Bob Barr
Every area of federal spending can and should be cut. Entitlements must be reformed and welfare should be cut, including subsidies for business sometimes called corporate welfare. Military outlays should be reduced and pork barrel spending eliminated. Needless, duplicative, and wasteful programs, most of which have no constitutional basis, should be terminated.
Controlling government spending is a necessary step to enact true tax reform, which will reduce the burden on all Americans and allow them to keep more of their hard-earned money.
We should seek to establish a wall of separation between government and the economy. The legitimate economic functions of government are to protect property rights, adjudicate disputes, and provide a legal framework in which voluntary trade is protected. The government should stop attempting to “manage†the free market.
Capitalism is the only economic system that rewards risk, protects individual liberty, and furthers economic freedom. America will be most prosperous and free when the government stops interfering with private economic decision-making.
Barack Obama
Jumpstart the Economy
Provide Additional Tax Rebates to American Workers: Stimulus: $20 billion.
Establish a $10 billion Foreclosure Prevention Fund:
Provide $10 billion in Relief for State and Local Governments Hardest-Hit by the Housing Crisis to Prevent Cuts in Vital Services:
Provide Middle Class Americans Tax Relief
Obama 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 will restore fairness to the tax code and provide 150 million workers the tax relief they need. Obama 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 plan, 27 million American seniors will also not need to file an income tax return.
Simplify Tax Filings for Middle Class Americans: Obama will dramatically simplify tax filings so that millions of Americans will be able to do their taxes in less than five minutes. Obama 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 proposal will save Americans up to 200 million total hours of work and aggravation and up to $2 billion in tax preparer fees.
Trade
Obama believes that trade with foreign nations should strengthen the American economy and create more American jobs. He will stand firm against agreements that undermine our economic security.
Fight for Fair Trade:
Amend the North American Free Trade Agreement:
Improve Transition Assistance:
Invest in the Manufacturing Sector and Create 5 Million New Green Jobs
Invest in our Next Generation Innovators and Job Creators: based on the Michigan 21st Century Jobs Fund, a state-level initiative.
Double Funding for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership:
Invest In A Clean Energy Economy And Create 5 Million New Green Jobs: $150 billion over 10 years
Create New Job Training Programs for Clean Technologies:
Boost the Renewable Energy Sector and Create New Jobs:
New Jobs Through National Infrastructure Investment
Barack Obama believes that it is critically important for the United States to rebuild its national transportation infrastructure – its highways, bridges, roads, ports, air, and train systems – to strengthen user safety, bolster our long-term competitiveness and ensure our economy continues to grow.
Create a National Infrastructure Reinvestment Bank:
Technology, Innovation and Creating Jobs
Barack Obama will increase federal support for research, technology and innovation for companies and universities so that American families can lead the world in creating new advanced jobs and products.
Invest in the Sciences:
Make the Research and Development Tax Credit Permanent:
Deploy Next-Generation Broadband:
Support Small Business
Provide Tax Relief for Small Businesses and Start Up Companies:
Create a National Network of Public-Private Business Incubators:
Labor
Obama will strengthen the ability of workers to organize unions. He will fight for passage of the Employee Free Choice Act. Obama will ensure that his labor appointees support workers' rights and will work to ban the permanent replacement of striking workers. Obama will also increase the minimum wage and index it to inflation to ensure it rises every year.
Ensure Freedom to Unionize: Obama believes that workers should have the freedom to choose whether to join a union without harassment or intimidation from their employers. Obama cosponsored and is strong advocate for the Employee Free Choice Act, a bipartisan effort to assure that workers can exercise their right to organize. He will continue to fight for EFCA's passage and sign it into law.
Fight Attacks on Workers' Right to Organize: Obama has fought the Bush National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) efforts to strip workers of their right to organize. He is a cosponsor of legislation to overturn the NLRB's "Kentucky River" decisions classifying hundreds of thousands of nurses, construction, and professional workers as "supervisors" who are not protected by federal labor laws.
Protect Striking Workers: Obama supports the right of workers to bargain collectively and strike if necessary. He will work to ban the permanent replacement of striking workers, so workers can stand up for themselves without worrying about losing their livelihoods.
Raise the Minimum Wage: Barack Obama will raise the minimum wage, index it to inflation and increase the Earned Income Tax Credit to make sure that full-time workers earn a living wage that allows them to raise their families and pay for basic needs.
Protect Homeownership and Crack Down on Mortgage Fraud
Obama will crack down on fraudulent brokers and lenders. He will also make sure homebuyers have honest and complete information about their mortgage options, and he will give a tax credit to all middle-class homeowners.
Create a New FHA Housing Security Program:
Create a Universal Mortgage Credit:
Ensure More Accountability in the Subprime Mortgage Industry:
Create Fund to Help Homeowners Avoid Foreclosures:
Close Bankruptcy Loophole for Mortgage Companies:
Address Predatory Credit Card Practices
Obama will establish a five-star rating system so that every consumer knows the risk involved in every credit card. He also will establish a Credit Card Bill of Rights to stop credit card companies from exploiting consumers with unfair practices.
Create a Credit Card Rating System to Improve Disclosure:
Establish a Credit Card Bill of Rights to Protect Consumers:
Reform Bankruptcy Laws
Obama will reform our bankruptcy laws to protect working people, ban executive bonuses for bankrupt companies, and require disclosure of all pension investments.
Cap Outlandish Interest Rates on Payday Loans and Improve Disclosure: Obama supports extending a 36 percent interest cap to all Americans. Obama will require lenders to provide clear and simplified information about loan fees, payments and penalties, which is why he'll require lenders to provide this information during the application process.
Encourage Responsible Lending Institutions to Make Small Consumer Loans: Obama will encourage banks, credit unions and Community Development Financial Institutions to provide affordable short-term and small-dollar loans and to drive unscrupulous lenders out of business.
Reform Bankruptcy Laws to Protect Families Facing a Medical Crisis: Obama will create an exemption in bankruptcy law for individuals who can prove they filed for bankruptcy because of medical expenses. This exemption will create a process that forgives the debt and lets the individuals get back on their feet.
Work/Family Balance
Obama will double funding for after-school programs, expand the Family Medical Leave Act, provide low-income families with a refundable tax credit to help with their child-care expenses, and encourage flexible work schedules.
Expand the Family and Medical Leave Act:
Encourage States to Adopt Paid Leave:
Expand High-Quality Afterschool Opportunities:
Expand the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit:
Protect Against Caregiver Discrimination:
Expand Flexible Work Arrangements:
John McCain
John McCain believes we should institute a summer gas tax holiday. Hard-working American families are suffering from higher gasoline prices. John McCain called on Congress to suspend the 18.4 cent federal gas tax and 24.4 cent diesel tax from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
John McCain will repeal the 54 cents per gallon tax on imported sugar-based ethanol, increasing competition, and lowering prices of gasoline at the pump.
John McCain will roll back corn-based ethanol mandates, which are contributing to the rising cost of food.
Home Plan
John McCain believes there is nothing more important than keeping alive the American dream of owning a home. Priority number one is to keep well-meaning, deserving home owners who are facing foreclosure in their homes.
John McCain's approach to helping sub-prime or other financially strapped mortgage borrowers is built on sound principles:
How It Works: Individuals pick up a form at any Post Office or download the form over the Internet and apply for a HOME loan. The FHA HOME Office certifies that the individual is qualified, and contacts the individual's mortgage servicer. The mortgage servicer writes down and retires the existing loan, which is replaced by an FHA guaranteed HOME loan from a lender.
[In Washington,]John McCain will balance the budget by the end of his first term.
McCain Policies Will Support Reasonable Economic Growth: Small business is the key to job growth. Small business will benefit from Low individual tax rates, Access to capital from low tax rates on dividends and capital gains, Minimizing expensive mandates such as those for health insurance and pro-union initiatives like card check, Enhancing international competitiveness to keep jobs here, A lower corporate tax rate, and Improved investment and research incentives to ensure that workers have the most modern technology.
John McCain will institute broad reforms to control spending.
A one-year spending pause. Freeze non-defense, non-veterans discretionary spending for a year and use those savings for deficit reduction.
Take back earmark funds. The McCain Administration will reclaim billions of add-on spending from earmarks and add-ons in FY 2007 and 2008.
Bi-partisan Fiscal Discipline: A McCain Administration will provide the leadership to achieve bipartisan spending restraint equivalent to that in the 1997 Balanced Budget Agreement between a GOP Congress and a Democratic President. In 1997, President Clinton and the GOP Congress agreed to balance the budget by restraining the growth in spending and cutting taxes over a ten-year period.
Stop Earmarks, Pork-Barrel Spending, And Waste: John McCain will veto every pork-laden spending bill and make their authors famous.
Opening New Markets
John McCain believes that globalization is an opportunity for American workers today and in the future.
Energy
Nuclear - 45 new nuclear plants by 2030
Coal - $2 billion annually to advancing clean coal technologies
Wind, hydro, solar - John McCain believes in an even- handed system of tax credits that will remain in place until renewable energy has progressed to the point that it is competitive with conventional energy sources.
Oil - Expand domestic oil and natural gas exploration.
Battery Technology - John McCain will propose a $300 million prize to improve battery technology for full commercial development of plug-in hybrid and fully electric automobiles.
Transportation alternatives - John McCain will offer incentives to produce better and cheaper flex-fuel alternative fuel vehicles
Homes - Homeowners can save hundreds or even thousands of dollars a year with better light bulbs, appliances, windows, and insulation.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Barr has good broad ideas but no substance here. Obama's plans sound like local & state gov't initiatives; he's running for president, not governor. McCain's plans are too comprehensive and reach too far outside his constitutional job description, but nowhere near as far as Obama's.
For me: No points to anyone.
The Candidates on The Economy
-
Accountable
- Posts: 24818
- Joined: Mon May 30, 2005 8:33 am
The Candidates on The Economy
On Bob Barr, the general problem I have with his approach is that he's doing absolutely nothing. It's pure marketing genius ... apply for a job with the promise that you won't do a thing. Really, I'm wondering why we even need to elect a libertarian, if their goal is to have us figure out the problems on our own. Reminds me a bit of Warren Harding's approach.
On McCain ... early on in the primaries he was honest (which is a good thing) and admitted that economics wasn't something he really understood in great detail. Romney generally owned this area. As evidence, McCain's "Gas Tax Holiday" was generally panned by economists as a terrible idea (would drive up demand). So maybe McCain is not familiar with economics, but he has great advisors like Phill Gramm to learn from. But it turns out Gramm resigned after saying the major problem was that the U.S. was just a nation of whiners, and the economic issues were all in people's head. These guys like Gramm generally have taken the approach that less government control on business will be the economic stimulus. Enron is a well known disaster that resulted from this kind of deregulation .. which the energy price manipulation and rolling blackouts ended up costing California upwards of 30 billion dollars.
So with McCain, we have someone that doesn't understand the economy, who also hires the wrong people to understand it for him. Although now McCain claims the economy is his strong point ...
So for me, Obama seems to hit the mark the closest. Generally, my opinion to create a healthy economy, requires three things:
(a) protect consumers
(b) help the middle class
(c) help small business.
You are right that he's taken a bottom-up approach to these problem.
On McCain ... early on in the primaries he was honest (which is a good thing) and admitted that economics wasn't something he really understood in great detail. Romney generally owned this area. As evidence, McCain's "Gas Tax Holiday" was generally panned by economists as a terrible idea (would drive up demand). So maybe McCain is not familiar with economics, but he has great advisors like Phill Gramm to learn from. But it turns out Gramm resigned after saying the major problem was that the U.S. was just a nation of whiners, and the economic issues were all in people's head. These guys like Gramm generally have taken the approach that less government control on business will be the economic stimulus. Enron is a well known disaster that resulted from this kind of deregulation .. which the energy price manipulation and rolling blackouts ended up costing California upwards of 30 billion dollars.
So with McCain, we have someone that doesn't understand the economy, who also hires the wrong people to understand it for him. Although now McCain claims the economy is his strong point ...
So for me, Obama seems to hit the mark the closest. Generally, my opinion to create a healthy economy, requires three things:
(a) protect consumers
(b) help the middle class
(c) help small business.
You are right that he's taken a bottom-up approach to these problem.
-
Accountable
- Posts: 24818
- Joined: Mon May 30, 2005 8:33 am
The Candidates on The Economy
Obama seems to want to federalize everything. I wonder if there's anything he doesn't feel is the responsibility of federal gov't. I think we should federalize virtually nothing. Let each state decide how much control/regulations its citizenry wants and act accordingly. The people of California are too different from the people of Alabama are too different from the people of Michigan to have universal anything. The US Constitution handles this beautifully by limiting the scope of federal gov't and placing anything not specifically under them under state jurisdiction to be tailored to their citizens' requirements.
I like it like that. States need to toe the line and pull their weight. They need to take their responsibilities back from Congress and the President so that the federal gov't can run more efficiently.
I like it like that. States need to toe the line and pull their weight. They need to take their responsibilities back from Congress and the President so that the federal gov't can run more efficiently.
The Candidates on The Economy
Accountable;945726 wrote: Bob Barr
Every area of federal spending can and should be cut. Entitlements must be reformed and welfare should be cut, including subsidies for business sometimes called corporate welfare. Military outlays should be reduced and pork barrel spending eliminated. Needless, duplicative, and wasteful programs, most of which have no constitutional basis, should be terminated.
Controlling government spending is a necessary step to enact true tax reform, which will reduce the burden on all Americans and allow them to keep more of their hard-earned money.
We should seek to establish a wall of separation between government and the economy. The legitimate economic functions of government are to protect property rights, adjudicate disputes, and provide a legal framework in which voluntary trade is protected. The government should stop attempting to “manage†the free market.
Capitalism is the only economic system that rewards risk, protects individual liberty, and furthers economic freedom. America will be most prosperous and free when the government stops interfering with private economic decision-making.
Barack Obama
Jumpstart the Economy
Provide Additional Tax Rebates to American Workers: Stimulus: $20 billion.
Establish a $10 billion Foreclosure Prevention Fund:
Provide $10 billion in Relief for State and Local Governments Hardest-Hit by the Housing Crisis to Prevent Cuts in Vital Services:
Provide Middle Class Americans Tax Relief
Obama 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 will restore fairness to the tax code and provide 150 million workers the tax relief they need. Obama 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 plan, 27 million American seniors will also not need to file an income tax return.
Simplify Tax Filings for Middle Class Americans: Obama will dramatically simplify tax filings so that millions of Americans will be able to do their taxes in less than five minutes. Obama 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 proposal will save Americans up to 200 million total hours of work and aggravation and up to $2 billion in tax preparer fees.
Trade
Obama believes that trade with foreign nations should strengthen the American economy and create more American jobs. He will stand firm against agreements that undermine our economic security.
Fight for Fair Trade:
Amend the North American Free Trade Agreement:
Improve Transition Assistance:
Invest in the Manufacturing Sector and Create 5 Million New Green Jobs
Invest in our Next Generation Innovators and Job Creators: based on the Michigan 21st Century Jobs Fund, a state-level initiative.
Double Funding for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership:
Invest In A Clean Energy Economy And Create 5 Million New Green Jobs: $150 billion over 10 years
Create New Job Training Programs for Clean Technologies:
Boost the Renewable Energy Sector and Create New Jobs:
New Jobs Through National Infrastructure Investment
Barack Obama believes that it is critically important for the United States to rebuild its national transportation infrastructure – its highways, bridges, roads, ports, air, and train systems – to strengthen user safety, bolster our long-term competitiveness and ensure our economy continues to grow.
Create a National Infrastructure Reinvestment Bank:
Technology, Innovation and Creating Jobs
Barack Obama will increase federal support for research, technology and innovation for companies and universities so that American families can lead the world in creating new advanced jobs and products.
Invest in the Sciences:
Make the Research and Development Tax Credit Permanent:
Deploy Next-Generation Broadband:
Support Small Business
Provide Tax Relief for Small Businesses and Start Up Companies:
Create a National Network of Public-Private Business Incubators:
Labor
Obama will strengthen the ability of workers to organize unions. He will fight for passage of the Employee Free Choice Act. Obama will ensure that his labor appointees support workers' rights and will work to ban the permanent replacement of striking workers. Obama will also increase the minimum wage and index it to inflation to ensure it rises every year.
Ensure Freedom to Unionize: Obama believes that workers should have the freedom to choose whether to join a union without harassment or intimidation from their employers. Obama cosponsored and is strong advocate for the Employee Free Choice Act, a bipartisan effort to assure that workers can exercise their right to organize. He will continue to fight for EFCA's passage and sign it into law.
Fight Attacks on Workers' Right to Organize: Obama has fought the Bush National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) efforts to strip workers of their right to organize. He is a cosponsor of legislation to overturn the NLRB's "Kentucky River" decisions classifying hundreds of thousands of nurses, construction, and professional workers as "supervisors" who are not protected by federal labor laws.
Protect Striking Workers: Obama supports the right of workers to bargain collectively and strike if necessary. He will work to ban the permanent replacement of striking workers, so workers can stand up for themselves without worrying about losing their livelihoods.
Raise the Minimum Wage: Barack Obama will raise the minimum wage, index it to inflation and increase the Earned Income Tax Credit to make sure that full-time workers earn a living wage that allows them to raise their families and pay for basic needs.
Protect Homeownership and Crack Down on Mortgage Fraud
Obama will crack down on fraudulent brokers and lenders. He will also make sure homebuyers have honest and complete information about their mortgage options, and he will give a tax credit to all middle-class homeowners.
Create a New FHA Housing Security Program:
Create a Universal Mortgage Credit:
Ensure More Accountability in the Subprime Mortgage Industry:
Create Fund to Help Homeowners Avoid Foreclosures:
Close Bankruptcy Loophole for Mortgage Companies:
Address Predatory Credit Card Practices
Obama will establish a five-star rating system so that every consumer knows the risk involved in every credit card. He also will establish a Credit Card Bill of Rights to stop credit card companies from exploiting consumers with unfair practices.
Create a Credit Card Rating System to Improve Disclosure:
Establish a Credit Card Bill of Rights to Protect Consumers:
Reform Bankruptcy Laws
Obama will reform our bankruptcy laws to protect working people, ban executive bonuses for bankrupt companies, and require disclosure of all pension investments.
Cap Outlandish Interest Rates on Payday Loans and Improve Disclosure: Obama supports extending a 36 percent interest cap to all Americans. Obama will require lenders to provide clear and simplified information about loan fees, payments and penalties, which is why he'll require lenders to provide this information during the application process.
Encourage Responsible Lending Institutions to Make Small Consumer Loans: Obama will encourage banks, credit unions and Community Development Financial Institutions to provide affordable short-term and small-dollar loans and to drive unscrupulous lenders out of business.
Reform Bankruptcy Laws to Protect Families Facing a Medical Crisis: Obama will create an exemption in bankruptcy law for individuals who can prove they filed for bankruptcy because of medical expenses. This exemption will create a process that forgives the debt and lets the individuals get back on their feet.
Work/Family Balance
Obama will double funding for after-school programs, expand the Family Medical Leave Act, provide low-income families with a refundable tax credit to help with their child-care expenses, and encourage flexible work schedules.
Expand the Family and Medical Leave Act:
Encourage States to Adopt Paid Leave:
Expand High-Quality Afterschool Opportunities:
Expand the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit:
Protect Against Caregiver Discrimination:
Expand Flexible Work Arrangements:
John McCain
John McCain believes we should institute a summer gas tax holiday. Hard-working American families are suffering from higher gasoline prices. John McCain called on Congress to suspend the 18.4 cent federal gas tax and 24.4 cent diesel tax from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
John McCain will repeal the 54 cents per gallon tax on imported sugar-based ethanol, increasing competition, and lowering prices of gasoline at the pump.
John McCain will roll back corn-based ethanol mandates, which are contributing to the rising cost of food.
Home Plan
John McCain believes there is nothing more important than keeping alive the American dream of owning a home. Priority number one is to keep well-meaning, deserving home owners who are facing foreclosure in their homes.
John McCain's approach to helping sub-prime or other financially strapped mortgage borrowers is built on sound principles:
How It Works: Individuals pick up a form at any Post Office or download the form over the Internet and apply for a HOME loan. The FHA HOME Office certifies that the individual is qualified, and contacts the individual's mortgage servicer. The mortgage servicer writes down and retires the existing loan, which is replaced by an FHA guaranteed HOME loan from a lender.
[In Washington,]John McCain will balance the budget by the end of his first term.
McCain Policies Will Support Reasonable Economic Growth: Small business is the key to job growth. Small business will benefit from Low individual tax rates, Access to capital from low tax rates on dividends and capital gains, Minimizing expensive mandates such as those for health insurance and pro-union initiatives like card check, Enhancing international competitiveness to keep jobs here, A lower corporate tax rate, and Improved investment and research incentives to ensure that workers have the most modern technology.
John McCain will institute broad reforms to control spending.
A one-year spending pause. Freeze non-defense, non-veterans discretionary spending for a year and use those savings for deficit reduction.
Take back earmark funds. The McCain Administration will reclaim billions of add-on spending from earmarks and add-ons in FY 2007 and 2008.
Bi-partisan Fiscal Discipline: A McCain Administration will provide the leadership to achieve bipartisan spending restraint equivalent to that in the 1997 Balanced Budget Agreement between a GOP Congress and a Democratic President. In 1997, President Clinton and the GOP Congress agreed to balance the budget by restraining the growth in spending and cutting taxes over a ten-year period.
Stop Earmarks, Pork-Barrel Spending, And Waste: John McCain will veto every pork-laden spending bill and make their authors famous.
Opening New Markets
John McCain believes that globalization is an opportunity for American workers today and in the future.
Energy
Nuclear - 45 new nuclear plants by 2030
Coal - $2 billion annually to advancing clean coal technologies
Wind, hydro, solar - John McCain believes in an even- handed system of tax credits that will remain in place until renewable energy has progressed to the point that it is competitive with conventional energy sources.
Oil - Expand domestic oil and natural gas exploration.
Battery Technology - John McCain will propose a $300 million prize to improve battery technology for full commercial development of plug-in hybrid and fully electric automobiles.
Transportation alternatives - John McCain will offer incentives to produce better and cheaper flex-fuel alternative fuel vehicles
Homes - Homeowners can save hundreds or even thousands of dollars a year with better light bulbs, appliances, windows, and insulation.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Barr has good broad ideas but no substance here. Obama's plans sound like local & state gov't initiatives; he's running for president, not governor. McCain's plans are too comprehensive and reach too far outside his constitutional job description, but nowhere near as far as Obama's.
For me: No points to anyone.
You sound like one of those gangter in the white house . It to be expect from one who adhere to fox news .
Every area of federal spending can and should be cut. Entitlements must be reformed and welfare should be cut, including subsidies for business sometimes called corporate welfare. Military outlays should be reduced and pork barrel spending eliminated. Needless, duplicative, and wasteful programs, most of which have no constitutional basis, should be terminated.
Controlling government spending is a necessary step to enact true tax reform, which will reduce the burden on all Americans and allow them to keep more of their hard-earned money.
We should seek to establish a wall of separation between government and the economy. The legitimate economic functions of government are to protect property rights, adjudicate disputes, and provide a legal framework in which voluntary trade is protected. The government should stop attempting to “manage†the free market.
Capitalism is the only economic system that rewards risk, protects individual liberty, and furthers economic freedom. America will be most prosperous and free when the government stops interfering with private economic decision-making.
Barack Obama
Jumpstart the Economy
Provide Additional Tax Rebates to American Workers: Stimulus: $20 billion.
Establish a $10 billion Foreclosure Prevention Fund:
Provide $10 billion in Relief for State and Local Governments Hardest-Hit by the Housing Crisis to Prevent Cuts in Vital Services:
Provide Middle Class Americans Tax Relief
Obama 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 will restore fairness to the tax code and provide 150 million workers the tax relief they need. Obama 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 plan, 27 million American seniors will also not need to file an income tax return.
Simplify Tax Filings for Middle Class Americans: Obama will dramatically simplify tax filings so that millions of Americans will be able to do their taxes in less than five minutes. Obama 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 proposal will save Americans up to 200 million total hours of work and aggravation and up to $2 billion in tax preparer fees.
Trade
Obama believes that trade with foreign nations should strengthen the American economy and create more American jobs. He will stand firm against agreements that undermine our economic security.
Fight for Fair Trade:
Amend the North American Free Trade Agreement:
Improve Transition Assistance:
Invest in the Manufacturing Sector and Create 5 Million New Green Jobs
Invest in our Next Generation Innovators and Job Creators: based on the Michigan 21st Century Jobs Fund, a state-level initiative.
Double Funding for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership:
Invest In A Clean Energy Economy And Create 5 Million New Green Jobs: $150 billion over 10 years
Create New Job Training Programs for Clean Technologies:
Boost the Renewable Energy Sector and Create New Jobs:
New Jobs Through National Infrastructure Investment
Barack Obama believes that it is critically important for the United States to rebuild its national transportation infrastructure – its highways, bridges, roads, ports, air, and train systems – to strengthen user safety, bolster our long-term competitiveness and ensure our economy continues to grow.
Create a National Infrastructure Reinvestment Bank:
Technology, Innovation and Creating Jobs
Barack Obama will increase federal support for research, technology and innovation for companies and universities so that American families can lead the world in creating new advanced jobs and products.
Invest in the Sciences:
Make the Research and Development Tax Credit Permanent:
Deploy Next-Generation Broadband:
Support Small Business
Provide Tax Relief for Small Businesses and Start Up Companies:
Create a National Network of Public-Private Business Incubators:
Labor
Obama will strengthen the ability of workers to organize unions. He will fight for passage of the Employee Free Choice Act. Obama will ensure that his labor appointees support workers' rights and will work to ban the permanent replacement of striking workers. Obama will also increase the minimum wage and index it to inflation to ensure it rises every year.
Ensure Freedom to Unionize: Obama believes that workers should have the freedom to choose whether to join a union without harassment or intimidation from their employers. Obama cosponsored and is strong advocate for the Employee Free Choice Act, a bipartisan effort to assure that workers can exercise their right to organize. He will continue to fight for EFCA's passage and sign it into law.
Fight Attacks on Workers' Right to Organize: Obama has fought the Bush National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) efforts to strip workers of their right to organize. He is a cosponsor of legislation to overturn the NLRB's "Kentucky River" decisions classifying hundreds of thousands of nurses, construction, and professional workers as "supervisors" who are not protected by federal labor laws.
Protect Striking Workers: Obama supports the right of workers to bargain collectively and strike if necessary. He will work to ban the permanent replacement of striking workers, so workers can stand up for themselves without worrying about losing their livelihoods.
Raise the Minimum Wage: Barack Obama will raise the minimum wage, index it to inflation and increase the Earned Income Tax Credit to make sure that full-time workers earn a living wage that allows them to raise their families and pay for basic needs.
Protect Homeownership and Crack Down on Mortgage Fraud
Obama will crack down on fraudulent brokers and lenders. He will also make sure homebuyers have honest and complete information about their mortgage options, and he will give a tax credit to all middle-class homeowners.
Create a New FHA Housing Security Program:
Create a Universal Mortgage Credit:
Ensure More Accountability in the Subprime Mortgage Industry:
Create Fund to Help Homeowners Avoid Foreclosures:
Close Bankruptcy Loophole for Mortgage Companies:
Address Predatory Credit Card Practices
Obama will establish a five-star rating system so that every consumer knows the risk involved in every credit card. He also will establish a Credit Card Bill of Rights to stop credit card companies from exploiting consumers with unfair practices.
Create a Credit Card Rating System to Improve Disclosure:
Establish a Credit Card Bill of Rights to Protect Consumers:
Reform Bankruptcy Laws
Obama will reform our bankruptcy laws to protect working people, ban executive bonuses for bankrupt companies, and require disclosure of all pension investments.
Cap Outlandish Interest Rates on Payday Loans and Improve Disclosure: Obama supports extending a 36 percent interest cap to all Americans. Obama will require lenders to provide clear and simplified information about loan fees, payments and penalties, which is why he'll require lenders to provide this information during the application process.
Encourage Responsible Lending Institutions to Make Small Consumer Loans: Obama will encourage banks, credit unions and Community Development Financial Institutions to provide affordable short-term and small-dollar loans and to drive unscrupulous lenders out of business.
Reform Bankruptcy Laws to Protect Families Facing a Medical Crisis: Obama will create an exemption in bankruptcy law for individuals who can prove they filed for bankruptcy because of medical expenses. This exemption will create a process that forgives the debt and lets the individuals get back on their feet.
Work/Family Balance
Obama will double funding for after-school programs, expand the Family Medical Leave Act, provide low-income families with a refundable tax credit to help with their child-care expenses, and encourage flexible work schedules.
Expand the Family and Medical Leave Act:
Encourage States to Adopt Paid Leave:
Expand High-Quality Afterschool Opportunities:
Expand the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit:
Protect Against Caregiver Discrimination:
Expand Flexible Work Arrangements:
John McCain
John McCain believes we should institute a summer gas tax holiday. Hard-working American families are suffering from higher gasoline prices. John McCain called on Congress to suspend the 18.4 cent federal gas tax and 24.4 cent diesel tax from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
John McCain will repeal the 54 cents per gallon tax on imported sugar-based ethanol, increasing competition, and lowering prices of gasoline at the pump.
John McCain will roll back corn-based ethanol mandates, which are contributing to the rising cost of food.
Home Plan
John McCain believes there is nothing more important than keeping alive the American dream of owning a home. Priority number one is to keep well-meaning, deserving home owners who are facing foreclosure in their homes.
John McCain's approach to helping sub-prime or other financially strapped mortgage borrowers is built on sound principles:
How It Works: Individuals pick up a form at any Post Office or download the form over the Internet and apply for a HOME loan. The FHA HOME Office certifies that the individual is qualified, and contacts the individual's mortgage servicer. The mortgage servicer writes down and retires the existing loan, which is replaced by an FHA guaranteed HOME loan from a lender.
[In Washington,]John McCain will balance the budget by the end of his first term.
McCain Policies Will Support Reasonable Economic Growth: Small business is the key to job growth. Small business will benefit from Low individual tax rates, Access to capital from low tax rates on dividends and capital gains, Minimizing expensive mandates such as those for health insurance and pro-union initiatives like card check, Enhancing international competitiveness to keep jobs here, A lower corporate tax rate, and Improved investment and research incentives to ensure that workers have the most modern technology.
John McCain will institute broad reforms to control spending.
A one-year spending pause. Freeze non-defense, non-veterans discretionary spending for a year and use those savings for deficit reduction.
Take back earmark funds. The McCain Administration will reclaim billions of add-on spending from earmarks and add-ons in FY 2007 and 2008.
Bi-partisan Fiscal Discipline: A McCain Administration will provide the leadership to achieve bipartisan spending restraint equivalent to that in the 1997 Balanced Budget Agreement between a GOP Congress and a Democratic President. In 1997, President Clinton and the GOP Congress agreed to balance the budget by restraining the growth in spending and cutting taxes over a ten-year period.
Stop Earmarks, Pork-Barrel Spending, And Waste: John McCain will veto every pork-laden spending bill and make their authors famous.
Opening New Markets
John McCain believes that globalization is an opportunity for American workers today and in the future.
Energy
Nuclear - 45 new nuclear plants by 2030
Coal - $2 billion annually to advancing clean coal technologies
Wind, hydro, solar - John McCain believes in an even- handed system of tax credits that will remain in place until renewable energy has progressed to the point that it is competitive with conventional energy sources.
Oil - Expand domestic oil and natural gas exploration.
Battery Technology - John McCain will propose a $300 million prize to improve battery technology for full commercial development of plug-in hybrid and fully electric automobiles.
Transportation alternatives - John McCain will offer incentives to produce better and cheaper flex-fuel alternative fuel vehicles
Homes - Homeowners can save hundreds or even thousands of dollars a year with better light bulbs, appliances, windows, and insulation.
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Barr has good broad ideas but no substance here. Obama's plans sound like local & state gov't initiatives; he's running for president, not governor. McCain's plans are too comprehensive and reach too far outside his constitutional job description, but nowhere near as far as Obama's.
For me: No points to anyone.
You sound like one of those gangter in the white house . It to be expect from one who adhere to fox news .
Never Argue With An Idiot. They Drag You Down To Their Level Then Beat You With Experience.
When An Elder Passes On To Higher Life , Its Like One Of The Library Have Shut Down
To Desire Security Is A Sign Of Insecurity .
It's Not The Things One Knows That Get Him Or Her In Trouble , Its The Things One Knows That Just Isn't So That Get Them In Trouble
When you can control a man's thinking you don't have to worry about his action ...:driving:
When An Elder Passes On To Higher Life , Its Like One Of The Library Have Shut Down
To Desire Security Is A Sign Of Insecurity .
It's Not The Things One Knows That Get Him Or Her In Trouble , Its The Things One Knows That Just Isn't So That Get Them In Trouble
When you can control a man's thinking you don't have to worry about his action ...:driving:
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Accountable
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- Joined: Mon May 30, 2005 8:33 am
The Candidates on The Economy
Daniyal;947293 wrote: You sound like one of those gangter in the white house . By saying that their reach is outside constitutional bounds?? How is that "gangster"?
The Candidates on The Economy
Accountable;947299 wrote: By saying that their reach is outside constitutional bounds?? How is that "gangster"?
You know it sad all you know how to do is make silly statement , And To Blind To See These People Are Doing What They Want Right In Front Of Your Face , Constitutional This Is For You
I Have Hand it to He take the time to explain things to you . But it a waste of time . You Lock Into this zone . That why most of the time I don't answer you .
You know it sad all you know how to do is make silly statement , And To Blind To See These People Are Doing What They Want Right In Front Of Your Face , Constitutional This Is For You
I Have Hand it to He take the time to explain things to you . But it a waste of time . You Lock Into this zone . That why most of the time I don't answer you .
Never Argue With An Idiot. They Drag You Down To Their Level Then Beat You With Experience.
When An Elder Passes On To Higher Life , Its Like One Of The Library Have Shut Down
To Desire Security Is A Sign Of Insecurity .
It's Not The Things One Knows That Get Him Or Her In Trouble , Its The Things One Knows That Just Isn't So That Get Them In Trouble
When you can control a man's thinking you don't have to worry about his action ...:driving:
When An Elder Passes On To Higher Life , Its Like One Of The Library Have Shut Down
To Desire Security Is A Sign Of Insecurity .
It's Not The Things One Knows That Get Him Or Her In Trouble , Its The Things One Knows That Just Isn't So That Get Them In Trouble
When you can control a man's thinking you don't have to worry about his action ...:driving:
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Accountable
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- Joined: Mon May 30, 2005 8:33 am
The Candidates on The Economy
Daniyal;947324 wrote: You know it sad all you know how to do is make silly statement , And To Blind To See These People Are Doing What They Want Right In Front Of Your Face , Constitutional This Is For You
I Have Hand it to He take the time to explain things to you . But it a waste of time . You Lock Into this zone . That why most of the time I don't answer you .
I'll grant you that most of my posts directed toward you are silly, but this one's not and I don't see how you can read silly into it. If you do, I apologize. Now, please tell me how you can say I "sound like one of those gangter in the white house."
I Have Hand it to He take the time to explain things to you . But it a waste of time . You Lock Into this zone . That why most of the time I don't answer you .
I'll grant you that most of my posts directed toward you are silly, but this one's not and I don't see how you can read silly into it. If you do, I apologize. Now, please tell me how you can say I "sound like one of those gangter in the white house."
The Candidates on The Economy
Accountable;947341 wrote: I'll grant you that most of my posts directed toward you are silly, but this one's not and I don't see how you can read silly into it. If you do, I apologize. Now, please tell me how you can say I "sound like one of those gangter in the white house."
You Action Speaks For ITSELF . Don't Act Like You Don't Know What I'm Saying . Anyway I'm Done Here .
You Action Speaks For ITSELF . Don't Act Like You Don't Know What I'm Saying . Anyway I'm Done Here .
Never Argue With An Idiot. They Drag You Down To Their Level Then Beat You With Experience.
When An Elder Passes On To Higher Life , Its Like One Of The Library Have Shut Down
To Desire Security Is A Sign Of Insecurity .
It's Not The Things One Knows That Get Him Or Her In Trouble , Its The Things One Knows That Just Isn't So That Get Them In Trouble
When you can control a man's thinking you don't have to worry about his action ...:driving:
When An Elder Passes On To Higher Life , Its Like One Of The Library Have Shut Down
To Desire Security Is A Sign Of Insecurity .
It's Not The Things One Knows That Get Him Or Her In Trouble , Its The Things One Knows That Just Isn't So That Get Them In Trouble
When you can control a man's thinking you don't have to worry about his action ...:driving:
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Accountable
- Posts: 24818
- Joined: Mon May 30, 2005 8:33 am
The Candidates on The Economy
Daniyal;947383 wrote: You Action Speaks For ITSELF . Don't Act Like You Don't Know What I'm Saying . Anyway I'm Done Here .
I'm not acting. See ya.
I'm not acting. See ya.
The Candidates on The Economy
Accountable;947410 wrote: I'm not acting. See ya.
Like said in the other post its your nature showing .
Like said in the other post its your nature showing .
Never Argue With An Idiot. They Drag You Down To Their Level Then Beat You With Experience.
When An Elder Passes On To Higher Life , Its Like One Of The Library Have Shut Down
To Desire Security Is A Sign Of Insecurity .
It's Not The Things One Knows That Get Him Or Her In Trouble , Its The Things One Knows That Just Isn't So That Get Them In Trouble
When you can control a man's thinking you don't have to worry about his action ...:driving:
When An Elder Passes On To Higher Life , Its Like One Of The Library Have Shut Down
To Desire Security Is A Sign Of Insecurity .
It's Not The Things One Knows That Get Him Or Her In Trouble , Its The Things One Knows That Just Isn't So That Get Them In Trouble
When you can control a man's thinking you don't have to worry about his action ...:driving:
The Candidates on The Economy
Accountable;947299 wrote: By saying that their reach is outside constitutional bounds?? How is that "gangster"?
Well that's your opinion ... if your case really holds water, why don't you sue him for breaking the law?
Obama graduated from Harvard, and taught constitutional law of course.
Well that's your opinion ... if your case really holds water, why don't you sue him for breaking the law?
Obama graduated from Harvard, and taught constitutional law of course.
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Accountable
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- Joined: Mon May 30, 2005 8:33 am
The Candidates on The Economy
yaaarrrgg;947463 wrote: Well that's your opinion ... if your case really holds water, why don't you sue him for breaking the law?
Obama graduated from Harvard, and taught constitutional law of course.
You quoted a question. Sue who??
Obama graduated from Harvard, and taught constitutional law of course.
You quoted a question. Sue who??
The Candidates on The Economy
Accountable;947512 wrote: You quoted a question. Sue who??
You've been implying that Obama's plan is unconstitutional. His primary obligation is to uphold the constitution, so sue him by all means.
What I like about this thread, is the side by side comparison. Most people that don't pay attention say that Obama has no substance. But your complaint is that he has too much substance.
You've been implying that Obama's plan is unconstitutional. His primary obligation is to uphold the constitution, so sue him by all means.
What I like about this thread, is the side by side comparison. Most people that don't pay attention say that Obama has no substance. But your complaint is that he has too much substance.
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Accountable
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The Candidates on The Economy
yaaarrrgg;947700 wrote: You've been implying that Obama's plan is unconstitutional. His primary obligation is to uphold the constitution, so sue him by all means.
What I like about this thread, is the side by side comparison. Most people that don't pay attention say that Obama has no substance. But your complaint is that he has too much substance.
Having a plan isn't breaking a law. Thanks for the compliment about the thread. It's hardly comprehensive, but I couldn't find what I was looking for so I built my own.
Too much substance. Yes, absolutely. The federal gov't wasn't created to be a traditional national gov't. Most of the things Obama is calling for are things the Constitution leaves to the states to decide. Many of the things our federal gov't does now fit that same description, so if I had millions to toss, I suppose I could take them to court, but not Obama because he's done precious little in the federal gov't.
What I like about this thread, is the side by side comparison. Most people that don't pay attention say that Obama has no substance. But your complaint is that he has too much substance.
Having a plan isn't breaking a law. Thanks for the compliment about the thread. It's hardly comprehensive, but I couldn't find what I was looking for so I built my own.
Too much substance. Yes, absolutely. The federal gov't wasn't created to be a traditional national gov't. Most of the things Obama is calling for are things the Constitution leaves to the states to decide. Many of the things our federal gov't does now fit that same description, so if I had millions to toss, I suppose I could take them to court, but not Obama because he's done precious little in the federal gov't.