The two major party presidential candidates in US, Democrat Obama and Republican John McCain. Both Barack Obama and John McCain attract independents. Both have a candor that appeals to voters and media-types alike. Both ask their audiences to serve a cause greater than self-interest. Both offer a politics that is grand and inspiring. But they are very different men. Their policies obviously conflict, but their skills, world views and moral philosophies set them apart, too. One man celebrates communitarian virtues like unity, the other classical virtues like honor.(David Brooks:2008)
Brief historical background
John Sidney McCain III (born August 29, 1936) is the Senior United States senator from Arizona and presidential nominee of the Republican Party in the 2008 presidential election.McCain graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1958. He became a naval aviator, flying ground-attack aircraft from aircraft carriers. He was a prisoner of war until 1973, experiencing episodes of torture and refusing an out-of-sequence early repatriation offer; his war wounds left him with lifelong physical limitations.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.
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.
On the other hand,Barack Hussein Obama II(born August 4, 1961) is the junior United States Senator from Illinois and presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2008 general election.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.
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. After announcing his presidential campaign in February 2007, Obama emphasized withdrawing American troops from Iraq, energy independence, decreasing the influence of lobbyists, and promoting universal health care as top national priorities.
Personal Attributes
Six months before the general election, public perceptions of the relative strengths and weaknesses of presumptive Republican nominee John McCain and Democratic front-runner Barack Obama are relatively static, though recent shifts on leadership, empathy and personal ethics hint at the battles to come. The two months of campaigning in the time since we last checked in on perceptions of these two candidates have done little to change minds.
In comparing McCain and Obama on eight key candidate attributes in the new Washington Post-ABC News poll, McCain continues to be seen as the more experienced candidate and the one with better knowledge of world affairs, while Obama is broadly seen as the one who would do more to affect change, with the better personality for the job and with a clearer vision for the future.
But the two candidates have become more evenly matched on the question of who is the stronger leader and who has higher personal and ethical standards. Obama erased McCain's double-digit edge as the stronger leader (in the new poll, Obama also for the first time bests Hillary Clinton, his rival for the Democratic nomination, on this measure), while McCain closed a 12-point gap as the candidate with higher personal and ethical standards.
Obama maintains a wide advantage as the more empathetic candidate, but the margin between the two candidates narrowed slightly from 27 points to 19.To overtake McCain on the leadership front, Obama has some convincing to do among fellow Democrats. About a quarter of Democrats call McCain the stronger leader, compared with 12 percent of GOPers who choose Obama on this score.
McCain's progress on empathy comes largely from bringing Republicans back into the fold, in March, 55 percent of Republicans said he was the candidate who better understands their problems; now 66 percent do.And on personal and ethical standards, more than one in five partisans are "cross-overs," choosing the other party's standard bearer as the one with higher standards. Obama cedes more than a third of Clinton supporters on this question, while McCain surrenders a quarter of conservatives.
Health Care
John McCain Believes The Key To Health Care Reform Is To Restore Control To The Patients Themselves. We want a system of health care in which everyone can afford and acquire the treatment and preventative care they need. Health care should be available to all and not limited by where you work or how much you make. Families should be in charge of their health care dollars and have more control over care.
To Make Health Insurance Innovative, Portable and Affordable, John McCain Will Reform Health Care Making It Easier For Individuals And Families To Obtain Insurance. He will Reform The Tax Code To Offer More Choices Beyond Employer-Based Health Insurance Coverage.He Proposed to make Insurance More Portable.
John McCain encouraged to Expand The Benefits Of Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) For Families by making a Specific Plan of Action: Ensuring Care for Higher Risk Patients, Specific Plan of Action: Lowering Health Care Costs,Setting the Record Straight: Covering Those With Pre-Existing Conditions and lastly Combating Autism in America
While Obama-Biden planned to provide affordable, accessible health care for all Americans, builds on the existing health care system, and uses existing providers, doctors and plans to implement the plan. Under the Obama-Biden plan, patients will be able to make health care decisions with their doctors, instead of being blocked by insurance company bureaucrats.
Under the plan, if you like your current health insurance, nothing changes, except your costs will go down by as much as $2,500 per year.If you don’t have health insurance, you will have a choice of new, affordable health insurance options.
He wanted to make Health Insurance Work for People and Businesses - Not Just Insurance and Drug Companies.The Obama-Biden plan will promote public health. It will require coverage of preventive services, including cancer screenings, and increase state and local preparedness for terrorist attacks and natural disasters.lastly, A Commitment to Fiscal Responsibility: Barack Obama will pay for his $50 - $65 billion health care reform effort by rolling back the Bush tax cuts for Americans earning more than $250,000 per year and retaining the estate tax at its 2009 level.
Security Jobs:
McCain calls for new reforms throughout the Federal Government. It is one of his many priorities. Thus, it is not strange for him to want to reform the Unemployment Insurance (UI) System. In his economic plan, McCain proposes the following reforms to bolster job security and assist displayed workers in America:
John McCain Believes We Should Have A Single, Seamless Approach To Job Transition Assistance. The UI system must be more effective in helping those who have lost a job.He will Reform Training Programs To Provide Quick Assistance To Workers Seeking New Skills. Workers will have access to a flexible training account that permits them to pay for training at a community college and use leftover funds to keep their health insurance.
John McCain Will Provide Special, Targeted Assistance For Older Workers. Because training is often inefficient for older workers, those 55 years of age and older who have built up an LEB will be eligible for a Lost Earnings Supplement. The supplement of up to 50 percent of their earnings loss (up to a maximum of $10,000) for two years will be rewarded for those who find work inside 26 weeks.
On the other hand, Sen. Barack Obama delivered an unusual and inspiring campaign speech in which he outlined specific, outside-the-box plans to address the extreme financial challenges facing middle-class Americans.
Among the specific interesting points in Barack Obama's Agenda to Reclaim the American Dream were: Middle class tax cuts of up to $1,000 for working families. Guaranteed paid sick days for workers and expand the Family and Medical Leave Act. Help Americans buy and keep their homes. Reforming bankruptcy laws, predatory credit card policies, and abusive payday lending practices. Reduce health care costs by $2,500 for a typical family. Provide a $4,000 refundable tax credit for college tuition.
Terrorism
McCain primarily identifies terrorism with "violent Islamist extremism," especially as manifested in Al Qaeda. McCain believes Al Qaeda continues to represent a significant threat to U.S. security. His solution includes ensuring quality intelligence, being protected against attack and being able to respond to an attack quickly. Our homeland security plans must also consider threats posed by major accidents, or nature itself. In each instance, John McCain’s strategy is to prevent those incidents we can, prepare for and respond to disasters of all kinds, and improve the recovery process for disaster victims.
To meet this challenge, John McCain will bring into his Administration strong management at the federal level experienced in combating terrorist risks and in disaster response and recovery; he will rely on existing relationships, and insist on forging stronger partnerships, with state and local officials; and he will work with the private sector and an informed citizenry to safeguard our security.
Public-private partnerships are an essential part of the entire homeland security effort – from planning to implementation and operations. He suggested International Cooperation,
Effective Intelligence Gathering, Cooperation Between Federal and Local Authorities, Responsibly Securing Our Borders, Catastrophic Event Preparedness and Response。
On Obama’s part, He funneled many of his comments about the "war on terrorism" through his concerns with human and civil rights issues that it has raised. His campaign website establishes both small weapons proliferation and potential nuclear terrorism as significant U.S. priorities.
Obama responded in strong terms to the passage of the Military Commissions Act in September 2006, which granted the Bush Administration wide latitude to define what would constitute the torture of detainees at Guantanamo Bay. He joined critique of the bill's suspension of habeas corpus for potentially innocent detainees with the accusation that the government was not addressing the actual issues.
Obama has staked out a number of homeland security areas of particular focus, in his work as Illinois senator. These include: Chemical plant security, Transit security, Disaster response, Terrorism risk insurance, Nuclear waste, He has introduced and had passed a number of related bills, which have been passed or incorporated into larger legislation. He also seeks greater homeland security grant funding for Chicago.
References:
http.//johnmccain.com
http.//www.nowpublic.com
http.//en.wikipedia.org/wiki.com
http.//barrackobama.com
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
McCain and Obama
With the upcoming United States presidential elections, only two names stand out: John McCain, and Barack Obama. Both of which hails from qualifying political and legislative pasts. Their campaigns, ideas, and debates has shook the world.
John McCain is a political figure who spent early years of national service in the U.S. military. In his years of service, he flew ground concentrated aerial weaponry, and flew through several missions including Vietnam. He was shot down by Korean AA guns and suffered from injuries that gave him physical limitations until today. But that didn't stop him. McCain entered politics, served two terms in the house of representatives, and then entered the senate. His work is made up of diplomatic relations in the international network, all-out support for the War in Iraq, dissolving of the pork barrel, and dissolved a crisis in judicial nominations.
Barack Obama on the hand did not serve in the army, instead, he graduated from Harvard Law School, and spent became president of the law review in the same institution. He then became a community organizer and practiced law as a civil rights attorney. Obama didn't get elected as part of the house of representatives, but he still made it to the senate. His ideas and work comprises of the minimized used of conventional weaponry, more intelligent usage of funds, new sources of energy, and the promotion of universal health care.
Both candidates exhibit pretty much enough capabilities and experience to be potentially good presidents. But their difference in ideas foresee two different paths that the country will undergo. Mr.McCain is a military man, Obama is a legislative lawyer. Whoever reigns supreme over the other pretty much wraps it up.
The country will adapt and go through the presidents plans, and presented ideas.
John McCain is a political figure who spent early years of national service in the U.S. military. In his years of service, he flew ground concentrated aerial weaponry, and flew through several missions including Vietnam. He was shot down by Korean AA guns and suffered from injuries that gave him physical limitations until today. But that didn't stop him. McCain entered politics, served two terms in the house of representatives, and then entered the senate. His work is made up of diplomatic relations in the international network, all-out support for the War in Iraq, dissolving of the pork barrel, and dissolved a crisis in judicial nominations.
Barack Obama on the hand did not serve in the army, instead, he graduated from Harvard Law School, and spent became president of the law review in the same institution. He then became a community organizer and practiced law as a civil rights attorney. Obama didn't get elected as part of the house of representatives, but he still made it to the senate. His ideas and work comprises of the minimized used of conventional weaponry, more intelligent usage of funds, new sources of energy, and the promotion of universal health care.
Both candidates exhibit pretty much enough capabilities and experience to be potentially good presidents. But their difference in ideas foresee two different paths that the country will undergo. Mr.McCain is a military man, Obama is a legislative lawyer. Whoever reigns supreme over the other pretty much wraps it up.
The country will adapt and go through the presidents plans, and presented ideas.
Barack Obama vs. John McCain
Barack Obama was raised by a single mother and his grandparents. They didn't have much money, but they taught him values from the Kansas heartland where they grew up. He took out loans to put himself through school. After college, he worked for Christian churches in Chicago, helping communities devastated when steel plants closed.
Obama turned down lucrative job offers after law school to return to Chicago, leading a successful voter registration drive. He joined a small law firm, taught constitutional law and, guided by his Christian faith, stayed active in his community. Obama and his wife Michelle are proud parents of two daughters, Sasha and Malia.
On health care reform
The American people are too often offered two extremes - government-run health care with higher taxes or letting the insurance companies operate without rules. Barack Obama and Joe Biden believe both of these extremes are wrong, and that’s why they’ve proposed a plan that strengthens employer coverage, makes insurance companies accountable and ensures patient choice of doctor and care without government interference. The Obama’s plan is to provide affordable, accessible health care for all Americans, builds on the existing health care system, and uses existing providers, doctors and plans to implement the plan. Under the Obama plan, patients will be able to make health care decisions with their doctors, instead of being blocked by insurance company bureaucrats.
On Security of Job tenure
He wants to provide $50 billion to jumpstart the economy and prevent 1 Million Americans from Losing Their Jobs: This relief would include a $25 billion State Growth Fund to prevent state and local cuts in health, education, housing, and heating assistance or counterproductive increases in property taxes, tolls or fees
The Obama-Biden relief plan will also include $25 billion in a Jobs and Growth Fund to prevent cutbacks in road and bridge maintenance and fund school repair - all to save more than 1 million jobs in danger of being cut.
On National Security and Terrorism
A 20th Century Structure for 21st Century Problems: We have inherited a national security structure that was developed and organized in the late 1940s to win the Cold War. It remains a rigid bureaucracy of government agencies, relying upon a restrictive and disconnected set of legal authorities.
New Leadership and Vision is Needed: America simply cannot afford more of the old approach to our national defense. Instead, it needs a Commander-in-Chief with the right combination of judgment, vision, and leadership for the 21st century.
A Military under Strain: Currently, our soldiers, seamen, airmen and Marines are deployed around the globe, working valiantly to defend our nation. Yet, these heroes are under-resourced and asked to do too much by a policy that has too often taken their sacrifice for granted. Due to their incredible courage and ingenuity, they persevere, but at incredible cost to themselves and their families.
Recruitment and Retention Problems: A country of 300 million strong should not struggle to find enough qualified citizens to serve. Recruiting and retention problems have been swept under the rug by an administration that does not understand the value of service to our nation.
A System Not Serving our Troops as Well as They Serve Us: As the shameful events at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and the recent reports on growing numbers of homeless and unemployed veterans show, we simply are not taking proper care of our wounded warriors and veterans.
Besides Barack Obama there is another presidential candidate in the person of John McCain who likewise wants to serve the American people.
McCain was born on August 29, 1936, in the Panama Canal Zone. He was one of three children born to John S. McCain Jr. and his wife, Roberta. McCain's father and grandfather were both admirals in the United States Navy, the first father and son serving at that rank in naval history. Quick to anger even as a toddler, McCain used to hold his breath until he passed out when thwarted. After bouncing from school to school in the tradition of a child of a military family, McCain was sent to high school at the elite Episcopal High School in Alexandria, Virginia. There, his temper remained short and repeated discipline appeared wasted on him. "I thank God every day there weren't drugs around when I was growing up," he told Jonathan Alter of Newsweek. Despite his best efforts, McCain graduated from Episcopal High in 1954.
John McCain believes we can and must provide access to health care for every American. He has proposed a comprehensive vision for achieving that. For too long, our nation's leaders have talked about reforming health care. Now is the time to act.
John McCain believes the key to health care reform is to restore control to the patients themselves. He wants a system of health care in which everyone can afford and acquire the treatment and preventative care they need. Health care should be available to all and not limited by where you work or how much you make. Families should be in charge of their health care dollars and have more control over care.
Another important part of his plan is to use competition to improve the quality of health insurance with greater variety to match people's needs, lower prices, and portability. Families should be able to purchase health insurance nationwide, across state lines.
John McCain understands national security and the threats facing our nation. He recognizes the dangers posed by the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, violent Islamist extremists and their terrorist tactics, and the ever present threat of regional conflict that can spill into broader wars that endanger allies and destabilize areas of the world vital to American security. He knows that to protect our homeland, our interests, and our values - and to keep the peace - America must have the best-manned, best-equipped, and best-supported military in the world.
John McCain has been a tireless advocate of our military and ensuring that our forces are properly postured, funded, and ready to meet the nation's obligations both at home and abroad. He has fought to modernize our forces, to ensure that America maintains and expands its technological edge against any potential adversary, and to see that our forces are capable and ready to undertake the variety of missions necessary to meet national security objectives.
It is my point of view that it is still the American people who are going to decide among the two candidates who will lead them in the next century. But somehow we in the third world country will be affected by the decision of the American people in choosing their leader.
Barack Obama vs. John McCain
Barack Obama was raised by a single mother and his grandparents. They didn't have much money, but they taught him values from the Kansas heartland where they grew up. He took out loans to put himself through school. After college, he worked for Christian churches in Chicago, helping communities devastated when steel plants closed.
Obama turned down lucrative job offers after law school to return to Chicago, leading a successful voter registration drive. He joined a small law firm, taught constitutional law and, guided by his Christian faith, stayed active in his community. Obama and his wife Michelle are proud parents of two daughters, Sasha and Malia.
On health care reform
The American people are too often offered two extremes - government-run health care with higher taxes or letting the insurance companies operate without rules. Barack Obama and Joe Biden believe both of these extremes are wrong, and that’s why they’ve proposed a plan that strengthens employer coverage, makes insurance companies accountable and ensures patient choice of doctor and care without government interference. The Obama’s plan is to provide affordable, accessible health care for all Americans, builds on the existing health care system, and uses existing providers, doctors and plans to implement the plan. Under the Obama plan, patients will be able to make health care decisions with their doctors, instead of being blocked by insurance company bureaucrats.
On Security of Job tenure
He wants to provide $50 billion to jumpstart the economy and prevent 1 Million Americans from Losing Their Jobs: This relief would include a $25 billion State Growth Fund to prevent state and local cuts in health, education, housing, and heating assistance or counterproductive increases in property taxes, tolls or fees
The Obama-Biden relief plan will also include $25 billion in a Jobs and Growth Fund to prevent cutbacks in road and bridge maintenance and fund school repair - all to save more than 1 million jobs in danger of being cut.
On National Security and Terrorism
A 20th Century Structure for 21st Century Problems: We have inherited a national security structure that was developed and organized in the late 1940s to win the Cold War. It remains a rigid bureaucracy of government agencies, relying upon a restrictive and disconnected set of legal authorities.
New Leadership and Vision is Needed: America simply cannot afford more of the old approach to our national defense. Instead, it needs a Commander-in-Chief with the right combination of judgment, vision, and leadership for the 21st century.
A Military under Strain: Currently, our soldiers, seamen, airmen and Marines are deployed around the globe, working valiantly to defend our nation. Yet, these heroes are under-resourced and asked to do too much by a policy that has too often taken their sacrifice for granted. Due to their incredible courage and ingenuity, they persevere, but at incredible cost to themselves and their families.
Recruitment and Retention Problems: A country of 300 million strong should not struggle to find enough qualified citizens to serve. Recruiting and retention problems have been swept under the rug by an administration that does not understand the value of service to our nation.
A System Not Serving our Troops as Well as They Serve Us: As the shameful events at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and the recent reports on growing numbers of homeless and unemployed veterans show, we simply are not taking proper care of our wounded warriors and veterans.
Besides Barack Obama there is another presidential candidate in the person of John McCain who likewise wants to serve the American people.
McCain was born on August 29, 1936, in the Panama Canal Zone. He was one of three children born to John S. McCain Jr. and his wife, Roberta. McCain's father and grandfather were both admirals in the United States Navy, the first father and son serving at that rank in naval history. Quick to anger even as a toddler, McCain used to hold his breath until he passed out when thwarted. After bouncing from school to school in the tradition of a child of a military family, McCain was sent to high school at the elite Episcopal High School in Alexandria, Virginia. There, his temper remained short and repeated discipline appeared wasted on him. "I thank God every day there weren't drugs around when I was growing up," he told Jonathan Alter of Newsweek. Despite his best efforts, McCain graduated from Episcopal High in 1954.
John McCain believes we can and must provide access to health care for every American. He has proposed a comprehensive vision for achieving that. For too long, our nation's leaders have talked about reforming health care. Now is the time to act.
John McCain believes the key to health care reform is to restore control to the patients themselves. He wants a system of health care in which everyone can afford and acquire the treatment and preventative care they need. Health care should be available to all and not limited by where you work or how much you make. Families should be in charge of their health care dollars and have more control over care.
Another important part of his plan is to use competition to improve the quality of health insurance with greater variety to match people's needs, lower prices, and portability. Families should be able to purchase health insurance nationwide, across state lines.
John McCain understands national security and the threats facing our nation. He recognizes the dangers posed by the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, violent Islamist extremists and their terrorist tactics, and the ever present threat of regional conflict that can spill into broader wars that endanger allies and destabilize areas of the world vital to American security. He knows that to protect our homeland, our interests, and our values - and to keep the peace - America must have the best-manned, best-equipped, and best-supported military in the world.
John McCain has been a tireless advocate of our military and ensuring that our forces are properly postured, funded, and ready to meet the nation's obligations both at home and abroad. He has fought to modernize our forces, to ensure that America maintains and expands its technological edge against any potential adversary, and to see that our forces are capable and ready to undertake the variety of missions necessary to meet national security objectives.
It is my point of view that it is still the American people who are going to decide among the two candidates who will lead them in the next century. But somehow we in the third world country will be affected by the decision of the American people in choosing their leader.
Monday, October 13, 2008
John McCain vs. Barack Obama
John Sidney McCain III
Born: 29 August 1936
Birthplace: Panama Canal Zone
Best Known As: The 2008 Republican candidate for president
McCain was born on August 29, 1936, in the Panama Canal Zone. He was one of three children born to John S. McCain Jr. and his wife, Roberta. McCain's father and grandfather were both admirals in the United States Navy, the first father and son serving at that rank in naval history. After bouncing from school to school in the tradition of a child of a military family, McCain was sent to high school at the elite Episcopal High School in Alexandria, Virginia and graduated in 1954.
After graduation McCain went off to follow the family trade at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. McCain graduate in the bottom five of his class in 1958. Even after being accepted to train as a naval aviator.
Barack Hussein Obama
Barack Obama (born August 4, 1961) is a U.S. Senator from Illinois. He is a member of the main Democratic Party.
When Obama was ten he returned to Hawaii under the care of his grandparents, and later his mother, for the better educational opportunities. He was enrolled in the fifth grade at Punahou School, a prestigious academy that once taught the Hawaiian royal family. He graduated with honors.
When Obama was ten he returned to Hawaii under the care of his grandparents, and later his mother, for the better educational opportunities. He was enrolled in the fifth grade at Punahou School, a prestigious academy that once taught the Hawaiian royal family. He graduated with honors.
McCain vs. Obama on Personal Attributes
Six months before the general election, public perceptions of the relative strengths and weaknesses of presumptive Republican nominee John McCain and Democratic front-runner Barack Obama are relatively static, though recent shifts on leadership, empathy and personal ethics hint at the battles to come.
The two months of campaigning in the time since we last checked in on perceptions of these two candidates have done little to change minds. In comparing McCain and Obama on eight key candidate attributes in the new Washington Post-ABC News poll, McCain continues to be seen as the more experienced candidate and the one with better knowledge of world affairs, while Obama is broadly seen as the one who would do more to affect change, with the better personality for the job and with a clearer vision for the future.
But the two candidates have become more evenly matched on the question of who is the stronger leader and who has higher personal and ethical standards. Obama erased McCain's double-digit edge as the stronger leader (in the new poll, Obama also for the first time bests Hillary Clinton, his rival for the Democratic nomination, on this measure), while McCain closed a 12-point gap as the candidate with higher personal and ethical standards.
And on personal and ethical standards, more than one in five partisans are "cross-overs," choosing the other party's standard bearer as the one with higher standards. Obama cedes more than a third of Clinton supporters on this question, while McCain surrenders a quarter of conservatives.
Health Care
Barack Obama’s plan for better health care in America is to provide quality, affordable and portable coverage for all. He plans to make available a new national health plan to all U.S. citizens, which will include the self-employed and small businesses. Some of the features his plan include:
Guaranteed Eligibility. This will allow sick people (with recent and pre-existing conditions) to obtain health care.
Comprehensive Benefits. This is similar to the package offered through Federal Employees Health Benefits Program. It will cover all necessary medical services, which include preventive, maternity and mental health care.
Affordability. There will be lower premiums, co-pays and deductibles.
Simpler paperwork and reined in health costs.
Public Plan with simple enrollment and ready access to coverage.
Portability and Choice. People enrolled in the new public plan and the National Health Insurance Exchange (another Obama plan) will be able to move from job to job without jeopardizing insurance coverage.
Quality and Efficiency. The health insurance companies participating in the new plan will be required to report data to ensure that standards for quality are met.
John McCain intends to increase the variety and affordability of health insurance to families in America by fostering innovation and competition. This is how he plans to do so:
By reforming tax code to eliminate the bias toward employer-sponsored health coverage and providing everyone with a $2,500 tax credit; families will receive $5,000. This will increase incentives for health care coverage.
Allowing families to purchase health care insurance nationwide to maximize choices and heighten competition.
Providing multi-year coverage that moves with you from job to job and from home to home.
Requiring states with Medicaid to develop a financial risk adjustment bonus to high-cost and low income families that will supplement tax credits and funds for Medicaid.
Allowing people to purchase insurance through any organization or association of choice (i.e. churches, employers, individual purchases, and professional associations). The policy chosen will be available to small businesses and the self-employed; and will be portable across jobs. It will also automatically bridge the time between Medicare eligibility and retirement. Certification and rigorous standards would have to be met before plans are approved.
Terrorism
Obama
In the early part of his campaign, Obama funneled many of his comments about the "war on terrorism" through his concerns with human and civil rights issues that it has raised. His campaign website establishes both small weapons proliferation and potential nuclear terrorism as significant U.S. priorities.
Obama responded in strong terms to the passage of the Military Commissions Act in September 2006, which granted the Bush Administration wide latitude to define what would constitute the torture of detainees at Guantanamo Bay.
Once he all-but-gained the nomination in the early summer of 2008, Obama became much more specific about his objectives regarding the 'war on terror.' In July, Obama told audiences that the war in Afghanistan and the potential of a nuclear Iran were high on his list.
McCain
McCain primarily identifies terrorism with "violent Islamist extremism," especially as manifested in Al Qaeda. McCain believes Al Qaeda continues to represent a significant threat to U.S. security. His solution includes ensuring quality intelligence, being protected against attack and being able to respond to an attack quickly.
America faces a dedicated, focused, and intelligent foe in the war on terrorism. This enemy will probe tto find America's weaknesses and strike against them. The United States cannot afford to be complacent about the threat, naive about terrorist intentions, unrealistic about their capabilities, or ignorant to our national vulnerabilities.
McCain advocates high tech solutions to increase military capabilities, such as missile defense and other advanced weapons systems, an increase in the size of the U.S. armed forces, and doctrinal change to confront 21st century warfare. Many of his ideas for reform echo those of former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, and others in the defense establishment who advocate (as McCain does, on his website), "a new mix of military forces, including civil affairs, special operations, and highly mobile forces …"
Jobs
Democrat Barack Obama said Wednesday that as president he would spend $210 billion to create jobs in construction and environmental industries, as he tried to win over economically struggling voters.
Obama's investment would be over 10 years as part of two programs. The larger is $150 billion to create 5 million so-called "green collar" jobs to develop more environmentally friendly energy sources.
Sixty billion would go to a National Infrastructure Reinvestment Bank to rebuild highways, bridges, airports and other public projects. Obama estimated that could generate nearly 2 million jobs, many of them in the construction industry that's been hit by the housing crisis.
"This agenda is paid for," Obama said as the Republican National Committee promoted an "Obama Spend-O-Meter" online to track his proposals and portray him as a tax-and-spend liberal. Obama explained that the money for his spending proposals will come from ending the Iraq war, cutting tax breaks for corporations, taxing carbon pollution and raising taxes on high income earners.
McCain Voted Against a Clean Minimum Wage Increase for Working Families. McCain voted with the Republicans in 2007 to stall a clean minimum wage increase for working families—before bowing to public pressure and voting to pass the final bill that included tax breaks for businesses. He even voted to completely repeal the minimum wage laws in 45 states and allow the other five states to opt out of any future minimum wage increases above $5.15 an hour.
McCain Voted Against Protections for Workers’ Overtime Rights. McCain voted against protecting workers’ overtime pay from Bush administration rules that threaten the overtime rights of 6 million workers.
Born: 29 August 1936
Birthplace: Panama Canal Zone
Best Known As: The 2008 Republican candidate for president
McCain was born on August 29, 1936, in the Panama Canal Zone. He was one of three children born to John S. McCain Jr. and his wife, Roberta. McCain's father and grandfather were both admirals in the United States Navy, the first father and son serving at that rank in naval history. After bouncing from school to school in the tradition of a child of a military family, McCain was sent to high school at the elite Episcopal High School in Alexandria, Virginia and graduated in 1954.
After graduation McCain went off to follow the family trade at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. McCain graduate in the bottom five of his class in 1958. Even after being accepted to train as a naval aviator.
Barack Hussein Obama
Barack Obama (born August 4, 1961) is a U.S. Senator from Illinois. He is a member of the main Democratic Party.
When Obama was ten he returned to Hawaii under the care of his grandparents, and later his mother, for the better educational opportunities. He was enrolled in the fifth grade at Punahou School, a prestigious academy that once taught the Hawaiian royal family. He graduated with honors.
When Obama was ten he returned to Hawaii under the care of his grandparents, and later his mother, for the better educational opportunities. He was enrolled in the fifth grade at Punahou School, a prestigious academy that once taught the Hawaiian royal family. He graduated with honors.
McCain vs. Obama on Personal Attributes
Six months before the general election, public perceptions of the relative strengths and weaknesses of presumptive Republican nominee John McCain and Democratic front-runner Barack Obama are relatively static, though recent shifts on leadership, empathy and personal ethics hint at the battles to come.
The two months of campaigning in the time since we last checked in on perceptions of these two candidates have done little to change minds. In comparing McCain and Obama on eight key candidate attributes in the new Washington Post-ABC News poll, McCain continues to be seen as the more experienced candidate and the one with better knowledge of world affairs, while Obama is broadly seen as the one who would do more to affect change, with the better personality for the job and with a clearer vision for the future.
But the two candidates have become more evenly matched on the question of who is the stronger leader and who has higher personal and ethical standards. Obama erased McCain's double-digit edge as the stronger leader (in the new poll, Obama also for the first time bests Hillary Clinton, his rival for the Democratic nomination, on this measure), while McCain closed a 12-point gap as the candidate with higher personal and ethical standards.
And on personal and ethical standards, more than one in five partisans are "cross-overs," choosing the other party's standard bearer as the one with higher standards. Obama cedes more than a third of Clinton supporters on this question, while McCain surrenders a quarter of conservatives.
Health Care
Barack Obama’s plan for better health care in America is to provide quality, affordable and portable coverage for all. He plans to make available a new national health plan to all U.S. citizens, which will include the self-employed and small businesses. Some of the features his plan include:
Guaranteed Eligibility. This will allow sick people (with recent and pre-existing conditions) to obtain health care.
Comprehensive Benefits. This is similar to the package offered through Federal Employees Health Benefits Program. It will cover all necessary medical services, which include preventive, maternity and mental health care.
Affordability. There will be lower premiums, co-pays and deductibles.
Simpler paperwork and reined in health costs.
Public Plan with simple enrollment and ready access to coverage.
Portability and Choice. People enrolled in the new public plan and the National Health Insurance Exchange (another Obama plan) will be able to move from job to job without jeopardizing insurance coverage.
Quality and Efficiency. The health insurance companies participating in the new plan will be required to report data to ensure that standards for quality are met.
John McCain intends to increase the variety and affordability of health insurance to families in America by fostering innovation and competition. This is how he plans to do so:
By reforming tax code to eliminate the bias toward employer-sponsored health coverage and providing everyone with a $2,500 tax credit; families will receive $5,000. This will increase incentives for health care coverage.
Allowing families to purchase health care insurance nationwide to maximize choices and heighten competition.
Providing multi-year coverage that moves with you from job to job and from home to home.
Requiring states with Medicaid to develop a financial risk adjustment bonus to high-cost and low income families that will supplement tax credits and funds for Medicaid.
Allowing people to purchase insurance through any organization or association of choice (i.e. churches, employers, individual purchases, and professional associations). The policy chosen will be available to small businesses and the self-employed; and will be portable across jobs. It will also automatically bridge the time between Medicare eligibility and retirement. Certification and rigorous standards would have to be met before plans are approved.
Terrorism
Obama
In the early part of his campaign, Obama funneled many of his comments about the "war on terrorism" through his concerns with human and civil rights issues that it has raised. His campaign website establishes both small weapons proliferation and potential nuclear terrorism as significant U.S. priorities.
Obama responded in strong terms to the passage of the Military Commissions Act in September 2006, which granted the Bush Administration wide latitude to define what would constitute the torture of detainees at Guantanamo Bay.
Once he all-but-gained the nomination in the early summer of 2008, Obama became much more specific about his objectives regarding the 'war on terror.' In July, Obama told audiences that the war in Afghanistan and the potential of a nuclear Iran were high on his list.
McCain
McCain primarily identifies terrorism with "violent Islamist extremism," especially as manifested in Al Qaeda. McCain believes Al Qaeda continues to represent a significant threat to U.S. security. His solution includes ensuring quality intelligence, being protected against attack and being able to respond to an attack quickly.
America faces a dedicated, focused, and intelligent foe in the war on terrorism. This enemy will probe tto find America's weaknesses and strike against them. The United States cannot afford to be complacent about the threat, naive about terrorist intentions, unrealistic about their capabilities, or ignorant to our national vulnerabilities.
McCain advocates high tech solutions to increase military capabilities, such as missile defense and other advanced weapons systems, an increase in the size of the U.S. armed forces, and doctrinal change to confront 21st century warfare. Many of his ideas for reform echo those of former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, and others in the defense establishment who advocate (as McCain does, on his website), "a new mix of military forces, including civil affairs, special operations, and highly mobile forces …"
Jobs
Democrat Barack Obama said Wednesday that as president he would spend $210 billion to create jobs in construction and environmental industries, as he tried to win over economically struggling voters.
Obama's investment would be over 10 years as part of two programs. The larger is $150 billion to create 5 million so-called "green collar" jobs to develop more environmentally friendly energy sources.
Sixty billion would go to a National Infrastructure Reinvestment Bank to rebuild highways, bridges, airports and other public projects. Obama estimated that could generate nearly 2 million jobs, many of them in the construction industry that's been hit by the housing crisis.
"This agenda is paid for," Obama said as the Republican National Committee promoted an "Obama Spend-O-Meter" online to track his proposals and portray him as a tax-and-spend liberal. Obama explained that the money for his spending proposals will come from ending the Iraq war, cutting tax breaks for corporations, taxing carbon pollution and raising taxes on high income earners.
McCain Voted Against a Clean Minimum Wage Increase for Working Families. McCain voted with the Republicans in 2007 to stall a clean minimum wage increase for working families—before bowing to public pressure and voting to pass the final bill that included tax breaks for businesses. He even voted to completely repeal the minimum wage laws in 45 states and allow the other five states to opt out of any future minimum wage increases above $5.15 an hour.
McCain Voted Against Protections for Workers’ Overtime Rights. McCain voted against protecting workers’ overtime pay from Bush administration rules that threaten the overtime rights of 6 million workers.
John McCain vs Barack Obama (draft)
Mendoza, Maria Racela R.
This coming November 2008, the American people will again decide on what their nation’s fate will be through the leaders they shall choose. The whole world is involved as we wait for the decision to be made, as we are all affected by what the outcomes will be.
John McCain and Barack Obama both have qualities that make them good leaders. Jennifer Agiesta, in her article published in Washington Post, reported that the people are having a hard time choosing who to vote for.
The Two Candidates' Brief Historical Background
John McCain has been a senator in the United States Senate from 1987. Barack Obama, on the other hand, has been a senator in the United States Senate only since 2005. Prior to that, Obama was a senator in the Illinois State Senate from 1997 to 2004.
John McCain graduated from Episcopal High School in 1954. He then followed through with his studies in the United States Naval Academy where he graduated 894th of 899 class in 1958. As a teen, he was a free spirit that did not do so well under the strict rules of the Academy. After graduating, John McCain moved on to National War College and graduated in 1973.
Barack Obama’s educational history is quite different from McCain’s, as Obama’s childhood was made up of a diverse culture. He studied in the Franciscus Assisi Roman Catholic Primary School in Jakarta, Indonesia, from kindergarten through the third grade. Obama was registered on January 1, 1968, under the name Barry Soetoro, an Indonesian citizen whose religion was listed as Islam.
Senator Obama's kindergarten teacher, remembers him as an exceptionally tall and curly haired child who quickly picked up the local language and had sharp math skills. He wrote an essay titled, 'I Want To Become President'.
His third grade teacher, Fermina Katarina Sinaga asked her class to write an essay titled 'My dream: What I want to be in the future.' Senator Obama wrote again, 'I Want to Be A President,' according to the teacher.
In the fourth grade, Obama went to the Basuki School, also located in Jakarta. Then he went back to Hawaii and studied in the Punahou School from the fifth grade to the twelfth grade. After which he went to Occidental College in L.A. for two years; then he went to Columbia University in New York, BA in political science, 1983. He graduated magna cum laude from Harvard Law School in 1991.
Their Positions on Sensitive Issues
HEALTH CARE
John McCain opposes universal health care; although on the other hand, he supports imporitng prescription drugs to lower costs. He would offer a refundable $2,500 tax credit and $5,000 for families. He would open health care markets by allowing providers to practice nationwide, rather than restricting them regionally, allowing the purchase of health insurance across state lines.
However, Barack Obama claims that medical bills and health-related issues are the number one cause for personal bankruptcy. This is why it is one of his definite priorities to promote affordable, accessible, and high-quality health care. Also, he would mandate thatall children have health care coverage. He would create a national public insurance program that would allow individuals and small businesses to buy affordable health care similar to that available to federal employees. He supports universal health care, and believes that the government should buy prescription drugs in bulk to reduce costs. His plan would require all employers to contribute toward health coverage for their employees or toward the cost of the public plan. He wants hospitals to be graded on performance and switch to more cost-effective, comupterized record-keeping systems. Obama would create a national health insurance exchange to reform the private insurance market.
MINIMUM WAGE
McCain has voted both for and against minimum wage bills.
Obama would raise the minimum wage,index it to inflation and increase the Earned Income Tax Credit. He has voted for increases in the minimum wage.
NATIONAL SECURITY
Senator Obama wants Homeland Security money targeted more towards high-risk areas such as nuclear facilities, chemical plants, and ports. Also, he wants more quality tracking of nuclear technology and spent nuclear fuel so that it doesn't end up in terrorist hands.
Senator McCain wants intelligence officials to have all the tools they need to fight terrorism. He opposes enemy combatants without giving them legal rights.
This coming November 2008, the American people will again decide on what their nation’s fate will be through the leaders they shall choose. The whole world is involved as we wait for the decision to be made, as we are all affected by what the outcomes will be.
John McCain and Barack Obama both have qualities that make them good leaders. Jennifer Agiesta, in her article published in Washington Post, reported that the people are having a hard time choosing who to vote for.
The Two Candidates' Brief Historical Background
John McCain has been a senator in the United States Senate from 1987. Barack Obama, on the other hand, has been a senator in the United States Senate only since 2005. Prior to that, Obama was a senator in the Illinois State Senate from 1997 to 2004.
John McCain graduated from Episcopal High School in 1954. He then followed through with his studies in the United States Naval Academy where he graduated 894th of 899 class in 1958. As a teen, he was a free spirit that did not do so well under the strict rules of the Academy. After graduating, John McCain moved on to National War College and graduated in 1973.
Barack Obama’s educational history is quite different from McCain’s, as Obama’s childhood was made up of a diverse culture. He studied in the Franciscus Assisi Roman Catholic Primary School in Jakarta, Indonesia, from kindergarten through the third grade. Obama was registered on January 1, 1968, under the name Barry Soetoro, an Indonesian citizen whose religion was listed as Islam.
Senator Obama's kindergarten teacher, remembers him as an exceptionally tall and curly haired child who quickly picked up the local language and had sharp math skills. He wrote an essay titled, 'I Want To Become President'.
His third grade teacher, Fermina Katarina Sinaga asked her class to write an essay titled 'My dream: What I want to be in the future.' Senator Obama wrote again, 'I Want to Be A President,' according to the teacher.
In the fourth grade, Obama went to the Basuki School, also located in Jakarta. Then he went back to Hawaii and studied in the Punahou School from the fifth grade to the twelfth grade. After which he went to Occidental College in L.A. for two years; then he went to Columbia University in New York, BA in political science, 1983. He graduated magna cum laude from Harvard Law School in 1991.
Their Positions on Sensitive Issues
HEALTH CARE
John McCain opposes universal health care; although on the other hand, he supports imporitng prescription drugs to lower costs. He would offer a refundable $2,500 tax credit and $5,000 for families. He would open health care markets by allowing providers to practice nationwide, rather than restricting them regionally, allowing the purchase of health insurance across state lines.
However, Barack Obama claims that medical bills and health-related issues are the number one cause for personal bankruptcy. This is why it is one of his definite priorities to promote affordable, accessible, and high-quality health care. Also, he would mandate thatall children have health care coverage. He would create a national public insurance program that would allow individuals and small businesses to buy affordable health care similar to that available to federal employees. He supports universal health care, and believes that the government should buy prescription drugs in bulk to reduce costs. His plan would require all employers to contribute toward health coverage for their employees or toward the cost of the public plan. He wants hospitals to be graded on performance and switch to more cost-effective, comupterized record-keeping systems. Obama would create a national health insurance exchange to reform the private insurance market.
MINIMUM WAGE
McCain has voted both for and against minimum wage bills.
Obama would raise the minimum wage,index it to inflation and increase the Earned Income Tax Credit. He has voted for increases in the minimum wage.
NATIONAL SECURITY
Senator Obama wants Homeland Security money targeted more towards high-risk areas such as nuclear facilities, chemical plants, and ports. Also, he wants more quality tracking of nuclear technology and spent nuclear fuel so that it doesn't end up in terrorist hands.
Senator McCain wants intelligence officials to have all the tools they need to fight terrorism. He opposes enemy combatants without giving them legal rights.
REFERENCES:
http://johnmccain.com
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obama
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_mccain
http://washingtonpost.com
Economic Crisis of 2008
A week of wild gyrations on US stock markets, fueled by fears of an impending collapse of the Wall Street investment bank Lehman Brothers and the country’s largest savings and loan bank. It is the product of an economic system that has increasingly based itself on speculation and various forms of economic parasitism, while gutting the productive base of the country—at the cost of millions of jobs and the living standards of the American working class.
The world's financial markets are in deep trouble, after many banks invested heavily in the US mortgage market. Since the housing bubble burst, banks do not know how many of these loans will be paid back. Banks no longer know what their investments are worth, making them difficult to sell. Banks are reluctant to lend to each other as they worry their rivals might get into trouble.
The US government plans to borrow the money from world financial markets.
The legislation gives the Treasury the authority to issue an additional $700bn worth of Treasury securities. The hope is that eventually the Treasury can sell the distressed assets back into financial markets once the housing market has stabilized, hopefully making a profit.
The bill is aimed at taking the bad debts off the books of the banks, thus freeing up credit markets.
On the other hand, according to Bruce Meng (October 2008), the UK Government will spend at least 50 billion pounds ($87.8 billion) buying stakes in UK banks to improve their capital strength. Banks will be able to draw on 25 billion pounds in the form of preference shares or permanent interest bearing shares (PIBS) by the end of the year. The government will also assist in raising ordinary equity if asked to and is ready to provide a minimum of 25 billion pounds of further support. Until markets stabilize, the bank will continue to conduct auctions to lend sterling for three months, and also dollars for one week, against extended collateral.
The Bank of England will make at least 200 billion pounds ($351 billion) in loans available to banks via auctions in order to ensure sufficient liquidity and stability in the banking system. Until markets stabilize, the bank will continue to conduct auctions to lend sterling for three months, and also dollars for one week, against extended collateral.
So that banks can refinance and meet refunding obligations the government will, for an interim period, guarantee what it expects to be about 250 billion pounds ($439 billion) worth of new short and medium-term debt issuance by the banks.
Of course, such economic crisis has a big impact on each and every one of us. Like in the case of US, with higher unemployment, the government would have to pay more benefits and would see its tax revenues reduced at the same time. Also, anyone with an open mortgage with floating interest rates will see rates increase. New mortgages and loans will be at higher rates. In addition, fewer home loans would be granted to mainly to the rich and reliable customers and at higher rates. House prices would collapse significantly. Similarly, UK is expected to lose a great number of jobs if the bailout package fails.
References:
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2008/sep2008/usec-s12.shtml
http://news.alibaba.com/article/detail/finance/100010889-1-uk-bank-bailout%253A-what-it%252C.html
http://news.alibaba.com/article/detail/finance/100011486-1-uk%2527s-brown-seeks-rally-support.html
http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/09/23/business/23paulson.php
The world's financial markets are in deep trouble, after many banks invested heavily in the US mortgage market. Since the housing bubble burst, banks do not know how many of these loans will be paid back. Banks no longer know what their investments are worth, making them difficult to sell. Banks are reluctant to lend to each other as they worry their rivals might get into trouble.
The US government plans to borrow the money from world financial markets.
The legislation gives the Treasury the authority to issue an additional $700bn worth of Treasury securities. The hope is that eventually the Treasury can sell the distressed assets back into financial markets once the housing market has stabilized, hopefully making a profit.
The bill is aimed at taking the bad debts off the books of the banks, thus freeing up credit markets.
On the other hand, according to Bruce Meng (October 2008), the UK Government will spend at least 50 billion pounds ($87.8 billion) buying stakes in UK banks to improve their capital strength. Banks will be able to draw on 25 billion pounds in the form of preference shares or permanent interest bearing shares (PIBS) by the end of the year. The government will also assist in raising ordinary equity if asked to and is ready to provide a minimum of 25 billion pounds of further support. Until markets stabilize, the bank will continue to conduct auctions to lend sterling for three months, and also dollars for one week, against extended collateral.
The Bank of England will make at least 200 billion pounds ($351 billion) in loans available to banks via auctions in order to ensure sufficient liquidity and stability in the banking system. Until markets stabilize, the bank will continue to conduct auctions to lend sterling for three months, and also dollars for one week, against extended collateral.
So that banks can refinance and meet refunding obligations the government will, for an interim period, guarantee what it expects to be about 250 billion pounds ($439 billion) worth of new short and medium-term debt issuance by the banks.
Of course, such economic crisis has a big impact on each and every one of us. Like in the case of US, with higher unemployment, the government would have to pay more benefits and would see its tax revenues reduced at the same time. Also, anyone with an open mortgage with floating interest rates will see rates increase. New mortgages and loans will be at higher rates. In addition, fewer home loans would be granted to mainly to the rich and reliable customers and at higher rates. House prices would collapse significantly. Similarly, UK is expected to lose a great number of jobs if the bailout package fails.
References:
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2008/sep2008/usec-s12.shtml
http://news.alibaba.com/article/detail/finance/100010889-1-uk-bank-bailout%253A-what-it%252C.html
http://news.alibaba.com/article/detail/finance/100011486-1-uk%2527s-brown-seeks-rally-support.html
http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/09/23/business/23paulson.php
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