic policy advisor, Doug Holtz-Eakin. Here's our cheat sheet on education according to McCain.

The US Economy: How to revamp It and create Jobs.

Obama ViewWages are Stagnant as Prices Rise: While wages remain flat, the costs of basic necessities are increasing. The cost of in-state college tuition has grown 35 percent over the past five years. Health care costs have risen four times faster than wages over the past six years. And the personal savings rate is now the lowest it's been since the Great Depression.Tax Cuts for Wealthy Instead of Middle Class: The Bush tax cuts give those who earn over $1 million dollars a tax cut nearly 160 times greater than that received by middle-income Americans. At the same time, this administration has refused to tackle health care, education and housing in a manner that benefits the middle class. Provide Middle Class Americans Tax ReliefObama and Biden will cut income taxes by $1,000 for working families to offset the payroll tax they pay.Provide a Tax Cut for Working Families: Obama and Biden will restore fairness to the tax code and provide 150 million workers the tax relief they need. 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. Eliminate Income Taxes for Seniors Making Less than $50,000: Barack Obama will eliminate all income taxation of seniors making less than $50,000 per year. This proposal will eliminate income taxes for 7 million seniors and provide these seniors with an average savings of $1,400 each year. Under the Obama-Biden plan, 27 million American seniors will also not need to file an income tax return. Simplify Tax Filings for Middle Class 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. Experts estimate that the Obama-Biden proposal will save Americans up to 200 million total hours of work and aggravation and up to $2 billion in tax preparer fees.

McCain ViewCut the corporate tax rate to 25% from 35%. Fund the reductions with cuts in "pork-barrel spending", such as the 10,000 local projects, totaling over $10 billion, in legislation recently signed by President Bush. Allow expensing of businesses equipment and technology investment for the first year. Establish a tax credit equal to 10% of wages spent on research and development.McCain's Long-term Economic Platform: McCain's Economic Platform includes his short-term stimulus measures, and adds the following: Repeal the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) which cost middle class families nearly $60 billion a year. This tax was originally designed to fall on the wealthiest but, thanks to inflation, each year it snags more middle-income taxpayers who claim a lot of deductions. Extend expiring tax cuts from Bush's first term, worth $100 billion a year. Approve the President's line item veto. Add personal accounts to Social Security. More trade agreements. For more, read McCain and Trade Increase troops in Iraq. More nuclear energy. Tax credit of $2,500 per person / $5,000 per family towards health care insurance. Reduce wasteful government spending, saving $18 billion per year. Reduce Congressional earmarks, saving $60 billion per year. Eliminate tax loopholes, saving $45 billion a year. Control Medicare costs, reform unemployment training.

Immigration PolicyObama ViewUndocumented population is exploding: The number of undocumented immigrants in the country has increased more than 40 percent since 2000. Every year, more than a half-million people come illegally or illegally overstay their visas. Immigration bureaucracy is broken: The immigration bureaucracy is broken and overwhelmed, forcing legal immigrants to wait years for applications.Immigration raids are ineffective: Despite a sevenfold increase in recent years, immigration raids only netted 3,600 arrests in 2006 and have placed all the burdens of a broken system onto immigrant families.

McCain ViewSecuring Our Borders First. John McCain's top immigration priority is to finish securing our borders in an expedited manner. Governors of border states will be required to certify that the border is secure. Steps to border security include: Setting clear guidelines and objectives for securing the border through physical and virtual barriers.Ensuring that adequate funding is provided for resources on the ground, but also training facilities, support staff and the deployment of technologies.Dedicating funding to US Attorney’s offices in border states.Implementing sound policies for contracting Department of Homeland Security software and infrastructure. 

OBAMA 08’

• In my opinion - Senator Obama offers the most comprehensive energy plan of any presidential nominee in history, it will end our dependence on foreign oil and create as many as 5,000,000 jobs.  Senator McCain’s plan continues the Bush Administration’s policy of appeasement to Big Oil, does nothing to reduce our dependence on oil.