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{{Short description|none}} <!-- "none" is preferred when the title is already sufficiently detailed; see ] -->
This article compares the ] in the ] ]. It does not cover ].
{{Cleanup bare URLs|date=August 2022}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2011}}
This article compares the ] in the United States' ]. It does not cover ]. Because of ] restrictions in the United States, not all candidates appeared on the ballots in all states.


== Candidates ==
The presumptive nominees of the ] election for the two ] are ], the candidate supported by ] and ], the candidate supported by ]. In addition there are three ].
{{main|List of candidates in the United States presidential election, 2008}}
<!-- In candidate's family name alphabetic order-->
Those who were ] in enough states to theoretically win a majority in the ] are marked in '''bold'''. Candidates who are known to have appeared on at least two states' ballots are marked in ''italic''.


{| class="wikitable sortable"
==Major Party Candidates==
!Presidential candidate
For detailed description of both of the candidates individual stances, visit the respective candidates articles: ] and ].
!Party
===Biographical Data===
!Running mate
!Campaign site
|-
| '']''
| ]
| '']''
|
|-
| ''']''' (])
| ]
| '''Darrell Castle'''
|
|-
| ''']''' (])
| ]
| ''']'''
|
|-
| '']''
| ]
| '']''
|
|-
| '']''
| ]
| '']''
|
|-
| '']'' (])
| America's Independent Party
| ''Brian Rohrbough''
|
|-
| '']''
| ]
| '']''
|
|-
| ''']''' (])
| ]
| ''']'''
|
|-
| Frank McEnulty
| ]
| ]
|
|-
| ''']''' (])
| ]
| ''']'''
|
|-
| '']''
| ], ]
| '']''
|
|-
| ''']''' (])
| ], ]
| ''']'''
|
|-
| ''']''' (])
| ]
| ''']'''
|
|-
| '']'' (])
| ]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ballot-access.org/2008/09/04/louisiana-asked-to-print-ron-paul-on-ballot-as-presidential-candidate/|title=Louisiana Asked to Print Ron Paul on Ballot as Presidential Candidate|quote=On September 4, a slate of presidential electors was filed at the Louisiana Secretary of State's office, in person. The electors are pledged to Ron Paul for president, and former Congressman Barry Goldwater, Jr., for vice-president. The partisan label for this slate is "Louisiana Taxpayers Party." The filing, and the $500 was accepted|author=Winger, Richard|publisher=Ballot Access News|date=2008-09-04|access-date=2008-09-08}}</ref> <br /> ]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ballot-access.org/2008/09/05/montana-constitution-party-submits-presidential-electors-pledged-to-ron-paul-and-michael-peroutka/|title=Montana Constitution Party Submits Presidential Electors Pledged to Ron Paul and Michael Peroutka|author=Winger, Richard|publisher=Ballot Access News|date=2008-09-05|access-date=2008-09-22}}</ref>
| ] <br /> ]
|
|-
| ]
| ]
|
|
|-
| '']''
| ]
| ''Frank McEnulty''
|
|}

== Biographical data ==
{| class="wikitable" {| class="wikitable"
|-valign="top" |-valign="top"
! !
!width="50%"|] !width="16%"|]
!width="50%"|] !width="16%"|]
!width="16%"|]
!width="16%"|]
!width="16%"|]
!width="16%"|]
|-valign="top" |-valign="top"
! Gender ! Gender
| Male | Male

| Male | Male
| Male
| Male
| Male
| Female
|-valign="top" |-valign="top"
! Age ! Age
| 71 | 72
| 46 | 47
| 74
| 59
| 56
| 53
|-valign="top"
! ]
| ]
| ]
| ]<br /><!-- Although Nader was the Green party's presidential candidate in 1996 and 2000, he has stated that he has never been a member of any political party. -->
| ]<br /><small>] (former)</small>
| ]<br /><small>] (former)</small>
| ]<br /><small>] (former)</small>
|-valign="top" |-valign="top"
! Profession ! Profession
| US Senator, ] | ], ], Businessman ]
| ], ], Professor of Constitutional Law<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.factcheck.org/askfactcheck/was_barack_obama_really_a_constitutional_law.html |title=Was Barack Obama really a constitutional law professor |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080617230454/http://www.factcheck.org/askfactcheck/was_barack_obama_really_a_constitutional_law.html |archive-date=June 17, 2008 |df=mdy }}</ref>
| US Senator, ]
| ], ]
| Former ], ], ]
| Pastor, ] and ]
| Former ], high school teacher, and college professor
|-valign="top" |-valign="top"
! Undergraduate education ! Undergraduate education
| ] | B.S. ] (The Naval Academy had a fixed curriculum and did not allow Midshipmen to pick a major)
| B.A. ]/] (Political Science, ]) ]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=O000167|title=OBAMA, Barack - Biographical Information}}</ref> | B.A. ] (], ]) 1983<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=O000167|title=Bioguide Search}}</ref>
| B.A. ] (], ]) 1955
| B.A. ] (]) 1970
| B.A. ]
| B.A. ] (])
|-valign="top" |-valign="top"
! Graduate education ! Graduate education
| ]
|
| J.D. ] (]) | J.D. ] (1991)
| L.L.B. ] (1958)
| M.A. ] (]) (1972), J.D. ] (1977)
| Master's Degree in ] ]
| M.A. ] at ] (1982?); diplomatic fellow, ] (1984); a PhD student at ]
|-valign="top" |-valign="top"
! States/Countries lived in ! States/Countries lived in
| ], ], ], Washington, DC | ], Florida, ], ], Washington, D.C.
| ], ], Illinois, ], Massachusetts, New York, Washington, DC | California, Hawaii, ], Indonesia, ], New York, Washington, D.C.
| ], Washington, D.C.
| California, ], ], ], ], Washington, D.C.
| ], Florida, ]
| ], California
|-valign="top" |-valign="top"
! Last political office ! Last political office
| ] | ]
| ] | ]
| None
|-valign="top"
| ]
! Senate committee memberships
| None
| ], ], ]
| ]
| Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions; ]; ]; ]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://Obama.senate.gov/committees/|title=Barack Obama - U.S. Senator for Illinois}}</ref>
|-valign="top" |-valign="top"
! Other political experience ! Other political experience
| Congressman (1982-1986) | United States ] (1982–1986)
| Illinois State Senator (1996-2004) | Illinois State ] (1996–2004)
| Consultant to ] (1964)
| Region 4 Representative for the ] (2006–2008), ] Board Member,
| Florida Chairman of ] (1980–1984), 2004 ] vice presidential nominee
| Member of the ] ], (1988–1992)
|-valign="top"
! U.S. Senate committee memberships
| ]; (Chairman of the) ]; (Chairman of the) ]; ]
| ], ]; ]; ]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://obama.senate.gov/committees/|title=Barack Obama – U.S. Senator for Illinois|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061209190827/http://obama.senate.gov/committees/|archive-date=December 9, 2006|df=mdy-all}}</ref>
| Advised auto safety subcommittee (1964)
| None
| None
| None
|-valign="top"
! U.S. House committee memberships
| ], ], ]
| None
| None
| ], ], ], ]
| None
| ], ]; ]; ], ]
|-valign="top" |-valign="top"
! Management/Corporate experience ! Management/Corporate experience
| Vice President of Public Relations for ]
|
| ] in ] (1984-1985); Community Organizer in ] (1985-1988); Attorney at Davis, Miner, Barnhill & Galland (1993-2002) | President of the ]; Junior editor for ]; Associate Lawyer of Davis, Miner, Barnhill & Galland
| None
| President of the ]
| Founded/lead Crossroad Baptist Church, Pensacola (1975–)
|
|-valign="top" |-valign="top"
! Teaching experience ! Teaching experience
| Gave the 114th ] on March 15, 1999, at ]<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.k-state.edu/media/WEB/News/NewsReleases/mccaintext.html |title=K-State Landon Lecture by Sen. John McCain, March 15, 1999 |access-date=September 29, 2008 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20080709001132/http://www.k-state.edu/media/WEB/News/NewsReleases/mccaintext.html |archive-date=July 9, 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|
| Lecturer in Constitutional Law at the ] Law School (1993-2004) | Lecturer in Constitutional Law at the ] Law School (1993–2004)
| Professor of History and Government (])
| Adjunct professor teaching "Privacy and Public Policy in 21st century Business and Society" at ] (2008)
| Pastor of Crossroad Baptist Church, Pensacola (1975–)
| ] Lecturer at ] (2008)
|-valign="top" |-valign="top"
! Armed Forces experience ! Armed Forces experience
| (]) ], US Naval Academy; ]; ]; ]; ], ]
| None
| ] (1959)
| None
|
| None
|-valign="top"
! Armed Forces awards
| ], ], ], ], ] and the ] from ]
| None
| None
| None
| |
| None | None
|-valign="top" |-valign="top"
! Net worth (with spouse) ! Net worth (with spouse)
| $23–36 million (])<ref>, OpenSecrets.org (2005). Retrieved ].</ref> | $23–36&nbsp;million (US$)<ref> {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080527202118/http://www.opensecrets.org/pfds/pfd2005/N00006424_2005.pdf |date=May 27, 2008 }}, OpenSecrets.org (2005). Retrieved 2008-02-21.</ref>
| 1-3 million<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.opensecrets.org/pfds/CIDsummary.asp?CID=N00009638&year=2005|title=CRP: Personal Financial Disclosure Reports}}</ref> | $10–16&nbsp;million (US$)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.opensecrets.org/pfds/CIDsummary.asp?CID=N00009638&year=2005|title=CRP: Personal Financial Disclosure Reports|access-date=June 4, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071229073623/http://opensecrets.org/pfds/CIDsummary.asp?CID=N00009638&year=2005|archive-date=December 29, 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref>
| $4&nbsp;million (US$)<ref name="naderbio">{{cite news |url=http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2004/special/president/candidates/nader.html |title=Candidates/Ralph Nader |publisher=CNN |access-date=2008-06-07}}</ref>
|
|
| $50,000 (US$)<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/otherdata.php?cycle=2006&cid=N00002511|title=Rep. Cynthia A. McKinney - Georgia District 04 • OpenSecrets}}</ref>
|-valign="top" |-valign="top"
! Spouse ! Spouse
| ] (m. 1980) | ] (m. 1980)
| ] (married since 1992) | ] (m. 1992)
| None
| ] (m. 1986)
| Connie Cole Baldwin (m. 1973)
| None
|-valign="top" |-valign="top"
! Spouse’s undergraduate education ! Spouse's undergraduate education
| ] | B.A. in education, ]
| B.A. in sociology, 1985,<ref name="womanbehind">{{cite web|access-date=May 18, 2008 |url=http://www.princeton.edu/main/academics/departments/|title=Academic Departments & Programs |publisher=The Trustees of Princeton University|year=2008}}</ref> ]
| ]
| n/a
| None
|
| n/a
|-valign="top" |-valign="top"
! Spouse's graduate education ! Spouse's graduate education
| Master of Arts (postgraduate)|M.A. in Special Education,<ref name="BLS Occupation Handbook-Special Education Teachers">{{cite web|access-date=July 13, 2014|url=http://www.bls.gov/ooh/education-training-and-library/special-education-teachers.htm|title=Special Education Teachers|publisher=Bureau of Labor Statistics|year=2014}}</ref> ]
|
| Juris Doctor (postgraduate)|J.D. in Law, 1988,<ref name="BLS Occupation Handbook-Lawyers">{{cite web|access-date=July 13, 2014|url=http://www.bls.gov/ooh/legal/lawyers.htm |title=Lawyers|publisher=Bureau of Labor Statistics|year=2014}}</ref><ref name=Princetonian>{{cite news |author=Brown, Sarah |url=http://www.dailyprincetonian.com/archives/2005/12/07/news/14049.shtml |title=Obama '85 Masters Balancing Act |work=] |date=December 7, 2005 |access-date=April 3, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090220165725/http://www.dailyprincetonian.com/2005/12/07/14049/ |archive-date=February 20, 2009 |df=mdy}}</ref> ]
| ]
| n/a
| None
|
| n/a
|-valign="top" |-valign="top"
! Spouse’s profession ! Spouse's profession
| High school teacher, businessperson, philanthropist
| ] and ]
| Attorney, Executive | Attorney, executive
| n/a
| Numerous positions in ], Georgia
|
| n/a
|} |}


==Economic issues==


===Economic Issues=== ===Tax policy===
<!-- Note about adding 3rd party candidates: Yes, they were here before. But they weren't studied by any of the real links below, which go to non-partisan and media sources who seriously studied their tax plans. We only have their say-so to go on, which isn't really comparable. Their plans are listed below, though.-->
{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
| colspan=3 |'''Projected Federal income tax changes in 2009''' assuming all tax proposals were adopted by congress and the budget remains the same.<br />
Yellow is for the projected tax change most favorable to people in that income bracket.
|-
! !! ] !! ]
|-
| '''Income''' || '''Average<br /> tax bill''' || '''Average<br /> tax bill'''
|-
| Over $2.9M || bgcolor=yellow| −$269,364 || +$701,885
|-
| $603K and up || bgcolor=yellow| −$45,361 || +$115,974
|-
| $227K–$603K || bgcolor=yellow| −$7,871 || +$12
|-
| $161K–$227K || bgcolor=yellow| −$4,380 || −$2,789
|-
| $112K–$161K || bgcolor=yellow| −$2,614 || −$2,204
|-
| $66K–$112K || −$1,009 ||bgcolor=yellow| −$1,290
|-
| $38K–$66K || −$319 ||bgcolor=yellow| −$1,042
|-
| $19K–$38K || −$113 ||bgcolor=yellow| −$892
|-
| Under $19K || −$19 ||bgcolor=yellow| −$567
|-
| colspan=3 |],<ref name=cnn2008june11>. By Jeanne Sahadi. June 11, 2008. ]. Article and chart.</ref><ref>. ].</ref> ],<ref name=taxpolicycenter> {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080908162111/http://www.taxpolicycenter.org/taxtopics/presidential_candidates.cfm |date=September 8, 2008}}. "Analysis of the 2008 Presidential Candidates' Tax Plans." The ].</ref> BarackObama.com,<ref name=obamataxes> {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080908183636/http://origin.barackobama.com/taxes/ |date=September 8, 2008 }}. BarackObama.com (official ] campaign site).</ref> and JohnMcCain.com<ref name=mccainplan> {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080912134916/http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/News/PressReleases/1ad1df45-57a9-4bd4-b71f-9d5c011d14c5.htm |date=September 12, 2008}}. JohnMcCain.com (official ] campaign site).</ref>
|}


The third-party candidates' tax plans were not studied by mainstream media outlets and the Tax Policy Center. Chuck Baldwin supports replacing the income tax with a 10% across-the-board tariff on imported goods.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2008-10-18 |title=Chuck Baldwin On His Run For President |url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=95822850 |website=NPR}}</ref> Bob Barr supports replacing the income tax with a ] (the ]). The details of his exact plan are not known but consumption taxes tend to be ] unless accompanied by a ] for the poor to offset necessary expenditures.<ref> {{Webarchive|url=http://webarchive.loc.gov/all/20080521193931/http://blog.bobbarr2008.com/2008/04/15/statement-from-bob-barr-on-taxes/ |date=May 21, 2008 }}.</ref> Cynthia McKinney supports sharply ], with higher taxes for the rich and a tax cut for the middle class.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://glassbooth.org/explore/index/cynthia-mckinney/20/taxes-and-budget/13 |title=Cynthia McKinney on Taxes and Budget |access-date=October 17, 2008 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120709034104/http://glassbooth.org/explore/index/cynthia-mckinney/20/taxes-and-budget/13 |archive-date=July 9, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"

===Financial crisis and bailout===
{{further|Economic crisis of 2008|Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008}}

{|class="wikitable"
|-
! colspan="2" |John McCain
! colspan="2" |Barack Obama
|-valign="top" |-valign="top"
| colspan="2" width="50%" |Supported bailout
!
!width="50%"|] | colspan="2" width="50%" |Supported bailout
|-
!width="50%"|]
! colspan="2" |Bob Barr
! colspan="2" |Cynthia McKinney
|-valign="top"
| colspan="2" width="50%" |Opposed bailout.<ref>{{cite web |title=Congress Should Vote 'No' on Bailout, Says Bob Barr |url=http://www.bobbarr2008.com/press/press-releases/145/congress-should-vote-no-on-bailout-says-bob-barr/ |access-date=October 18, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081016082748/http://www.bobbarr2008.com/press/press-releases/145/congress-should-vote-no-on-bailout-says-bob-barr/ |archive-date=October 16, 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Barr will seek to limit policies that permit political interference in the economy in favor of the exercise of a free-market economic model. This would include: formally and clearly end the bailouts which promote private economic retrenchment and corporate work-outs; limiting powers of the government to place sustained federal pressure to increase mortgage lending, through Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae; amending or revoking the ]; limiting the ability of the Federal Reserve to manipulate the currency for political purposes; Ensuring enforcement of the SEC regulations to insure solvency and transparency in the operation of major investment firms; Permanently lowering tax rates and simplifying taxes to more effectively reinforce long-term plans for hiring, inventory and production; cutting environmental rules such as Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards on vehicles; initiating a detailed audit of federal rules, relaxing or eliminating any regulations for which costs outweigh benefits; reducing penalties on people for delayed tax payments and premature withdrawals from IRAs; ending nonessential federal spending, particularly frivolous special interest outlays; Over the longer term, evaluate, plan, and implement for future federal liabilities and obligations—FDIC bank guarantees, Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation promises, Social Security and Medicare liabilities, and more.<ref>{{cite web |title=Time For Real Economic Reform |url=http://www.bobbarr2008.com/press-releases/163/time-for-real-economic-reform/ |access-date=October 28, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081030034630/http://www.bobbarr2008.com/press-releases/163/time-for-real-economic-reform/ |archive-date=October 30, 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| colspan="2" width="50%" |Opposed $700&nbsp;billion bailout to Wall Street. Instead offered a 14-point proposal which included a moratorium on foreclosures; elimination of all ARM mortgages and their renegotiation into 30- or 40-year loans; the establishment of new mortgage lending practices to end predatory and discriminatory practices; the establishment of criteria and construction goals for affordable housing; a redefinition of credit and regulation of the credit industry so that discriminatory practices are eliminated; full funding for initiatives that eliminate racial and ethnic disparities in home ownership; recognition of shelter as a right according to the UN Declaration of Human Rights; targeting of funds to cushion job loss and provide for retraining of those at the bottom of the income scale as the economy transitions; the closure all tax loopholes and repeal of the Bush tax cuts for the top 1% of income earners; fair taxation of corporations, denial of federal subsidies to those who relocate jobs overseas repeal NAFTA; the appointment of former Comptroller General David Walker to fully audit all recipients of taxpayer cash infusions, including JP Morgan, Bear Stearns, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and AIG, and to monitor their trading activities into the future; the elimination of all derivatives trading; the nationalization of the Federal Reserve; and the establishment of a federally owned, public banking system that makes credit available for small businesses, homeowners, manufacturing operations, renewable energy and infrastructure investments; and criminally prosecute any activities that violated the law, including conflicts of interest that led to the current crisis.<ref name="GP">''Green Pages'': {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130902213500/http://gp.org/greenpages-blog/?p=380 |date=September 2, 2013 }}</ref>
|-
! colspan="2" |Chuck Baldwin
! colspan="2" |Ralph Nader
|-valign="top"
| colspan="2" width="50%" |Opposed bailout.<ref>{{cite web |title=Chuck Baldwin Calls Housing Bailout 'Citizen Robbery' |url=http://www.covenantnews.com/newswire/archives/044781.html |access-date=October 15, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081007133218/http://www.covenantnews.com/newswire/archives/044781.html |archive-date=October 7, 2008 |url-status=usurped }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://chuckbaldwinlive.com/Articles/tabid/109/ID/428/No-Amnesty-For-Wall-Street.aspx|title=No Amnesty For Wall Street|website=Chuck Baldwin Live}}</ref>
| colspan="2" width="50%" |Ralph Nader opposed the bailout, suggesting that derivatives transactions be taxed instead.<ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.boston.com/news/politics/politicalintelligence/2008/10/nader_bailout_a.html |title= Nader: Bailout a boondoggle plus blank check |access-date=2008-10-18 |work=The Boston Globe |date= 2008-10-03 | first=Foon | last=Rhee}}</ref>
|}

===Trade===
{{further|Free trade|United States free trade agreements}}
{|class="wikitable"
|-
! colspan="2" |John McCain
! colspan="2" |Barack Obama
|-valign="top"
| colspan="2" width="50%" |McCain is a strong proponent of ].<ref name="oti-freetrade">{{cite web | url=http://www.ontheissues.org/2008/John_McCain_Free_Trade.htm | title=John McCain on Free Trade | publisher=On the Issues | access-date=2008-04-19}}</ref> He supports the ] (NAFTA), the existing ], and U.S. participation in the ] (WTO).<ref name="oti-freetrade"/> He opposes including labor and environmental conditions to trade agreements.<ref name="oti-freetrade"/>
| colspan="2" width="50%" |Obama supports expanding trade only if the United States' trade partners place labor and environmental standards on their industries to "level the playing field" for American interests. If elected president, Obama plans to renegotiate NAFTA to include stricter labor and environmental standards for Canada and Mexico. He has criticized the current agreement for not including such standards, and he also voted against and criticized the ] (CAFTA) for similar reasons.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://votegopher.com/issue.php?issue=15&can=1&pid=2 |title=VoteGopher.com: Barack Obama on Trade & Globalization |access-date=July 24, 2008 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20080920013408/http://votegopher.com/issue.php?issue=15&can=1&pid=2 |archive-date=September 20, 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|-
! Chuck Baldwin
! Bob Barr
! Cynthia McKinney
! Ralph Nader
|-valign="top"
|Baldwin would lead the US out of the ] and the ]s.<ref name="CB-IfIWerePres">{{Cite web|url=https://chuckbaldwinlive.com/Articles/tabid/109/ID/454/If-I-Were-President.aspx|title=If I Were President|website=Chuck Baldwin Live}}</ref> He would impose a revenue ].<ref name="CB-OnTheIssues" />
|Barr's campaign site states that America "should encourage private involvement around the world, particularly through free trade. The most effective way to preserve peace is through an expanding free market, backed by a full range of cultural and other private relationships".<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.bobbarr2008.com/issues/foreign-intervention-foreign-bases/ |title=Bob Barr on: Foreign Intervention & Foreign Bases |access-date=August 15, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080814174135/http://www.bobbarr2008.com/issues/foreign-intervention-foreign-bases/ |archive-date=August 14, 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|McKinney stresses enacting laws on US corporations to keep labor standards high at home and raise them abroad. She would repeal NAFTA (]), CAFTA, the Caribbean FTA, and US-Peru FTA. She opposes the guest-worker program as riddled with abuses; supports justice for immigrant workers, and immigrant reform that includes amnesty and a path to legalization for undocumented people who have been living and working in the US for years.<ref name="McKinney on healthcare"> {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080924204633/http://votetruth08.com/index.php/resources/campaignplatform |date=September 24, 2008 }}, 2008.</ref>
|Nader views NAFTA and the WTO as subverting national regulatory agencies. He blames them for diminishing standards of living (i.e. ]). Nader supports a constitutional amendment asserting the "sovereignty of people over the power of corporations."<ref name="nadertrade">{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-264RGiBWk | title=Ralph Nader on international trade, NAFTA, and the WTO (Video) | date=March 20, 2008 | publisher=YouTube | access-date=2008-06-05}}</ref>
|}

===Health care===
{{main|Health care reform in the United States presidential election, 2008}}
{{further|Health care in the United States|Health care reform in the United States}}
{|class="wikitable"
|-
! colspan="2" |John McCain
! colspan="2" |Barack Obama
|-valign="top"
| colspan="2" width="50%" |McCain favors tax credits of up to $5,000 for families that purchase health insurance.<ref name="wapo102007"> {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080906183242/http://blog.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2007/10/10/post_132.html |date=September 6, 2008 }} WashingtonPost.com, Oct. 10, 2007</ref> "We do not believe in coercion and the use of state power to mandate care, coverage or costs."<ref name=wapo102007/> His plan would reduce the number of uninsured by 1 million by 2009 and 5&nbsp;million by 2013, while raising the national debt by $1.3&nbsp;trillion over 10 years, according to one estimate.<ref name="taxpolicycenter1">{{Cite web|url=http://www.taxpolicycenter.org/UploadedPDF/411750_updated_candidates_summary.pdf|title=Tax Policy Center|access-date=September 5, 2008|archive-date=September 8, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080908051751/http://www.taxpolicycenter.org/UploadedPDF/411750_updated_candidates_summary.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>
| colspan="2" width="50%" |Obama's health care plan includes implementing guaranteed eligibility for affordable health care for all Americans.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.barackobama.com/issues/healthcare/ |title=BarackObama.com – Healthcare |access-date=June 4, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100105142032/http://www.barackobama.com/issues/healthcare/ |archive-date=January 5, 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref> His plan would reduce the number of uninsured by 18 million by 2009 and 34&nbsp;million by 2018, covering nearly all children, while raising the national debt by $1.6&nbsp;trillion over 10 years, according to one estimate.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.taxpolicycenter.org/UploadedPDF/411750_updated_candidates_summary.pdf |title=Both John McCain and Barack Obama are proposing tax plans that would substantially increase the national debt over the next ten years, according to an updated analysis by the center-left Tax Policy Center |access-date=2008-09-05 |archive-date=September 8, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080908051751/http://www.taxpolicycenter.org/UploadedPDF/411750_updated_candidates_summary.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|-
! Chuck Baldwin
! Bob Barr
! Cynthia McKinney
! Ralph Nader
|-valign="top"
|Believes in supplying better health care to America's veterans.<ref name="CB-IfIWerePres" /> Supports freedom of choice, opposes compulsory vaccination.<ref name="CB-OnTheIssues">{{Cite web|url=https://www.ontheissues.org/Chuck_Baldwin.htm|title=Chuck Baldwin on the Issues|website=www.ontheissues.org}}</ref>
|Wants to cut costs by reducing controls and regulations. Believes Medicare and Medicaid are financially unstable, and "need to be transformed to emphasize patient choice, focus on the truly needy, and add cost-saving incentives."<ref name="BB-Issues-Healthcare">{{cite web|title=Bob Barr on: Healthcare|url=http://www.bobbarr2008.com/issues/health-care/|access-date=August 15, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080815201858/http://www.bobbarr2008.com/issues/health-care/|archive-date=August 15, 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|Co-sponsored every bill in Congress to create a system of ] under a ] model. Opposes forced, coerced, or uninformed medication and sterilization; believes Americans should be able to purchase drugs from other countries if the price is cheaper, and the U.S. should negotiate with drug companies to provide cheaper drugs for all U.S. residents.<ref name="McKinney on healthcare"/>
|Nader supports a universal ] system and full ] for everyone.<ref name=nadermeetthepress>{{cite news | title= 'Meet the Press' transcript for Feb. 24, 2008: Ralph Nader, David Brooks, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Michele Norris, Chuck Todd | date= February 24, 2008 | publisher=National Broadcasting Company | url = https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna23319215 | work=NBC News' Meet the Press | access-date = 2008-02-24 }}</ref>
|}

===Taxation and budget deficit===
{{See also|United States federal budget|Taxation in the United States}}

{|class="wikitable"
|-
! colspan="2" |John McCain
! colspan="2" |Barack Obama
|-valign="top"
| colspan="2" width="25%" |While McCain has more often favored deficit reduction over tax cuts,<ref>S. 1731, CQ Vote #28: Adopted 56-42: R 45-2; D 11–39; I 0–1, February 13, 2002, McCain Voted Nay, H.R. 8, CQ Vote #151: Motion Rejected 54-44: R 45-2; D 9–41; I 0–1, 6/12/02, McCain Voted Nay</ref><ref> Corpus Christi Caller-Times, Feb. 16, 2008</ref> he supports both, and has pledged not to rescind recent tax cuts in combination with reduced spending.<ref name="mercury0416">{{cite news|url=http://www.mercurynews.com/politics/ci_8942041|title=McCain addresses economy|last=Cooper|first=Michael|date=2008-04-16|work=]|access-date=2008-04-17}}</ref><ref name="mccain_com_reform">{{cite web |url=http://www.johnmccain.com/Issues/JobsforAmerica/reform.htm |title=Reforming Washington to Regain the Trust of Taxpayers |access-date=2008-08-10 |publisher=JohnMcCain.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080810222858/https://www.johnmccain.com/Issues/JobsforAmerica/reform.htm |archive-date=August 10, 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref> ''The Wall Street Journal'', April 16, 2008</ref> McCain believes that lower taxes will stimulate the economy, and that the current deficit owes more to overspending than to tax cuts.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0807/08/ltm.03.html |title=Transcript: American Morning |access-date=2008-08-10 |date=2008-07-08 |publisher=CNN}} – "spending got out of control, and that obviously caused the deficit...our problem that we have today, is spending and not keeping taxes low and stimulating the economy"</ref> McCain plans to balance the budget by the end of his first term.<ref name="mccain_com_reform"/> According to the Tax Policy Center, McCain's tax plans (by extending the Bush tax cuts and cutting corporate tax rates from 35% to 25% to increase investment, among other measures), would increase the national debt by nearly $5&nbsp;trillion over 10 years, a nearly 50% increase.<ref name="taxpolicycenter1"/>
| colspan="2" width="50%" |Obama advocates responding to the "precarious budget situation" by eliminating "tax credits that have outlived their usefulness", closing corporate tax loopholes, and restoring the ] policy that prohibits increases in federal spending without a way to compensate for the lost revenue.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ontheissues.org/Economic/Barack_Obama_Budget_+_Economy.htm|title="Barack Obama on Budget & Economy"; ontheissues.org}}</ref> Obama proposes extending the Bush tax cuts for low- and middle-income families, while letting taxes go back up for individuals earning over $200,000 or couples earning over $250,000.
|-
! Chuck Baldwin
! Bob Barr
! Cynthia McKinney
! Ralph Nader
|-valign="top"
|Baldwin would work to repeal the ] (income tax), inheritance taxes, and property taxes. "We are ] our country with this incessant and burdensome tax system."<ref name="CB-IfIWerePres" />
|Barr supports repealing the ] and mentions the ] as a possible alternative. "Meaningful tax reform begins with reining in government spending."<ref name="BB-Issues-Taxes">{{cite web|title=Bob Barr on: Taxes|url=http://www.bobbarr2008.com/issues/taxes/|access-date=August 15, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080815201929/http://www.bobbarr2008.com/issues/taxes/|archive-date=August 15, 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|Would repeal Bush tax cuts for top 1% of income earners; close tax loopholes; tax corporations more; and deny federal subsidies to those who relocate jobs overseas. Proposes to regain control of the monetary system and respond to the current economic crisis, by steps that include a moratorium on foreclosures; elimination of all ARM mortgages and their renegotiation into 30- or 40-year loans; establishment of new mortgage lending practices to end predatory and discriminatory practices; funds targeted at cushioning job loss and retraining of those at the bottom of the income scale as the economy transitions; appointment of former Comptroller General David Walker to fully audit all recipients of taxpayer cash infusions, including JP Morgan, Bear Stearns, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and AIG, and to monitor their trading activities into the future; elimination of all derivatives trading; nationalization of the Federal Reserve and the establishment of a federally owned, public banking system that makes credit available for small businesses, homeowners, manufacturing operations, renewable energy, and infrastructure investments; criminal prosecution of any conflicts of interest that led to the current crisis.<ref name="GP" />
|Nader opposes ] and seeks to end corporate loopholes, exemptions, credits, accelerated depreciation schedules, deductions, and targeted exceptions.<ref name="cuttingcorporate">{{Cite book | last = Nader | first = Ralph | title = Cutting Corporate Welfare | publisher=] | year = 2000 | isbn = 1-58322-033-X | page = 20}}</ref> He would balance the national budget by cutting military spending by $100&nbsp;billion, or about a fifth, and through sharply ].<ref name=naderglobe>{{cite news | first= Lehigh | last= Scot| title= If Nader had been there: Here's what he (probably) would have said | date= October 18, 2000 |work=The Boston Globe | url = http://graphics.boston.com/news/politics/campaign2000/news/If_Nader_had_been_there+.shtml | access-date = 2008-06-05 }}</ref>
|}

===Social Security===
{{further|Social Security debate (United States)}}

{|class="wikitable"
|-
! colspan="2" |John McCain
! colspan="2" |Barack Obama
|-valign="top"
| colspan="2" width="50%" |In June 1999, McCain said "The only way to increase the yield on Social Security dollars is by allowing workers to make investment decisions for themselves; by empowering American families to invest, in most robust portfolios, a portion of their earnings for Social Security that they would otherwise pay in taxes to Social Security."<ref> {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120917165726/http://www.socialsecurity.org/daily/06-07-99.html |date=September 17, 2012 }}, June 7, 1999</ref> In January 2000, he repeated his strong support for creating private Social Security accounts.<ref> ''The New York Times'', January 11, 2000</ref> Partial privatization, or diverting payroll taxes to private accounts, would reduce available funds for current retirees significantly, requiring large debt increases to cover the transition.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://assets.aarp.org/rgcenter/econ/i3_reform.pdf|title=AARP Study}}</ref>
| colspan="2" width="50%" |Obama has said that Social Security's funding problem is "real but manageable." He has proposed to fund Social Security by applying payroll taxes to individual income above $250,000 per year, and says that these high-income earners should "pay their fair share." When asked if he would consider raising the retirement age or cutting benefits, Obama did not rule these approaches out entirely, saying, "everything should be on the table." However, he has said that he would not push for either of those approaches, and says that an increase in tax revenue is necessary to stabilize the system. Obama opposes adding personal accounts to Social Security.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://votegopher.com/issue.php?issue=16&can=1&pid=3 |title=VoteGopher.com: Barack Obama on Social Security |access-date=July 24, 2008 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20080920013402/http://votegopher.com/issue.php?issue=16&can=1&pid=3 |archive-date=September 20, 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|-
! Chuck Baldwin
! Bob Barr
! Cynthia McKinney
! Ralph Nader
|-valign="top"
|Phase out Social Security.<ref name="CB-OnTheIssues" />
|Social security is not sustainable.<ref name="BB-Issues-Entitlement_Programs">{{cite web|title=Bob Barr on: Entitlement Programs|url=http://www.bobbarr2008.com/issues/entitlement-programs/|access-date=August 15, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080815201846/http://www.bobbarr2008.com/issues/entitlement-programs/|archive-date=August 15, 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref> Social Security should be changed to an "individualized system of private accounts."<ref name="BB-Issue_Paper-Social_Security">{{cite web|title=Social Security Reform: Private Accounts, No Tax Hikes, Spending Cuts|url=https://www.bobbarr2008.com/uploads/pdf/BB08%20Social%20Security.pdf|access-date=August 15, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080815092236/https://www.bobbarr2008.com/uploads/pdf/BB08%20Social%20Security.pdf|archive-date=August 15, 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|McKinney strongly opposes privatizing Social Security, and recognizes cuts disproportionately harm women.<ref name="Social Security">{{Cite web|url=https://www.ontheissues.org/GA/Cynthia_McKinney.htm|title=Cynthia McKinney on the Issues|website=www.ontheissues.org}}</ref> She believes tax payments on benefits should be reduced, and benefits increased.<ref name="Social Security2">{{Cite web |url=http://socialissues.wiseto.com/Election2008/CynthiaMcKinney/ |title=Social Security |access-date=October 12, 2008 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20080724162737/http://socialissues.wiseto.com/Election2008/CynthiaMcKinney/ |archive-date=July 24, 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|Nader views Social Security as "government as it should work – a coming together of society to ensure that we, as a community, take care of each other as we age or suffer from disabilities."<ref name=nadersecurity>{{cite news | first= Nader | last= Ralph| title= "Saving Social Security From the Privatization Threat" Conference Statement| date= January 21, 1999 | publisher=nader.org | url = http://www.nader.org/index.php?/archives/96-Saving-Social-Security-From-the-Privatization-ThreatConference-Statement.html | access-date = 2008-06-05 }}</ref> Nader opposes a privatized system that would replace "systemic tranquility with an enforced anxiety". He says people are already able to take risk in the stock market through ]s, ]s and other tax-subsidized private retirement devices.<ref name=nadersecurity/>
|}

===Network neutrality===
{{further|Network neutrality|Network neutrality in the United States}}

{|class="wikitable"
|-
! colspan="2" |John McCain
! colspan="2" |Barack Obama
|-valign="top"
| colspan="2" width="50%" |McCain is against government regulation of ] unless evidence of abuse exists. He is quoted in May 2007 as saying, "let's see how this thing all turns out, rather than anticipate a problem that so far has not arisen in any significant way,"<ref>Roy Mark, , eweek.com, November 21, 2007</ref> and, "When you control the pipe you should be able to get profit from your investment."<ref>John Paczkowski, , ''The Wall Street Journal'', May 29, 2007</ref>
| colspan="2" width="50%" |Obama is "a strong supporter of Net neutrality," saying that regulations are required to prevent the telecom companies from changing "the internet as we know it." Promoting net neutrality would be a priority in his first year as president.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.cnet.com/8301-10784_3-9806707-7.html |title=Obama pledges Net neutrality laws if elected president &#124; Tech news blog – CNET News |publisher=News.cnet.com |access-date=2008-09-05}}</ref>
|-
! Chuck Baldwin
! Bob Barr
! Cynthia McKinney
! Ralph Nader
|-valign="top" |-valign="top"
!Free Trade
|McCain is a strong proponent of ].<ref name="oti-freetrade">{{cite web | url=http://www.ontheissues.org/2008/John_McCain_Free_Trade.htm | title=John McCain on Free Trade | publisher=On the Issues | accessdate=2008-04-19}}</ref> He supports the ] agreement, the existing ] agreements, and U.S. participation in the ].<ref name="oti-freetrade"/> He opposes tacking on labor and environmental conditions to trade agreements.<ref name="oti-freetrade"/>
| |
|
|In June, 2006 McKinney voted for network neutrality.<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://senate.ontheissues.org/2008/Cynthia_McKinney_Technology.htm | title=Cynthia McKinney on Technology }}</ref>
|Strongly supports net neutrality.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://glassbooth.org/explore/index/ralph-nader/18/internet-and-media/26/ |title=Ralph Nader on Internet and Media |access-date=October 30, 2008 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120714152200/http://glassbooth.org/explore/index/ralph-nader/18/internet-and-media/26/ |archive-date=July 14, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|}

===Lobbying===
{{further|Lobbying in the United States}}

{|class="wikitable"
|- |-
! colspan="2" |John McCain
!Health Care
! colspan="2" |Barack Obama
|McCain is against ], ], or health coverage mandates, instead favoring tax credits of up to $5,000 for families that get health insurance.<ref name="wapo102007"> WashingtonPost.com, Oct. 10, 2007</ref>
|-valign="top"
|Obama's health care plan includes implementing guaranteed eligibility for affordable health care for all Americans.<ref>[http://www.barackobama.com/issues/healthcare/ BarackObama.com - Healthcare</ref> He would provide mandatory health care insurance for children.
| colspan="2" width="50%" |McCain does not allow his staffers to hold positions as lobbyists.<ref name="obamalobbying">{{cite web |url= http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/jun/06/obama-decree-on-funding-limited-to-current-lobbyis/ |title= Obama decree on funding limited to current lobbyists |access-date=2008-08-27 |last= McElhatton |first= Jim |date= 2008-06-06 |work=The Washington Times}}</ref>
| colspan="2" width="50%" |Obama does not take contributions from federally registered lobbyists or PACs, though he does accept money from non-federal lobbyists and unregistered lobbyists.<ref name="obamalobbying"/>
|- |-
! Chuck Baldwin
!NASA
! Bob Barr
! Cynthia McKinney
! Ralph Nader
|-valign="top"
| |
|
|"The early education plan will be paid for by delaying the ] ] for five years."<ref>
|
</ref>"As president, Obama will support the development of this vital new platform ] to ensure that the United States' reliance on foreign space capabilities is limited to the minimum possible time period."<ref></ref><ref>
|At the beginning of his campaign, Nader stated that he "will receive no money from commercial interests, no money from political action committees, only from individuals."<ref name=nadermeetthepress/> He sees Washington D.C. as "corporate-occupied territory, every department agency controlled by overwhelming presence of corporate lobbyists, corporate executives in high government positions."<ref name=nadermeetthepress/> He supports public financing of campaigns and free TV and radio time for ballot qualified candidates.<ref name="naderblitzer">{{cite news | url=http://edition.cnn.com/video/#/video/politics/2008/02/04/sot.nader.independent.run.cnn | title=Nader may seek presidency (Video) | publisher=CNN | access-date=2008-06-05}}</ref>
</ref>
|}

===Transportation===
{{further|Transportation in the United States}}

{|class="wikitable"
|- |-
! colspan="2" |John McCain
!Taxation and Budget Deficit
! colspan="2" |Barack Obama
|While McCain has historically opposed tax cuts in favor of deficit reduction,<ref>S. 1731, CQ Vote #28: Adopted 56-42: R 45-2; D 11-39; I 0-1, 2/13/02, McCain Voted Nay, H.R. 8, CQ Vote #151: Motion Rejected 54-44: R 45-2; D 9-41; I 0-1, 6/12/02, McCain Voted Nay</ref><ref> Corpus Christi Caller-Times, Feb. 16, 2008</ref> he now favors tax cuts.<ref name="mercury0416">{{cite news|url=http://www.mercurynews.com/politics/ci_8942041|title=McCain addresses economy|last=Cooper|first=Michael|date=2008-04-16|publisher=]|accessdate=2008-04-17}}</ref> He says that he would reduce government spending to make up for the tax cuts,<ref> Wall Street Journal, April 16, 2008</ref> but analysts say that his numbers don't add up<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSN0736047820080310|title=McCain budget numbers don't add up, experts say|last=Sullivan|first=Andy|date=March 10, 2008|publisher=]|accessdate=2008-04-15}}</ref> and that the deficit would grow under his proposal.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.mercurynews.com/politics/ci_8942041|title=McCain addresses economy|last=Cooper|first=Michael|date=2008-04-16|publisher=]|accessdate=2008-04-17}}</ref>
|-valign="top"
|Obama advocates responding to the "precarious budget situation" by eliminating "tax credits that have outlived their usefulness", closing corporate tax loopholes, and restoring the ] policy that prohibits increases in federal spending without a way to compensate for the lost revenue.<ref> </ref> According to the ], Obama's proposed budget is estimated to increase spending by over $300 billion.<ref>http://www.ntu.org/pdf/P080303_ObamaAgendaCostUpdate.pdf</ref>
| colspan="2" width="50%" |McCain is opposed to federal funding of ]. He considers it to be a "] project", particularly as far as longer distance trains are concerned.<ref>, Washington Post, June 30, 2002</ref><ref> OnTheIssues.org</ref>
He has also argued for more stringent safety standards with respect to cars.<ref>Steven A. Holmes, ''The New York Times'', Oct. 7, 2000</ref>
| colspan="2" width="50%" |
|- |-
! Chuck Baldwin
!Social Security
! Bob Barr
|In June 1999, McCain said "The only way to increase the yield on Social Security dollars is by allowing workers to make investment decisions for themselves; by empowering American families to invest, in most robust portfolios, a portion of their earnings for Social Security that they would otherwise pay in taxes to Social Security."<ref>, June 7, 1999</ref> In January 2000, he repeated his strong support for creating private Social Security accounts.<ref> NY Times, January 11, 2000</ref>
! Cynthia McKinney
! Ralph Nader
|-valign="top"
| |
|
|Supports increased funding for public transit using alternative fuel technologies.<ref name=transit>http://socialissues.wiseto.com/Election2008/CynthiaMcKinney/ {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20080724162737/http://socialissues.wiseto.com/Election2008/CynthiaMcKinney/ |date=July 24, 2008 }}, Global Warming.</ref>
|Nader was instrumental in the unanimous passage of the 1966 ].<ref name=pbsunreasonable/>
|}

===Labor===
{{further|Labour economics|Labor unions in the United States}}

{|class="wikitable"
|- |-
! colspan="2" |John McCain
!Network Neutrality
! colspan="2" |Barack Obama
|McCain is against government regulation of ] unless evidence of abuse exists<ref>Roy Mark, , eweek.com, November 21, 2007</ref>. He is quoted as saying "let's see how this thing all turns out, rather than anticipate a problem that so far has not arisen in any significant way." Until such a time, he supports allowing network owners to control what sites consumers view, saying, in May 2007, "When you control the pipe you should be able to get profit from your investment".<ref>John Paczkowski, , ''Wall Street Journal'', May 29, 2007</ref><ref>, newsmax.com, June 3, 2007 </ref>
|-valign="top"
| colspan="2" width="50%" |John McCain voted for the ] which granted workers the right to take 12 weeks of unpaid leave for family medical reasons without being penalized by their employer. McCain sponsored the Family Friendly Workplace Act which sought to allow employers to provide more flexible work schedules to help balance work and family.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.johnmccain.com/Issues/JobsforAmerica/workplaceflex.htm |title=Archived copy |access-date=September 17, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080918020152/http://www.johnmccain.com/Issues/JobsforAmerica/workplaceflex.htm |archive-date=September 18, 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| colspan="2" width="50%" |
|-
! Chuck Baldwin
! Bob Barr
! Cynthia McKinney
! Ralph Nader
|-valign="top"
|Impose a revenue ] on all foreign goods to keep jobs in America.<ref name="CB-OnTheIssues" />
| |
|Wants to repeal the anti-union ].<ref name="trade agreements"> {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081009003216/http://www.gp.org/press/pr-national.php?ID=95 |date=October 9, 2008 }}, Labor & Economic Justice.</ref> Supports ] and a ] for all workers. Supports justice for immigrant workers, and opposes guest-worker programs as riddled with abuses.<ref name="platform">{{Cite web |url=http://votetruth08.com/index.php/resources/campaignplatform |title=Platform |access-date=September 26, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080924204633/http://votetruth08.com/index.php/resources/campaignplatform |archive-date=September 24, 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Opposes 'free trade' agreements and unelected international trade authorities (NAFTA, CAFTA, WTO, GATT, 'Fast Track', etc.) that give corporate power and profit priority over labor rights and environmental protections; McKinney has voted against these agreements and advocates withdrawal. Human rights protections and amnesty for undocumented immigrants, an end to raids, and tearing down the border wall; believes the flood of new immigrants is a result of economic policies and agreements (e.g., NAFTA) that impoverish people and drive them across borders, and that immigration should be addressed by fixing these policies while ensuring worker rights and right to organize. Favors a strong safety net for middle- and low-income working people and families, with support for Main Street (small businesses and local economies) instead of Wall Street, and a massive transfer of federal funding from military contract and war spending to human needs.<ref name="trade agreements"/>
|Nader promises to repeal the ].<ref name=nadermeetthepress/> He supports an increase in the minimum wage to $10 an hour to give low-wage workers "a fair return for their work".<ref name=naderabc>{{cite news | title= Ralph Nader Flirts with Presidential Bid | date= January 30, 2008 | publisher=] | url = https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Vote2008/story?id=4215961 | access-date = 2008-06-05 }}</ref> Nader supports ] and opposes large ].<ref>{{Cite book | last = Nader | first = Ralph | title = Cutting Corporate Welfare | publisher=] | year = 2000 | isbn = 1-58322-033-X | page = 112}}</ref> He is credited with helping pass the ] (1977), ] (1989), and ] (1970) – all three are fundamental to modern labor protection.<ref name=pbsunreasonable>{{cite news | title= Independent Lens: An Unreasonable Man | year= 2006 | publisher=] | url = https://www.pbs.org/independentlens/unreasonableman/activist.html#osha | access-date = 2008-06-07 }}</ref>
|}

===Monetary policy===
{{further|Federal Reserve System|Monetary policy}}

{|class="wikitable"
|- |-
! colspan="2" |John McCain
!Lobbying
! colspan="2" |Barack Obama
|-valign="top"
| colspan="2" width="50%" |&nbsp;
| colspan="2" width="50%" |
|-
! Chuck Baldwin
! Bob Barr
! Cynthia McKinney
! Ralph Nader
|-valign="top"
|Baldwin would eliminate the ] and move the US from ] back to ].<ref name="CB-IfIWerePres" />
|"Congress must insist on accountability and transparency in the Federal Reserve's operation, while reconsidering the Fed's almost total control over the money supply."<ref name="BB-Issues-Monetary_Policy">{{cite web|title=Bob Barr on: Monetary Policy|url=http://www.bobbarr2008.com/issues/monetary-policy/|access-date=August 15, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080815201914/http://www.bobbarr2008.com/issues/monetary-policy/|archive-date=August 15, 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref>
| |
|
|Obama has spoken out numerous times against the influence of ].<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1207/7577.html|title= Sen. Barack Obama's remarks|accessdate=2008-01-04 |publisher= Politico.com|date= 2007-12-27}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Vote2008/story?id=4064444&page=1|title= Obama Ad Omits Lobbyist Reference|accessdate=2008-01-04 |publisher= ABC News|author= Tapper, Jake|date= 2007-12-29}}</ref>According to his website, if elected president, Obama would create an online database of lobbying reports, campaign finance filings and ethics records, and would create an independent watchdog agency to oversee congressional ethical violations.
|}

===NASA and space exploration===
{{further|NASA}}

{|class="wikitable"
|- |-
! colspan="2" |John McCain
!Transportation
! colspan="2" |Barack Obama
|McCain is opposed to federal funding of ]. He considers it to be a "] project", particularly as far as longer distance trains are concerned.<ref>, Washington Post, June 30, 2002</ref><ref> OnTheIssues.org</ref>
|-valign="top"
He has also argued for more stringent safety standards with respect to cars.<ref> Steven A. Holmes, NY Times, Oct. 7, 2000</ref>
| colspan="2" width="50%" |John McCain sponsored legislation to support the commercial space industry and led the Senate's efforts to implement improvements to NASA after the Columbia accident. McCain pledged that as president he would ensure that space exploration is top priority and that the U.S. remains a leader and is committed to funding the NASA Constellation program to ensure it has the resources it needs to begin a new era of human space exploration.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/Issues/7366faf9-d504-4abc-a889-9c08d601d8ee.htm |title=John McCain 2008 - John McCain for President |access-date=2008-07-10 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080711035652/http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/Issues/7366faf9-d504-4abc-a889-9c08d601d8ee.htm |archive-date=July 11, 2008 |df=mdy }}</ref>
| colspan="2" width="50%" |"As president, Obama will support the development of this vital new platform ] to ensure that the United States' reliance on foreign space capabilities is limited to the minimum possible time period."<ref></ref>
|-
! Chuck Baldwin
! Bob Barr
! Cynthia McKinney
! Ralph Nader
|-valign="top"
|&nbsp;
|
|
| |
|} |}


===Foreign Policy=== ==Foreign policy==

{| class="wikitable"
===Arab–Israeli conflict===
{{further-text|]|Israel}}

{|class="wikitable"
|-
! colspan="2" |John McCain
! colspan="2" |Barack Obama
|-valign="top" |-valign="top"
| colspan="2" width="50%" |In a speech to the ] on April 23, 2002, McCain said that "no American leader should be expected to sell a false peace to our ally, consider Israel's right to self-defense less legitimate than ours, or insist that Israel negotiate a political settlement while terrorism remains the Palestinians' preferred bargaining tool."<ref>John McCain, , ''The Wall Street Journal'', April 26, 2002</ref>
!
| colspan="2" width="50%" |Obama supports a two-state solution.<ref> {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080913185231/http://www.barackobama.com/pdf/IsraelFactSheet.pdf |date=September 13, 2008 }}.</ref> Referring to the ] in January 2006, Obama denounced ] while praising former Israeli Prime Minister ]. At a meeting with then Israeli Foreign Minister ] on the eve of ],<ref>BBC News. January 26, 2006</ref> Obama stated that Sharon's role in the conflict had always been "absolutely important and constructive."{{Citation needed|date=April 2011}}
!width="50%"|]
|-
!width="50%"|]
! Chuck Baldwin
! Bob Barr
! Cynthia McKinney
! Ralph Nader
|-valign="top" |-valign="top"
|
!Arab-Israeli Conflict
|
|In a speech to ] on ], ], McCain said that "no American leader should be expected to sell a false peace to our ally, consider Israel's right to self-defense less legitimate than ours, or insist that Israel negotiate a political settlement while terrorism remains the Palestinians' preferred bargaining tool."<ref>John McCain, , ''The Wall Street Journal'', April 26, 2002</ref>
|US should stop weapons transfers to Middle East countries, including Israel—and be "honest broker." In terms of two- versus one-state solution, would listen to the voices and human rights advocates who are there.<ref> See also: {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080725025059/http://www.commondreams.org/views02/0825-01.htm |date=July 25, 2008 }}</ref>
|Referring to the ] in January 2006, Obama denounced ] while praising former Israeli Prime Minister ]. At a meeting with then Israeli Foreign Minister ] on the eve of ],<ref>BBC News. ], ]</ref> Obama stated that Sharon's role in the conflict had always been "absolutely important and constructive."<ref>Associated Press. ''Israel Insider'', ], ]</ref>
|Nader supports the ] and views resolution of the ] as central to national security.<ref name=nadergoodman>{{cite news |title=Ralph Nader: U.S. Carries "Inescapable Responsibility" for "Israeli Government's Escalating War Crimes" |date=July 20, 2006 |publisher=] |url=http://www.democracynow.org/2006/7/20/ralph_nader_u_s_carries_inescapable |access-date=2008-06-06 }}</ref><ref name=naderquestionairre>{{cite news |title=Ralph Nader in Green Party 2008 Presidential Candidate Questionnaire |date=February 3, 2008 |publisher=] |url=http://www.ontheissues.org/Archive/2008_Green_Questionnaire_Ralph_Nader.htm |access-date=2008-06-06}}</ref> Nader was critical of the US-supported ] in 2006, seeing it as ].<ref name=nadergoodman/> Nader wants enforcement of ] and a peaceful ].<ref name=nadergoodman/>
|}

===Iraq===
{{further-text|Iraq|]}}

{|class="wikitable"
|- |-
! colspan="2" |John McCain
!Iraq
! colspan="2" |Barack Obama
|-valign="top"
| colspan="2" width="50%" |McCain supported the invasion of Iraq and has stated that he would keep troops in Iraq for as long as needed, dependent on agreement from the Iraqi government. "It's not a matter of how long we're in Iraq, it's if we succeed or not."<ref>CNN. February 15, 2008</ref> John McCain was an early supporter of ].
| colspan="2" width="50%" |Obama opposed the Iraq war as early as 2002 and has pledged a responsible, phased withdrawal.<ref name="Obama website">{{Cite web|url=http://www.barackobama.com/issues/iraq/|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080312154833/http://www.barackobama.com/issues/iraq/|url-status=dead|title=Obama website|archivedate=March 12, 2008}}</ref> Obama was a strong opponent of ] and up until July 2008, he continued to call it a failure, in spite of a general consensus that the surge had been a success.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2008/07/14/2008-07-14_barack_obama_purges_web_site_critique_of.html | location=New York | work=Daily News | title=Barack Obama purges Web site critique of surge in Iraq | date=2008-07-14}}</ref> and he wrote and introduced the ] which would have stopped the Surge and started to pull American troops out of Iraq in 2007.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://obama.senate.gov/press/070130-obama_offers_pl_1/index.php |title=Obama Offers Plan to Stop Escalation of Iraq War, Begin Phased Redeployment of Troops &#124; U.S. Senator Barack Obama |access-date=September 17, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080917113327/http://obama.senate.gov/press/070130-obama_offers_pl_1/index.php |archive-date=September 17, 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref> He continues to criticize the Surge because he says it has not achieved political reconciliation, has overtaxed the military and diverted focus from Afghanistan and Pakistan, which he considers to be the central front in the War on Terror.<ref name="Obama website"/>
|-
! Chuck Baldwin
! Bob Barr
! Cynthia McKinney
! Ralph Nader
|-valign="top"
|Baldwin has stated that the US's involvement in Iraq is clearly unconstitutional as well as unnecessary, and would begin safely withdrawing troops.<ref name="CB-IfIWerePres" />
|Barr considers the invasion and occupation of Iraq to have been mistakes. American presence "emboldens both insurgents and terrorists", and has cost "hundreds of billions of U.S. taxpayer dollars." He supports "withdrawal without undue delay."<ref name="BB-Issues-Iraq_War">{{cite web|title=Bob Barr on: Iraq War|url=http://www.bobbarr2008.com/issues/iraq-war/|access-date=August 15, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080815201904/http://www.bobbarr2008.com/issues/iraq-war/|archive-date=August 15, 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|McKinney calls for the immediate and orderly withdrawal of all US troops and contracted personnel from Iraq and Afghanistan; she would dismantle US military bases in the area, and demand that US and other international corporations relinquish any claims to Iraqi oil or other resources.<ref name="McKinney on Iraq withdrawal">], March 7, 2008.</ref> She has consistently opposed funding for the war and the military budget.<ref name="McKinney on war spending">{{Cite web |date=2008-09-11 |title=Media Mouse: Green Party Presidential Ticket Compared to the Democrats on Major Issues - Election Watch - Grand Rapids, Michigan News & Independent Media |url=http://www.mediamouse.org/griid/electionwatch/2008/09/green-party-presidential-ticke/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080916183231/http://www.mediamouse.org/griid/electionwatch/2008/09/green-party-presidential-ticke/ |archive-date=2008-09-16 |access-date= |website=mediamouse.org}}</ref>
|Nader opposes the US occupation of Iraq on the grounds that "it's the occupation that is breeding the resistance."<ref name="naderiraqvid">{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50W4PL93FQw | title=Ralph Nader on ending the occupation of Iraq (Video) | date=March 20, 2008 | publisher=YouTube | access-date=2008-06-06}}</ref> He supports a "responsible, orderly withdrawal" within six months.<ref name=naderiraqvid/> Following withdrawal, he supports inclusion of an international peacekeeping force under UN auspices, promotion of Iraqi self-rule through independent elections, and the providing of humanitarian aid to stabilize the country.<ref name=nadercounter>{{cite news| first= Maria| last= Recio| title= Nader calls for withdrawal of US troops from Iraq| date= April 19, 2004| publisher= ]| url= http://www.commondreams.org/headlines04/0419-09.htm| access-date= 2008-06-06| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080905104029/http://www.commondreams.org/headlines04/0419-09.htm| archive-date= September 5, 2008| url-status= dead}}</ref>
|}

===Iran===
{{further-text|Iran|]}}

{|class="wikitable"
|-
! colspan="2" |John McCain
! colspan="2" |Barack Obama
|-valign="top"
| colspan="2" width="50%" |John McCain called the crisis with Iran "the most serious crisis we have faced – outside of the entire ] – since the end of the ]." "Nuclear capability in Iran is unacceptable," said McCain. McCain criticized Russia and China for causing "gridlock" in the ] and preventing the sanctioning of Iran as well as other areas of conflict such as ] and Burma. If elected, McCain pledges to create a "league of democracies" with the purpose of addressing those conflicts without the approval of China and Russia.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.johnmccain.com/informing/news/Speeches/43e821a2-ad70-495a-83b2-098638e67aeb.htm|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080703140719/http://www.johnmccain.com/informing/news/Speeches/43e821a2-ad70-495a-83b2-098638e67aeb.htm|url-status=dead|title=Senator McCain Addresses The Hoover Institution on U.S. Foreign Policy|archivedate=July 3, 2008}}</ref>
| colspan="2" width="50%" |Obama stated he regards Iran's government as "a threat to all of us," stating that the US "should take no option, including military action, off the table. Sustained and aggressive diplomacy combined with tough sanctions should be our primary means to prevent Iran from building nuclear weapons."<ref>{{cite news | first=Barack | last=Obama | title=AIPAC Policy Forum Remarks | date=March 2, 2007 | url=http://obama.senate.gov/speech/070302-aipac_policy_forum_remarks/index.html | work=Barack Obama U.S. Senate Office | access-date=2007-07-22 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080607135955/http://obama.senate.gov/speech/070302-aipac_policy_forum_remarks/index.html | archive-date=June 7, 2008 | url-status=dead }} For Obama's 2004 Senate campaign remarks on possible missile strikes against Iran, see: {{cite news | last=Mendell | first=David | title=Obama Would Consider Missile Strikes on Iran | date=September 25, 2004 | work=Chicago Tribune | url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/printedition/chi-0409250111sep25,1,4555304.story?ctrack=1&cset=true | access-date=2007-07-22 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070609163911/http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/printedition/chi-0409250111sep25%2C1%2C4555304.story?ctrack=1&cset=true | archive-date=June 9, 2007 | url-status=dead | df=mdy-all }}</ref>
|-
! Chuck Baldwin
! Bob Barr
! Cynthia McKinney
! Ralph Nader
|-valign="top"
| |
|Has stated that "an attack on Iran would be unnecessary, counterproductive, costly and dangerous", that "here is no imminent threat, and only an imminent threat can ever justify a preemptive strike", and concludes "any nonproliferation strategy must begin with diplomacy and include a willingness to address the other side".<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.bobbarr2008.com/press/press-releases/23/stop-the-war-threats-emphasize-diplomacy-with-iran-says-bob-barr/ |title=Stop the War Threats, Emphasize Diplomacy with Iran, Says Bob Barr |access-date=August 30, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080827202436/http://www.bobbarr2008.com/press/press-releases/23/stop-the-war-threats-emphasize-diplomacy-with-iran-says-bob-barr/ |archive-date=August 27, 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|In an interview with '' BBC's HARDtalk'' on March 6, 2008, Obama foreign policy adviser Samantha Power stated that Obama's pledge to "have all combat brigades out of Iraq within 16 months"<ref></ref> was a "best case scenario" that "he will revisit when he becomes president." She continued, saying that "what we can take seriously is that he will try to get US forces out of Iraq as quickly and responsibly as possible."<ref></ref>
|McKinney believes we must leave behind the militarization that has accompanied the Bush administration. She supports leaving Iraq and moving toward peaceful methods of dealing with other countries.<ref>http://socialissues.wiseto.com/Election2008/CynthiaMcKinney/ {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20080724162737/http://socialissues.wiseto.com/Election2008/CynthiaMcKinney/ |date=July 24, 2008 }} McKinney on US Foreign Relations</ref>
|Nader believes the US must stop "saber rattling" with Iran and take up ] to negotiate all outstanding issues between the US and Iran.<ref name=naderquestionairre/>
|}

===Darfur===
{{further|Darfur|War in Darfur}}

{|class="wikitable"
|- |-
! colspan="2" |John McCain
!Iran
! colspan="2" |Barack Obama
|-valign="top"
| colspan="2" width="50%" |McCain called upon the United States to reject Sudan's demand that the AU peacekeeping force leave or be bullied. McCain believes that America must convince our allies in the region and friendly Arab nations to abandon their support for Sudan and force them to accept more peacekeepers. On a more immediate time-frame McCain called for the use of NATO air-power to establish a no-fly zone and the use of intelligence assets to gather evidence of genocide and build cases against its perpetrators.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/08/AR2006090801664.html | newspaper=The Washington Post | title=Rescue Darfur Now | first1=John | last1=McCain | first2=Bob | last2=Dole | date=2006-09-10 | access-date=2010-04-30}}</ref>
| colspan="2" width="50%" |In a December 2005 opinion column in ''The Washington Post'', and at the ] rally in April 2006, Obama called for more assertive action to oppose ] in the ] of Sudan.<ref>{{cite news | first=Barack | last=Obama |author2=Sam Brownback | title=Policy Adrift on Darfur | date=December 27, 2005 | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/26/AR2005122600547.html | newspaper=The Washington Post | access-date=2008-01-14}} {{cite news | first=Jim | last=Doyle | title=Tens of Thousands Rally for Darfur | date=May 1, 2006 | url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/05/01/MNGFBIIFOA1.DTL | work=San Francisco Chronicle | access-date=2008-01-14}}</ref> He has ] $180,000 in personal holdings of Sudan-related stock, and has urged divestment from companies doing business in Iran.<ref>{{cite news | first=Jim | last=Kuhnhenn | title=Giuliani, Edwards Have Sudan Holdings | date=May 17, 2007 | work=San Francisco Chronicle | url=http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/05/17/politics/p171906D95.DTL | agency=Associated Press | access-date=2008-01-14 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080608221733/http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=%2Fn%2Fa%2F2007%2F05%2F17%2Fpolitics%2Fp171906D95.DTL | archive-date=June 8, 2008 | url-status=dead | df=mdy-all }} {{cite news | first=Barack | last=Obama | title=Hit Iran Where It Hurts | date=August 30, 2007 | url=http://www.nydailynews.com/opinions/2007/08/30/2007-08-30_hit_iran_where_it_hurts.html | work=New York Daily News | access-date=2008-01-14 }}</ref>
|-
! Chuck Baldwin
! Bob Barr
! Cynthia McKinney
! Ralph Nader
|-valign="top"
| |
|
|Speaking to the ] on ], ], Obama stated that he regards Iran's government as "a threat to all of us," stating that the US "should take no option, including military action, off the table. Sustained and aggressive diplomacy combined with tough sanctions should be our primary means to prevent Iran from building nuclear weapons."<ref>{{cite news | first=Barack | last=Obama | title=AIPAC Policy Forum Remarks | date=] ] | url =http://obama.senate.gov/speech/070302-aipac_policy_forum_remarks/index.html | work =Barack Obama U.S. Senate Office | accessdate = 2007-07-22 | }} For Obama's 2004 Senate campaign remarks on possible missile strikes against Iran, see: {{cite news | last=Mendell | first=David | title=Obama Would Consider Missile Strikes on Iran |date=] ] | publisher=Chicago Tribune | url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/printedition/chi-0409250111sep25,1,4555304.story?ctrack=1&cset=true | accessdate = 2007-07-22}}</ref>
|Expressed concern that atrocities in Darfur might be used to justify US occupation of Sudan.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2008/07/24/10579 |title=McKinney Blazes NC Trail With Incendiary Speech - CommonDreams.org |website=www.commondreams.org |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080726223250/http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2008/07/24/10579/ |archive-date=2008-07-26}}</ref>
|Nader believes the US could do more to end the ]. He would refuse normalized relations with the ] "until the Sudanese government removes all obstacles to the full deployment of the multilateral ], fully implements the ], and engages in good faith in a comprehensive, open and inclusive peace process."<ref name=naderdarfur>{{cite news | first= Ralph| last=Nader | title= Open letter to George W. Bush (on Darfur) | date= April 11, 2008 | publisher=nader.org | url = http://www.nader.org/index.php?/archives/1268-Open-Letter-to-George-W.-Bush.html | access-date = 2008-06-06 }}</ref>
|}

===Nuclear weapons===
{{further|Nuclear weapons and the United States|Nuclear warfare}}

{|class="wikitable"
|- |-
! colspan="2" |John McCain
!Darfur
! colspan="2" |Barack Obama
|-valign="top"
| colspan="2" width="50%" |McCain voted in favor of the ] in 1991.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1021/vote_102_1_00274.htm?congress=102&session=1&vote=00274|title=U.S. Senate: U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 102nd Congress - 1st Session|website=www.senate.gov}}</ref> He voted to ratify the ] strategic arms limitation treaty in 1996.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.votesmart.org/issue_keyvote_member.php?cs_id=V788|title=Project Vote Smart – The START II Treaty Member Vote List<!-- Bot generated title -->|access-date=June 4, 2008|archive-date=June 4, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080604235927/http://www.votesmart.org/issue_keyvote_member.php?cs_id=V788|url-status=dead}}</ref> McCain voted against the ] in 1999.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1061/vote_106_1_00325.htm?congress=106&session=1&vote=00325|title=U.S. Senate: U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 106th Congress - 1st Session|website=www.senate.gov}}</ref> In March 2008, McCain said that United States should reduce its ] to encourage other nations to reduce their arsenals.
| colspan="2" width="50%" |Obama has spoken out against ]. According to his campaign website, Obama will "crack down on nuclear proliferation by strengthening the ]."<ref name="ObamaSiteNuclear">{{cite web |url=http://www.barackobama.com/issues/foreignpolicy/#nuclear |title=Foreign Policy: Nuclear Weapons |access-date=2008-05-24 |publisher=BarackObama.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080222012011/http://www.barackobama.com/issues/foreignpolicy/#nuclear |archive-date=February 22, 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Obama has also vowed to stop the development of new American nuclear arms, pursuing an ultimate goal of "a world without nuclear weapons."<ref name="ObamaSiteNuclear"/>
|-
! Chuck Baldwin
! Bob Barr
! Cynthia McKinney
! Ralph Nader
|-valign="top"
| |
|
|In a December 2005 ''Washington Post'' opinion column, and at the ] rally in April 2006, Obama called for more assertive action to oppose ] in the ] of ].<ref>{{cite news | first=Barack | last=Obama | coauthors=Sam Brownback | title=Policy Adrift on Darfur | date=] ] | url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/26/AR2005122600547.html | work=Washington Post | accessdate=2008-01-14}} {{cite news | first=Jim | last=Doyle | title=Tens of Thousands Rally for Darfur | date=] ] | url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/05/01/MNGFBIIFOA1.DTL | work=San Francisco Chronicle | accessdate=2008-01-14}}</ref> He has ] $180,000 in personal holdings of Sudan-related stock, and has urged divestment from companies doing business in Iran.<ref>{{cite news | first=Jim | last=Kuhnhenn | title=Giuliani, Edwards Have Sudan Holdings | date=] ] | publisher=SFGate.com | url=http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/05/17/politics/p171906D95.DTL | work=Associated Press | accessdate=2008-01-14}} {{cite news | first=Barack | last=Obama | title=Hit Iran Where It Hurts | date=] ] | url=http://www.nydailynews.com/opinions/2007/08/30/2007-08-30_hit_iran_where_it_hurts.html | work=New York Daily News | accessdate=2008-01-14}}</ref>
|McKinney supports the reduction of ] in the U.S. and is a strong supporter of the ], ] and ]. She also wants to ban the manufacture and use of depleted ].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://glassbooth.org/explore/index/cynthia-mckinney/20/iraq-and-foreign-policy/5/ |title=Cynthia McKinney on Iraq and Foreign Policy |access-date=October 17, 2008 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120710032256/http://glassbooth.org/explore/index/cynthia-mckinney/20/iraq-and-foreign-policy/5/ |archive-date=July 10, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|Nader describes nuclear weapons as "horrifying" and supports the ]. He would adopt a no-first use policy, take all nuclear missiles off "hair-trigger" alert, and push for ratification of the ] and ] as well as working with other ] towards the eventual abolition of Nuclear weapons.<ref name=nadernukes>{{cite news | title= Interfaith Questionnaire on Elimination of Nuclear Weapons: US Presidential Candidates' Responses | date= September 7, 2000 | publisher= ] | url= http://www.acronym.org.uk/dd/dd50/50views.htm | access-date= 2008-06-06 | archive-date= January 9, 2009 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090109205803/http://www.acronym.org.uk/dd/dd50/50views.htm | url-status= dead }}</ref>
|}

===North Korea===
{{further-text|North Korea|]|]}}

{|class="wikitable"
|- |-
! colspan="2" |John McCain
!Nuclear Weapons
! colspan="2" |Barack Obama
|McCain voted in favor of the ] in 1991.<ref>{{cite web|title=senate.gov|url=http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=102&session=1&vote=00274}}</ref> He voted to ratify the ] strategic arms limitation treaty in 1996.<ref>http://www.votesmart.org/issue_keyvote_member.php?cs_id=V788</ref> McCain voted against the ] in 1999.<ref>http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=106&session=1&vote=00325</ref> In March 2008, McCain said that United States should reduce its ] to encourage other nations to reduce their arsenals.
|-valign="top"
|Obama has spoken out against ]. According to his campaign website, Obama will "crack down on nuclear proliferation by strengthening the ]."<ref name="ObamaSiteNuclear">{{cite web |url=http://www.barackobama.com/issues/foreignpolicy/#nuclear |title=Foreign Policy: Nuclear Weapons |accessdate=2008-05-24 |last= |first= |coauthors= |date= |work= |publisher=BarackObama.com}}</ref> Obama has also vowed to stop the development of new American nuclear arms, pursuing an ultimate goal of "a world without nuclear weapons."<ref name="ObamaSiteNuclear"/>
| colspan="2" width="50%" |In October 2006, McCain said that he believed the former President ] and his administration were to blame for the ]. He said that the U.S. had "concluded an unenforceable and untransparent agreement", allowing North Korea to keep plutonium rods in a reactor.<ref>, ''ABC News'', October 11, 2006</ref>
| colspan="2" width="50%" |
|- |-
! Chuck Baldwin
!North Korea
! Bob Barr
|In October 2006, McCain said the he believed the former President ] and his administration were to blame for the ]. He said that the U.S. had "concluded an unenforceable and untransparent agreement", allowing North Korea to keep plutonium rods in a reactor. <ref>, ''ABC News'', October 11, 2006</ref>
! Cynthia McKinney
! Ralph Nader
|-valign="top"
|&nbsp;
| |
|
|
|}

===Pakistan===
{{further-text|Pakistan|]}}

{|class="wikitable"
|- |-
! colspan="2" |John McCain
!Pakistan
! colspan="2" |Barack Obama
|McCain maintains a relatively moderate stance concerning Pakistan, although he has recognized the South Asian nation as an important part of US Foreign Policy. In the aftermath of Pakistan's former Prime Minister ]'s assassination (in December 2007) McCain appeared to rule out the option of US forces entering Pakistan, saying that it was not an appropriate time to "threaten" Pakistan.<ref> The Hawkeye.com, Dec. 29, 2007</ref>
|-valign="top"
|On ], ] Obama declared in a foreign policy speech that the United States must be willing to strike al Qaeda targets inside ], with or without the consent of the Pakistani government. He claimed that if elected, "If we have actionable intelligence about high value terrorist targets and President Musharraf won't act, we will".<ref> Reuters Aug 1 2007</ref>
| colspan="2" width="50%" |McCain maintains a relatively moderate stance concerning Pakistan, although he has recognized the South Asian nation as an important part of US Foreign Policy. In the aftermath of Pakistan's former Prime Minister ]'s assassination (in December 2007) McCain appeared to rule out the option of US forces entering Pakistan, saying that it was not an appropriate time to "threaten" Pakistan.<ref> The Hawkeye.com, Dec. 29, 2007</ref>
| colspan="2" width="50%" |On August 1, 2007, Obama declared in a foreign policy speech that the United States must be willing to strike al Qaeda targets inside Pakistan, with or without the consent of the Pakistani government. He claimed that if elected, "If we have actionable intelligence about high value terrorist targets and President Musharraf won't act, we will".<ref> Reuters Aug 1, 2007</ref>
|- |-
! Chuck Baldwin
!Extrajudical Prisioners
! Bob Barr
|In October 2005, McCain, a former ], introduced the ] to the Defense Appropriations bill for 2005. That month, the U.S. Senate voted 90-9 to support the amendment.<ref>{{cite web | title = Roll Call Votes 109th Congress - 1st Session on the Amendment (McCain Amdt. No. 1977) | work = ]|date = ] | url = http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=109&session=1&vote=00249 | accessdate = 2006-08-15 }}</ref>In October 2007, McCain said of ] that, "They should know what it is. It is not a complicated procedure. It is torture."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/26/us/politics/26giuliani.html|title=McCain Rebukes Giuliani on Waterboarding Remark|publisher=New York Times|date=], ]|accessdate=2008-03-08}}</ref> However, in February 2008 he voted against HR 2082, the ], which included provisions that would have prevented the CIA from waterboarding prisoners.
! Cynthia McKinney
! Ralph Nader
|-valign="top"
|
| |
|"Free and fair elections, not U.S. troops, are the best strategy for achieving peace and stability in Pakistan." is the belief of Cynthia McKinney in Pakistan. She also opposes a United States war with Pakistan.<ref>{{usurped|1=}}</ref>
|Nader has said that military action against Pakistan is off the table.
|} |}


===Social Issues=== ===Extrajudicial prisoners===
{{See also|Guantanamo Bay detention camp|Unlawful combatant}}
{| class="wikitable"

{|class="wikitable"
|-
! colspan="2" |John McCain
! colspan="2" |Barack Obama
|-valign="top" |-valign="top"
| colspan="2" width="50%" |In October 2005, McCain, a former ], introduced the ] to the Defense Appropriations bill for 2005. That month, the U.S. Senate voted 90–9 to support the amendment.<ref>{{cite web | title = Roll Call Votes 109th Congress – 1st Session on the Amendment (McCain Amdt. No. 1977) | work=]|date = 2005-10-05 | url = https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=109&session=1&vote=00249 | access-date = 2006-08-15 }}</ref> In October 2007, McCain said of ] that, "They should know what it is. It is not a complicated procedure. It is torture."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/26/us/politics/26giuliani.html|title=McCain Rebukes Giuliani on Waterboarding Remark|work=The New York Times|date=October 26, 2007|access-date=2008-03-08 | first1=Michael | last1=Cooper | first2=Marc | last2=Santora}}</ref> However, in February 2008 he voted against HR 2082, the ], which included provisions that would have prevented the CIA from waterboarding prisoners.
!
| colspan="2" width="50%" |Obama voted against the ]<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=109&session=2&vote=00259#position|title= U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes|access-date=2007-12-10 }}</ref> and later voted to restore '']'' to those detained by the U.S. (which had been stripped by the Military Commissions Act).<ref name="vrecord">{{cite web |url= http://www.vote-smart.org/voting_category.php?can_id=9490|title= Senator Obama – Voting Record|access-date=2007-12-10 |publisher=Project Vote Smart}}</ref> He has advocated closing the ], but has not supported two specific bills that would have done so.<ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/2007-06-18-gitmo-candidates_N.htm|title= Guantanamo Bay puzzles candidates|access-date=2007-12-10 |work=USA Today|date= 2007-06-19| first=Martha T. | last=Moore}}</ref> Obama opposes the use of torture.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.barackobama.com/2007/10/04/obama_torture_and_secrecy_betr.php|title= Obama: Torture and secrecy betray core American values|access-date= 2007-12-10|publisher= BarackObama.com|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20071212201953/http://www.barackobama.com/2007/10/04/obama_torture_and_secrecy_betr.php|archive-date= December 12, 2007|url-status= dead}}</ref>
!width="50%"|]
|-
!width="50%"|]
! Chuck Baldwin
! Bob Barr
! Cynthia McKinney
! Ralph Nader
|-valign="top" |-valign="top"
|
!Environment
|
|McCain's stances on ] and other environmental issues have often put him at odds with the Bush administration and other Republicans. For example, he has generally opposed drilling in the ].McCain opposes ] subsidies.{{Fact|date=March 2008}} In 2000, he skipped most of the Iowa caucuses, in large part because his opposition to ethanol was a nonstarter in a state where making ] into fuel is a big and lucrative business.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2007/02/mccain200702 | title=Prisoner of Conscience | author=] | publisher=] | date=February 2007 | accessdate=2008-01-04}}</ref>
|
|Obama takes ] very seriously and he has said that it must be addressed. He has a record of supporting environmentally friendly bills. He has pledged to cut ] emissions 80% below 1990 levels by 2050 by creating a market-based cap-and-trade system.Obama also has plans for improving air and water quality through reduced carbon emissions.
|Nader views ] as leading to diminished respect around the world.<ref name=naderdarfur2>{{cite news | first= Ralph| last=Nader | title= A Guide to the President's Speech | date= June 28, 2006 | url = http://www.lewrockwell.com/orig6/zeese7.html | access-date = 2008-06-07 }}</ref> "Constitutional crimes against due process, probable cause, habeas corpus, together with torture and indefinite imprisonment... will worsen and erode American jurisprudence with serious consequences for both the nation's security and its liberties."<ref name=naderhabeas>{{cite news | first = Ralph | last = Nader | title = Democracy The Big Loser on Habeas Corpus | date = September 30, 2006 | url = http://www.commondreams.org/views06/0930-21.htm | access-date = 2008-06-07 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080723145631/http://www.commondreams.org/views06/0930-21.htm | archive-date = July 23, 2008 | url-status = dead }}</ref>
|}

===Armenian genocide===
{{further|Armenian genocide}}

{|class="wikitable"
|- |-
! colspan="2" |John McCain
!Energy
! colspan="2" |Barack Obama
|McCain gave a major speech on his energy policy at the Center for Strategic and International Studies He connected energy independence with national security, climate change, and the environment.<ref>, April 23, 2007</ref><ref>, MSNBC.com, April 23, 2007</ref> McCain proposed increasing ethanol imports and moving from exploration to production of ] electric vehicles. He said that US dependence on foreign oil is "a major strategic vulnerability, a serious threat to our security, our economy and the well being of our planet." He is co-sponsor of a Senate ] bill designed to limit greenhouse gas emissions,<ref> Library of Congress</ref> and is seen as a bipartisan leader on the issue.
|-valign="top"
| colspan="2" width="50%" |At a town hall meeting January 6, 2008 McCain was reported to have answered a question on the Armenian genocide by noting that he recognizes the Armenian genocide, but opposes the Armenian Genocide Resolution due to the Turkish government's sensitivities and the importance of their continued contribution to the war on terror.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.anca.org/press_releases/press_releases.php?prid=1360 |title=ANCA Review of the Major Candidates, 2008 |access-date=June 22, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080330225608/http://www.anca.org/press_releases/press_releases.php?prid=1360 |archive-date=March 30, 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref> On September 29, 2008, in an open letter to the Armenian-American Community of the United States he stated, that "it is fair to say that one of the greatest tragedies of the 20th century, the brutal murder of as many as one and a half million Armenians under the rule of the Ottoman Empire, has also been one of the most neglected" and that "it is our responsibility to recognize those tragic events".<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.anca.org/press_releases/press_releases.php?prid=1602 |title=Text of September 29, 2008 McCain campaign open letter, ANCA Official Website, 2008 |access-date=October 7, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100615145255/http://anca.org/press_releases/press_releases.php?prid=1602 |archive-date=June 15, 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| colspan="2" width="50%" |On January 19, 2008, Obama announced that as a U.S. Senator, he has stood with the ] community in calling for Turkey's acknowledgement of the ], and supports its ]. In 2006, Obama criticized Secretary of State ] for firing ], ], after he used the term "genocide" to describe Turkey's killing of hundreds of thousands of ].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.barackobama.com/2008/01/19/barack_obama_on_the_importance.php|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090220125958/http://www.barackobama.com/2008/01/19/barack_obama_on_the_importance.php|url-status=dead|title=Barack Obama on the Importance of US-Armenia Relations, Official site, January 19, 2008|archivedate=February 20, 2009}}</ref> In June 2008 Obama restated his commitment to U.S. recognition of the Armenian genocide in a letter to ] Chairman ].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.anca.org/press_releases/press_releases.php?prid=1513 |title=Sen. Obama Reaffirms Commitment to U.S. Armenian Genocide Recognition, ANCA Press Release, June 19, 2008 |access-date=June 22, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080620194257/http://www.anca.org/press_releases/press_releases.php?prid=1513 |archive-date=June 20, 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Obama supported ] which recognized the killings as genocide.
|-
! Chuck Baldwin
! Bob Barr
! Cynthia McKinney
! Ralph Nader
|-valign="top"
|&nbsp;
| |
|
|
|}

===China===
{{further-text|China|]}}

{|class="wikitable"
|- |-
! colspan="2" |John McCain
!LGBT Issues
! colspan="2" |Barack Obama
|In 2004, McCain voted against the ], arguing that each state should be able to choose whether to recognize ].<ref> , McCain Senate website, July 13, 2004, accessed November 18, 2006] </ref><ref> </ref> He supported the failed ].<ref>{{cite news | url = http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/0826initiatives26.html | title = Gay-marriage ban initiative wins support from McCain | date = ] | accessdate = 2006-11-18 | first = Elvia | last = Díaz |publisher = ] }}</ref>
|-valign="top"
|Obama voted against the ] which would have defined marriage as between one man and one woman, but personally believes that ] is defined as a religious bond between a man and a woman. He supports ]s that would carry equal legal standing to that of marriage for ], but believes that decisions about the title of marriage should be left to the states.<ref> ''Barack Obama: US Senator for Illinois'' (Accessed 2 March 2007)</ref><ref>Philip Elliott. . Associated Press, printed in ''Rockford Register Star'', 13 February 2007. (Accessed 2 March 2007)</ref><ref>{{cite web | title = CNN/You Tube debate transcript | work = CNN| url = http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/07/23/debate.transcript/index.html | accessdate = 23 July| accessyear = 2007 }}</ref> He has called for the repeal of the federal ].<ref>{{cite web | title = Obama Talks All Things LGBT With The Advocate | work = ] | url = http://www.advocate.com/print_article_ektid53285.asp | accessdate = 2008-04-21}}</ref>
| colspan="2" width="50%" |John McCain believes America should continue to work to secure an independent Taiwan and opposes the ability of corporations owned by the Chinese ] to make financial contributions to American political campaigns.<ref>http://www.ontheissues.org/Senate/John_McCain_China.htm, {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080919112901/http://www.ontheissues.org/Senate/John_McCain_China.htm |date=September 19, 2008 }}</ref>
| colspan="2" width="50%" |
|- |-
! Chuck Baldwin
!Abortion
! Bob Barr
|In 1999, McCain said of '']'', "I'd love to see a point where it is irrelevant, and could be repealed because abortion is no longer necessary. But certainly in the short term, or even the long term, I would not support repeal of ''Roe v. Wade'', which would then force X number of women in America to illegal and dangerous operations."<ref>Terry M. Neal. , ''Washington Post'' (]).</ref><ref>D'Agostino, Joseph A. , Human Events (]).</ref>
! Cynthia McKinney
|In his write-in response to a 1998 survey, Obama stated his abortion position as: "Abortions should be legally available in accordance with '']''."<ref>Obama, Barack. , Project Vote Smart. Retrieved on 2007-01-21.</ref> While serving in the ], Obama received a 100 percent rating from the Illinois ] Council<ref>''Project Vote Smart''. </ref> for his support of ], ] services, and requiring ] coverage for female ]s.<ref name="Keith 2007">{{cite news|author=Keith, Ryan |title=Obama's past offers ammo for critics |url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/01/17/ap/politics/mainD8MN7Q3O0.shtml |work=] |publisher=] |date=] ] |accessdate=2008-03-03}}</ref>
! Ralph Nader
|-valign="top"
|China is a potential military threat, and economic policies toward it weaken key American industries.<ref name="CB-IfIWerePres" />
|
|
|
|}

===Foreign aid===
{{See also|Foreign policy of the United States}}

{|class="wikitable"
|- |-
! colspan="2" |John McCain
!Gun Control
! colspan="2" |Barack Obama
|McCain has received fair to poor ratings on gun issues from the ], garnering a C+.<ref></ref> According to a review by ] (GOA), "...in 2001, McCain went from being a supporter of anti-gun bills to being a lead sponsor" in toward restrictions on the ] of pro-] organizations.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://gunowners.org/pres08/mccain.htm "Presidential Candidates and The Second Amendment: John McCain" |title=John McCain's Gun Control Problem |author=John Velleco |publisher=Gun Owners of America (GOA)}}</ref> McCain's GOA rating is F-.<ref></ref>
|-valign="top"
|Obama is rated F by the ].<ref>{{cite web
| colspan="2" width="50%" |Though John McCain plans to expand foreign aid, specifically targeting malaria in Africa, he has expressed concern that too much American aid money is embezzled or outright stolen by corrupt foreign governments.<ref name="ontheissues.org">{{cite web| url = http://www.ontheissues.org/News_Foreign_Aid.htm| title = Foreign Aid: Topics in the News}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=93375859|title = Candidates Share Interest in Boosting Foreign Aid|website = NPR.org}}</ref>
|url= http://www.nrapvf.org/ELECTIONS/State.aspx?y=2004&State=IL
| colspan="2" width="50%" |Obama would double foreign aid to $50&nbsp;billion by 2012.<ref name="ontheissues.org"/>
|title= Illinois - 2004
|accessdate= 2008-01-07
|publisher= National Rifle Association Political Victory Fund
|quote= U.S. SENATE (D) BARACK OBAMA F
}}</ref> The NRA describes the recipient of its F grade as a "true enemy of gun owners’ rights."<ref>{{cite web
|url= http://www.nrapvf.org/WhatTheGradesMean.aspx
|title= What The Grades Mean
|accessdate= 2008-01-07
|publisher= National Rifle Association Political Victory Fund
|quote= True enemy of gun owners’ rights. A vehement anti-gun candidate who always opposes gun owners’ rights and/or actively leads anti-gun legislative efforts, or sponsors anti-gun legislation.
}}</ref> He is also rated F by ]<ref></ref> who stated that Obama will "Get the Dems 'Barack' into the Business of Gun Control".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://gunowners.org/pres08/obama.htm|title=Presidential Candidates And The Second Amendment - Barack Obama|quote=Obama to Get the Dems 'Barack' into the Business of Gun Control}}</ref>
|- |-
! Chuck Baldwin
!Death Penalty
! Bob Barr
! Cynthia McKinney
! Ralph Nader
|-valign="top"
|Baldwin believes that the U.S. is not the world's policeman, and would end all foreign aid and interventionist policies.<ref name="CB-IfIWerePres" />
|"oreign aid has proved to be a drain on the U.S. economy while doing little good for the recipients. Aid is routinely used by corrupt foreign governments to oppress their people and enrich powerful elites. Foreign aid almost always discourages economic and political reform, while subsidizing nations which often work against U.S. interests."<ref name="BB-Issues-Foreign_Intervention_and_Foreign_Bases">{{cite web|title=Bob Barr on: Foreign Intervention and Foreign Bases|url=http://www.bobbarr2008.com/issues/foreign-intervention-foreign-bases/|access-date=August 15, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080814174135/http://www.bobbarr2008.com/issues/foreign-intervention-foreign-bases/|archive-date=August 14, 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref>
| |
|
|Obama believes the death penalty is used too frequently and inconsistently. However, he favors it for cases in which "the community is justified in expressing the full measure of its outrage."<ref></ref>
|}

===Georgia===
{{further|Georgia (country)|2008 South Ossetia war}}

{|class="wikitable"
|- |-
! colspan="2" |John McCain
!Immigration
! colspan="2" |Barack Obama
|McCain has promoted the legislation and eventually the granting of citizenship to the estimated 12&ndash;20 million illegal aliens in the United States and the creation of an additional guest worker program with an option for permanent immigration. In his bid for the 2000 Presidential nomination, McCain supported expansion of the ] program, a temporary visa for skilled workers.<ref> August 19, 1999</ref> In 2005, he co-sponsored a bill with ] that would expand use of guest worker visas.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/5/13/112653/285 | title = Quick Guide to Kennedy-McCain Immigration Bill | date = ] | first = Crystal | last = Patterson | publisher = ] | accessdate = 2006-08-15 }}</ref>
|-valign="top"
|Obama supports a ].<ref>, ] ]. Retrieved on ] ]</ref> Obama has said that he "will not support any bill that does not provide earned path to citizenship for the undocumented population."
| colspan="2" width="50%" |John McCain said that it was critical to avoid further confrontation between Russian and Georgian forces. McCain wanted to work with the EU and the ] to pressure Russia to withdraw from all sovereign Georgian territory.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.johnmccain.com/mccainreport/Read.aspx?guid=d33859f1-7f2e-4eef-8ce0-c2f3eb9aa05a |title=Archived copy |access-date=September 27, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080927001218/http://www.johnmccain.com/mccainreport/Read.aspx?guid=d33859f1-7f2e-4eef-8ce0-c2f3eb9aa05a |archive-date=September 27, 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| colspan="2" width="50%" |
|- |-
! Chuck Baldwin
!Stem Cell Research
! Bob Barr
|McCain is a member of The ] and supports ] research despite his earlier opposition.<ref>{{cite news | title = GOP hopefuls getting more time to weigh stem-cell vote | date = ] | first = Jonathan | last = Allen | url = http://www.hillnews.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Frontpage/102505/stemcells.html|publisher = ] | accessdate = 2006-08-15 }}</ref> He states that he believes that stem cell research, and indeed embryonic stem cell research, will continue whether or not the U.S. sanctions it, and so it would be the wisest course of action to support it to the extent that the United States will be able to regulate and monitor the use.
! Cynthia McKinney
|Obama supports ] and was a co-sponsor<ref>, Barack Obama, U.S. Senator for Illinois</ref> of the 2005 ] which was passed by both houses of Congress but vetoed by President George W. Bush.
! Ralph Nader
|-valign="top"
|&nbsp;
|
|
|
|}

===United Nations===
{{further-text|United Nations|]}}

{|class="wikitable"
|- |-
! colspan="2" |John McCain
!Education
! colspan="2" |Barack Obama
|McCain supports the use of ].<ref name="oti-eduction">{{cite web | url=http://www.ontheissues.org/2008/John_McCain_Education.htm | title=John McCain on Education | publisher=On the Issues | accessdate=2008-04-19}}</ref> In 2006 he said, "Should be taught as a science class? Probably not."<ref name="abc022207">{{cite news | url=http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=2897153 | title=McCain Speech Tied to Intelligent Design Group Draws Fire | author=] | publisher=] | date=2007-02-22 | accessdate=2008-04-18}}</ref>On July 29, 2007, McCain voted against increasing federal student loans and Pell grants and expanding eligibility for financial aid.<ref></ref><ref></ref>
|-valign="top"
|During an October 2004 debate, Obama stated that he opposed ]s for use at ]s because he believes they would undermine public schools.<ref>, ], October 27, 2004. Archived at the www-news.uchicago.edu website. Retrieved on January 31, 2008.</ref>
| colspan="2" width="50%" |John McCain stated that the oil-for-food scandal and perennial failure to uphold Human Rights had demonstrated a "crying need for reform" in the UN.
| colspan="2" width="50%" |
|-
! Chuck Baldwin
! Bob Barr
! Cynthia McKinney
! Ralph Nader
|-valign="top"
|Baldwin would withdraw the US from the United Nations, perceiving it to be a threat to American sovereignty.<ref name="CB-IfIWerePres" />
|Barr calls the United Nations "an enormous disappointment" and asserts that "he U.S. should push to roll back the UN's functions and slash America's financial contribution".<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.bobbarr2008.com/press/press-releases/37/bob-barr-says-us-must-cut-united-nations-role-and-budget/ |title=Bob Barr Says U.S. Must Cut United Nations Role and Budget |access-date=August 30, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080904100555/http://www.bobbarr2008.com/press/press-releases/37/bob-barr-says-us-must-cut-united-nations-role-and-budget/ |archive-date=September 4, 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|
|
|}


==Energy and environmental issues==
In a July 2007 address to the ], Obama supported ] for teachers, to be based on standards to be developed "with teachers."<ref name="msnbc nea">{{cite web

===The environment===
{{further|Environmental issues in the United States}}
{|class="wikitable"
|-
! colspan="2" |John McCain
! colspan="2" |Barack Obama
|-valign="top"
| colspan="2" width="50%" |McCain's stances on ] and other environmental issues have often put him at odds with the Bush administration and other Republicans. For example, he has generally opposed drilling in the ].<ref>{{cite magazine | url=http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2007/02/mccain200702 | title=Prisoner of Conscience | author=] |magazine=Vanity Fair | date=February 2007 | access-date=2008-01-04}}</ref> According to the League of Conservation Voters' 2006 National Environmental Scorecard, McCain took an "anti-environment" stance on four of seven environmental resolutions during the second session of the 109th congress. The four resolutions dealt with issues such as ], an Arctic national wildlife refuge, low-income energy assistance, and environmental funding.<ref> {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061101211219/http://www.lcv.org/images/client/pdfs/LCV_2006_Scorecard_final.pdf |date=November 1, 2006 }} Accessed May 6, 2008</ref> McCain's measures to lower auto emissions include higher fines for not complying with CAFE standards, calling for a level playing field for all alcohol-based biofuels, issuing a Clean Car Challenge to automakers (a US$5,000 tax credit for each and every customer who buys a zero-emissions car) and awarding a substantial prize to the auto company that develops a next-generation car battery.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.planetark.com/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/48983/story.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081202050158/http://www.planetark.com/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/48983/story.htm|url-status=usurped|archive-date=December 2, 2008|title=Planet Ark : FACTBOX-McCain Pushes Measures to Lower Auto Emissions<!-- Bot generated title -->}}</ref>
| colspan="2" width="50%" |Obama has a 'New Energy for America' plan and he has pledged to cut ] 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050 by forcing a market-based ] system,<ref name="barackobama1">{{cite web|url=http://www.barackobama.com/pdf/factsheet_energy_speech_080308.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2010-05-03 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081017172925/http://www.barackobama.com/pdf/factsheet_energy_speech_080308.pdf |archive-date=October 17, 2008 |df=mdy }}</ref> recommitting federal resources to ] and ] (incentives to plant trees, restore grasslands or undertake farming practices). Obama also has plans for improving air and water quality through reduced carbon emissions.<ref name="barackobama2">{{Cite web |url=http://www.barackobama.com/issues/pdf/EnvironmentFactSheet.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=August 25, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080821091210/http://www.barackobama.com/issues/pdf/EnvironmentFactSheet.pdf |archive-date=August 21, 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Obama worked as a member of the ] during the 109th Congress.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://obama.senate.gov/issues/environment/ |title=Environment &#124; U.S. Senator Barack Obama |access-date=2009-12-05 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081225012036/http://obama.senate.gov/issues/environment/ |archive-date=December 25, 2008 |df=mdy }} Accessed May 6, 2008</ref> At least 30 percent of federal government's electricity would come from ] by 2020.<ref name="barackobama2"/> Also, he wants to create a 'Global Energy Forum' of the largest energy consuming nations (]+5). The ] has given Obama the highest lifetime rating of anyone currently running for president.<ref>http://enviros.barackobama.com/page/content/enviroshome {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080828032335/http://enviros.barackobama.com/page/content/enviroshome |date=August 28, 2008 }} Environmentalists for Obama website</ref>
|-
! colspan="2" |Bob Barr
! colspan="2" |Cynthia McKinney
|-valign="top"
| colspan="2" width="50%" |Barr pledges to eliminate restrictions that inhibit energy production, as well as all special privileges for the production of politically favored fuels, such as ethanol; supports the exploration and production of America's abundant domestic resources, including oil in the Outer Continental Shelf and Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and alternative sources such as ], which would lower costs to the consumer and assure more adequate and consistent supplies.<ref name="bobbarr2">{{Cite web |url=http://www.bobbarr2008.com/issues/energy-policy/ |title=Bob Barr 2008 › Issues › Energy Policy |access-date=August 15, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080905015421/https://www.bobbarr2008.com/issues/energy-policy/ |archive-date=September 5, 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| colspan="2" width="50%" |McKinney plans to create a cap on production and consumption as well as add organic farming, sustainability, and GM to the current Farm Bill. She also plans to assess toxic levels after ] and ]. She voted yes on further ] funding and no on changing the ]. She also voted down a bill that allowed commercial logging on public land.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ontheissues.org/2008/Cynthia_McKinney_Environment.htm|title=Cynthia McKinney on Environment|website=ontheissues.org}}</ref>
|-
! colspan="2" |Ralph Nader
! colspan="2" |Chuck Baldwin
|-valign="top"
| colspan="2" width="50%" |Nader is credited with helping the ] (1970) and ] (1974).<ref name=pbsunreasonable/> He was one of the first public figures to advocate ] during the 1970s.<ref name=naderenvironmentenergy>{{cite news | first= Amanda Griscom| last=Little| title= Nader on the Record: An interview with Ralph Nader about his presidential platform on energy and the environment | date= March 19, 2008| url = http://grist.org/feature/2008/03/19/nader/ | access-date = 2008-06-07 }}</ref> Nader supports mandatory standards for recycling and ], especially in areas of government control.<ref name="naderyoutube">{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzUrUNhIj4c | title=The YouTube Interview: Ralph Nader (Video) | date=May 13, 2008 | publisher=YouTube | access-date=2008-06-07}}</ref>
|}

===Energy===
{{further|Energy in the United States}}

{|class="wikitable"
|-
! colspan="2" |John McCain
! colspan="2" |Barack Obama
|-valign="top"
| colspan="2" width="50%" |McCain gave a major speech on his energy policy at the ]. He connected energy independence with national security, climate change, and the environment.<ref>, April 23, 2007</ref><ref>, NBC News, April 23, 2007</ref> McCain proposed increasing ethanol imports{{Citation needed|date=October 2008}} and moving from exploration to production of ] electric vehicles. He said that US dependence on foreign oil is "a major strategic vulnerability, a serious threat to our security, our economy and the well being of our planet." He is co-sponsor of a Senate ] bill designed to limit greenhouse gas emissions,<ref> {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080918050636/http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d108:SN00139: |date=September 18, 2008 }} Library of Congress</ref> and is seen as a bipartisan leader on the issue.
McCain supports the increased use of ] in the US and reduce ] to produce electricity. He has promoted the expanded use of nuclear power, calling for 45 new nuclear reactors to be built by 2030.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.planetark.com/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/48898/story.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080620101752/http://www.planetark.com/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/48898/story.htm|url-status=usurped|archive-date=June 20, 2008|title=Planet Ark : McCain Says Wants 45 New Nuclear Reactors by 2030}}</ref>
| colspan="2" width="50%" |Obama has presented a 'New Energy for America' plan to achieve a ], subsidizing 5 million new ]s.<ref name="barackobama1"/> He proposes $150&nbsp;billion over 10 years to accelerate the commercialization of ]s, promote development of ] (establishing a 100% federal ] to require that 10 percent of electricity be derived from renewable sources by 2012 and 25% in 2025<ref name="barackobama2"/>), encourage ], advance the next generation of ]s (requiring {{convert|60|e9USgal|m3}} by 2030) and fuel infrastructure, and begin transition to a new ] (smart metering, ], ] and electricity storage systems).<ref name="barackobama1"/> He also plans to reduce overall U.S. ] by at least 35%, or {{convert|10|Moilbbl|m3}} per day, by 2030 to offset imports from ] nations.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.barackobama.com/issues/energy/ |title=Barack Obama {{!}} Change We Can Believe In {{!}} Energy |access-date=June 22, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071212191949/http://www.barackobama.com/issues/energy/ |archive-date=December 12, 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>, BostonHerald.com</ref> Obama and other senators introduced the ] in 2006. Regarding the domestic use of ], Obama declared himself flatly opposed to building a nuclear waste repository in Nevada and has called for the facility's closure.<ref> {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081007083419/http://www.sacbee.com/111/story/464098.html |date=October 7, 2008 }}</ref> However, Obama voted for the ], which allocated $4.3&nbsp;billion in tax credits to the nuclear energy sector.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1091/vote_109_1_00213.htm?congress=109&session=1&vote=00213|title=U.S. Senate: U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 109th Congress - 1st Session|website=www.senate.gov}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/109-2005/s158|title=H.R. 6 (109th): Energy Policy Act of 2005 -- Senate Vote #158 -- Jun 28, 2005|website=GovTrack.us}}</ref> Obama and other senators introduced a bill in 2007 to promote the development of commercially viable ] and other electric-drive vehicles in order to shift away from petroleum fuels and "toward much cleaner – and cheaper – electricity for transportation".<ref>{{cite news | title=HATCH, CANTWELL, OBAMA INTRODUCE PLAN TO PROMOTE PLUG-IN HYBRIDS | url=http://hatch.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=PressReleases.Detail&PressRelease_id=1827 | access-date=2007-12-15 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071222100413/http://hatch.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=PressReleases.Detail&PressRelease_id=1827 | archive-date=December 22, 2007 | url-status=dead }}</ref> In his plan, related with transportation, he proposes increase ]s 4 percent per each year, specific focus on R&D in advanced battery technology and a $7,000 ] for the purchase of advanced technology vehicles as well as conversion tax credits and $4&nbsp;billion retooling tax credits and loan guarantees for domestic auto plants and parts manufacturers; the entire White House fleet would be converted to plug-ins and half of cars purchased by the federal government will be plug-in (hybrids or all-electric) vehicles by 2012.<ref name="barackobama1"/>
|-
! Chuck Baldwin
! Bob Barr
! Cynthia McKinney
! Ralph Nader
|-valign="top"
|Would dissolve the ]. Believes in American energy independence by repealing prohibitions on domestic oil drilling, oil refineries, and nuclear plants.<ref name="CB-IfIWerePres" />
|Says the ] needs to be the foundation of the United States' energy policy. Supports drilling in the ].<ref name="BB-Issues-Energy_Policy">{{cite web|title=Bob Barr on: Energy Policy|url=http://www.bobbarr2008.com/issues/energy-policy/|access-date=August 15, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080905015421/https://www.bobbarr2008.com/issues/energy-policy/|archive-date=September 5, 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|McKinney wants to leave ]n oil in the ground, declare the U.S. carbon-free and ]-free, and implement the ]. She has voted no on scheduling permitting for new oil refineries and authorizing construction of new oil refineries. She has voted yes on keeping moratorium on drilling for oil offshore, raising CAFE standards; incentives for alternative fuels, prohibiting oil drilling development in ANWR, and starting implementation of Kyoto Protocol.<ref name="Cynthia McKinney on the issues">{{Cite web|url=https://www.ontheissues.org/Cynthia_McKinney.htm|title=Cynthia McKinney on the Issues|website=www.ontheissues.org}}</ref>
|Nader is a strong supporter of ] and wants to end government subsidies for the fossil fuel and nuclear energy industries.<ref name=naderyoutube/> He says "technologies are way ahead of the political framework" and envisions a "massive conversion from a hydrocarbon-based economy to a carbohydrate-based economy" within 20 to 25 years.<ref name=naderenvironmentenergy/><ref name=naderyoutube/> He opposes ] "which has a very poor net energy and water-usage characteristic" in favor of ].<ref name=naderenvironmentenergy/> He says that ] programs "can be easily manipulated" and wants to tax inefficient technology and pollution at the production source.<ref name=naderenvironmentenergy/>
|}

==Domestic issues==

===Judiciary===
{{further|Courts of the United States|Supreme Court of the United States}}

{|class="wikitable"
|-
! colspan="2" |John McCain
! colspan="2" |Barack Obama
|-valign="top"
| colspan="2" width="50%" |John McCain voted for the appointment of Justice ]. McCain favors a more Constructionist standpoint and says he would work to safeguard against ].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/Issues/b8529d0e-381e-4a29-9c39-6a57c7e182c9.htm |title=Archived copy |access-date=September 28, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080925010726/http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/Issues/b8529d0e-381e-4a29-9c39-6a57c7e182c9.htm |archive-date=September 25, 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| colspan="2" width="50%" |Barack Obama was 1 of 22 senators to vote against the appointment of Justice ].
|-
! Chuck Baldwin
! Bob Barr
! Cynthia McKinney
! Ralph Nader
|-valign="top"
|&nbsp;
|
|
|
|}

===Same-sex marriage===

{|class="wikitable"
|-
! colspan="2" |John McCain
! colspan="2" |Barack Obama
|-valign="top"
| colspan="2" width="50%" |In 2004, McCain voted against the ], arguing that each state should be able to choose whether to recognize ]s.<ref> {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061114104352/http://mccain.senate.gov/press_office/view_article.cfm?id=246 |date=November 14, 2006 }}, McCain Senate website, July 13, 2004, accessed November 18, 2006]</ref><ref> {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070304032642/http://mccain.senate.gov/press_office/view_article.cfm?ID=34 |date=March 4, 2007 }}</ref> He supported the ].<ref>{{cite news | url = http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/0826initiatives26.html | title = Gay-marriage ban initiative wins support from McCain | date = 2005-08-26 | access-date = 2006-11-18 | first = Elvia | last = Díaz |publisher=] }}</ref>
| colspan="2" width="50%" |Obama voted against the ] which would have defined marriage as between one man and one woman, but personally believes that marriage is a religious bond between a man and a woman. He supports ]s for ] which would be same-sex marriage in all but name, but believes that decisions about the name marriage should be left to the states.<ref> {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081020150159/http://obama.senate.gov/press/060607-obama_statement_on_vote_against_constitutional_amendment_to_ban_gay_marriage/index.html |date=October 20, 2008 }} ''Barack Obama: US Senator for Illinois'' (Accessed March 2, 2007)</ref><ref>Philip Elliott. {{Dead link|date=December 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}. Associated Press, printed in ''Rockford Register Star'', February 13, 2007. (Accessed March 2, 2007)</ref><ref>{{cite news | title = CNN/YouTube debate transcript |publisher=CNN| url = http://politics.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=04/10/13/1657237 | access-date = 2008-06-07 | date= October 13, 2004 }}</ref>
|-
! Chuck Baldwin
! Bob Barr
! Cynthia McKinney
! Ralph Nader
|-valign="top"
|Baldwin believes marriage is between a man and a woman and supports the DOMA.{{cn|date=September 2022}}
|Barr opposes any federal definition of marriage, whether by statute or ]. He believes the states should be free to determine what constitutes marriage.<ref name="BB-Issues-Marriage">{{cite web|title=Bob Barr on: Marriage|url=http://www.bobbarr2008.com/issues/marriage/|access-date=August 15, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080815201909/http://www.bobbarr2008.com/issues/marriage/|archive-date=August 15, 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|Supports homosexual adoption and has a ] 80 rating on gay rights issues.<ref name="Social Security"/>
|Nader opposes ] and the military's ] policy. He says, "We've got to get rid of this discrimination, this chilling, this bigotry toward gays and lesbians that are reflected in literally hundreds and hundreds of statutes and regulations in this country."<ref name=naderdean>{{cite news | first= Mara | last=Liasson| title= Dean, Nader Debate Role of Third Parties | date= July 9, 2004| url = https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=3262027 | access-date = 2008-06-07 }}</ref>
|}

===Abortion===
{{See also|Roe v. Wade|Abortion in the United States}}

{|class="wikitable"
|-
! colspan="2" |John McCain
! colspan="2" |Barack Obama
|-valign="top"
| colspan="2" width="50%" |On February 18, 2007, John McCain stated, "I do not support Roe versus Wade. It should be overturned."<ref> "The Associated Press" February 18, 2007</ref> McCain believes that Roe v. Wade should be overturned and that the issue of abortion should be returned to the states.
| colspan="2" width="50%" |In his write-in response to a 1998 survey, Obama stated his abortion position as: "Abortions should be legally available in accordance with '']''."<ref>Obama, Barack. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080111222341/http://www.vote-smart.org/npat.php?old=true&can_id=BS030017&npatform_id=69#0 |date=January 11, 2008 }}, Project Vote Smart. Retrieved on 2007-01-21.</ref> While serving in the ], Obama voted against bills that included ] bans. In the presidential debate of October 16, 2008, he argued that partial birth abortions were already illegal, and he does not support the practice in accordance with Illinois law.{{Citation needed|date=October 2008}} He has received a 100 percent rating from the Illinois ] Council<ref>''Project Vote Smart''. </ref>
|-
! Chuck Baldwin
! Bob Barr
! Cynthia McKinney
! Ralph Nader
|-valign="top"
|Baldwin would encourage Congress to pass ]'s Sanctity of Life Act. Would deny federal funds to abortion clinics.<ref name="CB-IfIWerePres" />
|
|McKinney supports full reproductive rights for women, including safe access to comprehensive prenatal and postnatal/infant care; family planning services and contraception, including "morning after" medication; and abortion. She rejects forced, coerced, or uninformed medication and sterilization, and supports ].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://votetruth08.com/index.php/resources/campaignplatform |title=Campaign Platform |access-date=September 26, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080924204633/http://votetruth08.com/index.php/resources/campaignplatform |archive-date=September 24, 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|Nader is opposed to legal restrictions on abortion, "I don't think government has the proper role in forcing a woman to have a child or forcing a woman not to have a child... This is something that should be privately decided with the family, woman, all the other private factors of it, but we should work toward preventing the necessity of abortion."<ref name=naderabortion>{{cite news | first= Tim | last= Russert | title= Transcript: Ralph Nader on 'Meet The Press' | date= May 7, 2000 | url= http://www.commondreams.org/headlines/050800-03.htm | access-date= 2008-06-08 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080824051921/http://www.commondreams.org/headlines/050800-03.htm | archive-date= August 24, 2008 | url-status= dead }}</ref>
|}

===Gun control===
{{further|Gun politics in the United States}}

{|class="wikitable"
|-
! colspan="2" |John McCain
! colspan="2" |Barack Obama
|-valign="top"
| colspan="2" width="50%" |John McCain believes that the ] is a fundamental, individual Constitutional right. In the past he has voted to protect gun manufacturers from attempts to make them liable for crimes committed by third parties. McCain opposes restrictions on assault rifles and has voted against such bans. He has supported legislation requiring gun manufacturers to include gun safety devices such as ]s in product packaging. He cosponsored legislation to lift the ]. McCain opposed "waiting periods" for the purchase of firearms.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/Issues/77636553-6337-4ecd-b170-49e1c07d2fbd.htm |title=Archived copy |access-date=September 12, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080911233229/http://www.johnmccain.com/informing/issues/77636553-6337-4ecd-b170-49e1c07d2fbd.htm |archive-date=September 11, 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref> McCain also voted against the 1993 ] to restrict the availability of handguns.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1031/vote_103_1_00394.htm?congress=103&session=1&vote=00394|title=U.S. Senate: U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 103rd Congress - 1st Session|website=www.senate.gov}}</ref>
| colspan="2" width="50%" |During a February 15, 2008 press conference, Obama stated, "I think there is an individual right to bear arms, but it's subject to commonsense regulation."{{citation needed|date=September 2018}} He supports the right of local municipalities to determine gun laws.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.ontheissues.org/Gun_Control.htm| title = Gun Control: 2020 contenders' views}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.ontheissues.org/2008/barack_obama_gun_control.htm| title = Barack Obama on Gun Control}}</ref> Obama has also stated that he will work to reintroduce the expired ] and to make it permanent.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.foxnews.com/story/obama-calls-for-permanent-assault-weapons-ban-to-combat-inner-city-violence |publisher=Fox News | title=Obama Calls for Permanent Assault Weapons Ban to Combat Inner-City Violence | date=2007-07-15}}</ref> In Illinois, he backed changes to state law that included a ban on assault weapons sales and limiting handgun sales to one a month. In Congress, he voted to leave gun-makers and dealers open to lawsuits for actions committed by third parties.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.ontheissues.org/domestic/Barack_Obama_Gun_Control.htm| title = Barack Obama on Gun Control}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.issues2002.org/Celeb/Barack_Obama_Gun_Control.htm|title="Barack Obama on Gun Control"}}</ref> Obama has proposed outlawing types of ammunition.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/issues/issues.gun.html |publisher=CNN | title=Gun control: Election Center 2008 | access-date=2010-04-30}}</ref>
|-
! Chuck Baldwin
! Bob Barr
! Cynthia McKinney
! Ralph Nader
|-valign="top"
|Supports the ] as an individual right.<ref name="CB-IfIWerePres" />
|Supports the ] as an individual right. "I oppose any law requiring registration of, or restricting the ownership, manufacture, or transfer or sale of firearms or ammunition to law-abiding citizens."<ref name="BB-Issues-Second_Amendment">{{cite web|title=Bob Barr on: the Second Amendment|url=http://www.bobbarr2008.com/issues/second-amendment/|access-date=August 15, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080815144334/http://www.bobbarr2008.com/issues/second-amendment/|archive-date=August 15, 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|
|
|}

=== Death penalty ===
{{further|Capital punishment in the United States}}
{|class="wikitable"
|-
! colspan="2" |John McCain
! colspan="2" |Barack Obama
|-valign="top"
| colspan="2" width="50%" |McCain indicated that he supported the use of the death penalty, mandatory prison terms for selling illegal drugs, and stronger restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns.<ref> VoteSmart.org</ref><ref> VoteSmart.org</ref><ref> VoteSmart.org</ref> McCain is a proponent of ] in general.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.politicalbase.com/issues/mandatory-sentencing/34/ | title=Mandatory Sentencing | publisher=Political Base | access-date=2008-04-19}}</ref>
| colspan="2" width="50%" |Obama favors the death penalty for cases in which "the community is justified in expressing the full measure of its outrage."<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://pewforum.org/religion08/compare.php?Issue=Death_Penalty|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080704020036/http://pewforum.org/religion08/compare.php?Issue=Death_Penalty|url-status=dead|title=Religion and Politics 2008: Death Penalty Profile<!-- Bot generated title -->|archivedate=July 4, 2008}}</ref> On June 25, 2008, Obama condemned ] decision '']'', which outlawed the death penalty for a child rapist when the victim was not killed. He said that states have the right to consider capital punishment, but cited concern about the possibility of unfairness in some sentences.<ref>, ABC News</ref>
|-
! Chuck Baldwin
! Bob Barr
! Cynthia McKinney
! Ralph Nader
|-valign="top"
|&nbsp;
|
|It is the main focus of McKinney's stance on crime that capital punishment should be replaced with ]. She has voted against bills that would make death penalty appeals harder and the prosecution and sentencing of ]. She has voted in favor of bills that would keep ] rights in death penalty appeals, as well as in favor of bills to replace the death penalty and finding alternative sentences to capital punishment. She also supports stronger sentencing for ].<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.ontheissues.org/Cynthia_McKinney.htm| title = Cynthia McKinney on the Issues}}</ref>
|
|}

===Immigration===
{{further|Immigration to the United States}}

{|class="wikitable"
|-
! colspan="2" |John McCain
! colspan="2" |Barack Obama
|-valign="top"
| colspan="2" width="50%" |McCain promoted the legislation and eventually the granting of citizenship to the estimated 12–20&nbsp;million illegal aliens in the United States and the creation of an additional ] with an option for permanent immigration. In his bid for the 2000 presidential nomination, McCain supported expansion of the ] program, a temporary visa for skilled workers.<ref> August 19, 1999</ref> In 2005, he co-sponsored a bill with ] that would expand use of guest worker visas.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/5/13/112653/285 | title = Quick Guide to Kennedy-McCain Immigration Bill | date = 2005-03-15 | first = Crystal | last = Patterson | publisher=] | access-date = 2006-08-15 }}</ref>
| colspan="2" width="50%" |Obama's plan: 1) Improve border security; 2) Crack down on employers who hire illegal immigrants; 3) Enable immigrants in the country illegally to voluntarily pay a fine, learn English, and get in line for legal citizenship; 4) Fix the immigration bureaucracy; and 5) Provide additional economic assistance to Mexico.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.barackobama.com/issues/immigration/|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130728195434/http://www.barackobama.com/issues/immigration/|url-status=dead|title=Obama website|archivedate=July 28, 2013}}</ref> Obama also supports issuing driver's licenses to illegal immigrants to prevent unlicensed drivers from creating a public safety hazard.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/01/28/MNH1UL57Q.DTL | title=Obama takes big risk on driver's license issue | first=Carolyn | last=Lochhead | date=2008-01-28 | work=The San Francisco Chronicle}}</ref>
|-
! Chuck Baldwin
! Bob Barr
! Cynthia McKinney
! Ralph Nader
|-valign="top"
|Baldwin would enforce visa rules, and does not support a "path to citizenship"/amnesty for aliens currently residing in the US illegally. Employers who knowingly hire illegals would be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Would end "birthright citizenship", and thus end the problem of "]". No federal monies would be used for any services to illegal aliens.<ref name="CB-IfIWerePres" />
|Supports better border security to crack down on illegal immigration while also supporting reforms that will "sharply increase" legal immigration. Supports ending birthright citizenship and ending government benefits and services for illegal immigrants.<ref name="BB-Issues-Immigration">{{cite web|title=Bob Barr on: Border Security and Immigration|url=http://www.bobbarr2008.com/issues/border-security-immigration/|access-date=August 15, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080815160702/http://www.bobbarr2008.com/issues/border-security-immigration/|archive-date=August 15, 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|McKinney believes the wave of new immigration is a result of economic policies and agreements (e.g., NAFTA) that impoverish people and drive them across borders. She opposes the guest-worker program as riddled with abuses, and support human rights protections and amnesty for immigrants in the country illegally, an end to raids, and tearing down the border wall.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.gp.org/press/pr-national.php?ID=95 |title=2008-08-27 McKinney/Clemente and Obama/Biden compared on health care, labor, the economy |access-date=October 12, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081009003216/http://www.gp.org/press/pr-national.php?ID=95 |archive-date=October 9, 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|Nader does not support ]s, which he says will create a "cheap-wage policy" for businesses.<ref name=naderbuchanan>{{cite news | first= Buchanan | last= Pat| title= The long-time progressive makes a pitch for the disenfranchised Right | date= June 21, 2004 | url = http://www.amconmag.com/2004_06_21/cover.html | access-date = 2008-06-08 }}</ref> He supports giving illegal workers, who have their taxes withheld, the same labor standards and benefits as American workers.<ref name="naderimmigration">{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYnQjDlCeXU | title=Ralph Nader on Immigration (Video) | date=March 9, 2008 | publisher=YouTube | access-date=2008-06-08}}</ref> He says the government should "crack down" on employers and stop "]ing" Third World countries with ].<ref name=naderimmigration/>
|}

===Racial justice===

{|class="wikitable"
|-
! colspan="2" |John McCain
! colspan="2" |Barack Obama
|-valign="top"
| colspan="2" width="50%" |Members of the McCain camp have pointed out that George Bush signed a federal directive in 2001 that outlawed ] and ordered the Attorney General to look into the matter.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/13/wall.bush-obama/index.html?iref=newssearch |publisher=CNN | title=Commentary: Obama and Bush are not so far apart | date=2008-10-13 | access-date=2010-04-30}}</ref>
| colspan="2" width="50%" |Obama wants to eliminate ] by federal law enforcement agencies.<ref> {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081008231904/http://origin.barackobama.com/issues/civil_rights/#racial-profiling |date=October 8, 2008 }}, Barack Obama, U.S. Senator for Illinois</ref> As state senator in Illinois, Obama helped bring about passage of the state's first racial-profiling law.<ref>Scott, Janny. "," '']'', July 30, 2007.</ref> In October 2007, he asked Attorney General-Designate, Judge Michael Mukasey, to end the practice.<ref>Brundage, Amy. " {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081014031838/http://obama.senate.gov/press/071017-obama_calls_on_18/ |date=October 14, 2008 }}," October 17, 2007.</ref>
|-
! Chuck Baldwin
! Bob Barr
! Cynthia McKinney
! Ralph Nader
|-valign="top"
|
|
|McKinney supports comprehensive federal investment in low-come families and communities, with an emphasis on people of color, to eliminate racial and other disparities in education, healthcare, imprisonment, family income, wealth, home ownership. She supports a moratorium on foreclosures, and end to the privatization of prisons. Hurricanes Katrina and Rita survivors should be recognized as Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs); she supports protecting their right of return, including their right to vote in their home states, and reparations for the losses they incurred due to government abandonment and negligence. She calls for an end to the "War on Drugs," which justifies foreign military intervention and assaults civil liberties; mandatory minimum drug sentences should be ended, and the budget should focus on treatment and prevention.<ref name="GP" />
|
|}

===Federal funding for embryonic stem cell research===
{{further|Stem cell controversy}}

{|class="wikitable"
|-
! colspan="2" |John McCain
! colspan="2" |Barack Obama
|-valign="top"
| colspan="2" width="50%" |McCain is a member of The ] and supports ] research despite his earlier opposition.<ref>{{cite news | title = GOP hopefuls getting more time to weigh stem-cell vote | date = 2005-10-25 | first = Jonathan | last = Allen | url = http://www.hillnews.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Frontpage/102505/stemcells.html|work=] | access-date = 2006-08-15 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060420055356/http://www.hillnews.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Frontpage/102505/stemcells.html <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date = 2006-04-20}}</ref> He states that he believes that stem cell research, and indeed embryonic stem cell research, will continue whether or not the U.S. sanctions it, and so it would be the wisest course of action to support it to the extent that the United States will be able to regulate and monitor the use.{{Citation needed|date=June 2008}}
| colspan="2" width="50%" |Obama supports federal funding for ] and was a co-sponsor<ref> {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081219230237/http://obama.senate.gov/speech/060717-statement_of_su/index.php |date=December 19, 2008 }}, Barack Obama, U.S. Senator for Illinois</ref> of the 2005 ] which was passed by both houses of Congress but vetoed by President George W. Bush.{{Citation needed|date=July 2008}}
|-
! Chuck Baldwin
! Bob Barr
! Cynthia McKinney
! Ralph Nader
|-valign="top"
|
|
|
|Nader supports ]. Through his ], he seeks to ensure that research conducted with public money is freely available to the public, and not held back by corporate and university patents.<ref name=naderquestionairre/>
|}

===Education===
{{further|Education in the United States|No Child Left Behind}}

{|class="wikitable"
|-
! colspan="2" |John McCain
! colspan="2" |Barack Obama
|-valign="top"
| colspan="2" width="50%" |McCain supports the use of ].<ref name="oti-eduction">{{cite web | url=http://www.ontheissues.org/2008/John_McCain_Education.htm | title=John McCain on Education | publisher=On the Issues | access-date=2008-04-19}}</ref> In 2006 he said, "Should ] be taught as a science class? Probably not."<ref name="abc022207">{{cite news | url=https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=2897153 | title=McCain Speech Tied to Intelligent Design Group Draws Fire | author=] | work=] | date=2007-02-22 | access-date=2008-04-18}}</ref> On July 29, 2007, McCain voted against increasing federal student loans and Pell grants and expanding eligibility for financial aid.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1101/vote_110_1_00272.htm?congress=110&session=1&vote=00272|title=U.S. Senate: U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 110th Congress - 1st Session|website=www.senate.gov}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.nasfaa.org/publications/2007/ccrasummary.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080515023256/http://www.nasfaa.org/publications/2007/ccrasummary.html|url-status=dead|title=Initial Summary Of The College Cost Reduction Act<!-- Bot generated title -->|archivedate=May 15, 2008}}</ref>
| colspan="2" width="50%" |During an October 2004 debate, Obama stated that he opposed ]s for use at private schools because he believes they would undermine public schools.<ref>, ], October 27, 2004. Archived at the www-news.uchicago.edu website. Retrieved on January 31, 2008.</ref><ref>{{cite web
| last = Appelbaum | last = Appelbaum
| first = Lauren | first = Lauren
| title = Obama Calls For Merit Pay | title = Obama Calls For Merit Pay
| publisher = ] | publisher=]
| date = 2007-07-05 | date = 2007-07-05
| url = http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/07/05/259258.aspx | url = http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/07/05/259258.aspx
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070804034647/http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/07/05/259258.aspx
| accessdate = 2007-08-02 }}
| url-status = dead
</ref> Obama also called for higher pay for teachers.<ref name="msnbc nea"/>
| archive-date = 2007-08-04
| access-date = 2007-08-02 }}</ref>
|-
! Chuck Baldwin
! Bob Barr
! Cynthia McKinney
! Ralph Nader
|-valign="top"
|Baldwin would support homeschoolers and disband the ].<ref name="CB-IfIWerePres" />
|Would abolish the ] and eliminate federal grants and regulation; also opposes ]. Believes that education should return to the local level. Supports state-level tax credits to parents who use private education or homeschool. "Ultimately, education will best serve the children of America if it occurs within a competitive private system rather than a government system."<ref name="BB-Issues-Education_and_Home_Schooling">{{cite web|title=Bob Barr on: Education and Home Schooling|url=http://www.bobbarr2008.com/issues/education-home-schooling/|access-date=August 15, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080815201836/http://www.bobbarr2008.com/issues/education-home-schooling/|archive-date=August 15, 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|Has often stated that it is wrong ] receives $38&nbsp;billion annually while ] receives $700&nbsp;billion annually. She also believes reforms like ] hurt the education system, and that free higher education and better ] is what will improve school systems throughout the nation. She also voted yes on a substitute bill to lower ] ] rates and increase ] and Hispanic college quality and quantity. She voted yes on a bill for state-testing and voted no on bills to allow vouchers in the District of Columbia, allowing vouchers in private schools and ], and no on a bill that would only give federal aid to schools that allowed ].<ref>{{cite web| url = http://ontheissues.org/2008/Cynthia_McKinney_Education.htm| title = Cynthia McKinney on Education}}</ref>
|
|} |}


==Sources== ===Patriot Act===
{{further|USA PATRIOT Act}}
{{reflist|2}}

{|class="wikitable"
|-
! colspan="2" |John McCain
! colspan="2" |Barack Obama
|-valign="top"
| colspan="2" width="50%" |McCain voted to extend the wiretap provision in the USA PATRIOT Act. He also voted to reauthorize the USA PATRIOT Act in 2006.<ref>{{Cite web
| last = On The Issues
| title = John McCain on the Issues
| url = http://www.ontheissues.org/john_mccain.htm
| access-date = 2008-05-14}}.</ref>
| colspan="2" width="50%" |Obama called for the repeal of the USA PATRIOT Act in 2003.<ref>{{cite news
| last = Garrett
| first = Major
| title = Clinton Camp Points to Questionnaires From Barack Obama's Past to Stress Inconsistency
| date = 2007-12-12
| url = https://www.foxnews.com/story/clinton-camp-points-to-questionnaires-from-barack-obamas-past-to-stress-inconsistency
| access-date = 2008-05-14
|publisher=Fox News}}.</ref> He voted for the reauthorization of the USA PATRIOT Act in 2006.<ref>{{cite news
| last = Project Vote Smart
| title = Senator Barack H. Obama Jr. (IL)
| url = http://www.votesmart.org/voting_category.php?can_id=BS030017
| access-date = 2008-05-14}}.</ref> He supported recent ] legislation giving telecommunications corporations immunity for cooperating with ].<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0608/11349.html| title = Netroots jilted by Obama FISA stand - POLITICO| website = ]| date = June 25, 2008}}</ref>
|-
! Chuck Baldwin
! Bob Barr
! Cynthia McKinney
! Ralph Nader
|-valign="top"
|
|During the ], Barr said of USA PATRIOT Act: "I'd drive a stake through its heart, shoot it, burn it, cut off its head, burn it again, and scatter its ashes to the four corners of the world."<ref name="BB-YouTube-Patriot_Act-Libertarian_Debate">{{cite web|title=Bob Barr on the Patriot Act May 24, 2008|website = ]|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfLVJrryf9Q}}</ref>
|McKinney calls for the repeal of the Patriot Act.<ref name="Cynthia McKinney on the issues"/>
|Nader has called for the repeal of the USA PATRIOT Act. He has stated that it has eroded civil liberties and due process of law, particularly for Muslims and Arab Americans.<ref>{{cite news
| last = CBC Online
| title = Issues 2004: Where the presidential candidates stand
| work=CBC News
| date = 2008-08-24
| url = http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/uselection2004/electionissues.html
| access-date = 2008-05-14}}.
</ref>
|}

== See also ==
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]

== References ==
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

{{United States presidential election, 2008}} {{United States presidential election, 2008}}

]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Comparison Of United States Presidential Candidates, 2008}}
]
]

Latest revision as of 23:23, 20 December 2024

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This article compares the presidential candidates in the United States' 2008 presidential election. It does not cover previous elections. Because of ballot access restrictions in the United States, not all candidates appeared on the ballots in all states.

Candidates

Main article: List of candidates in the United States presidential election, 2008

Those who were on the ballot in enough states to theoretically win a majority in the U.S. Electoral College are marked in bold. Candidates who are known to have appeared on at least two states' ballots are marked in italic.

Presidential candidate Party Running mate Campaign site
Gene Amondson Prohibition Leroy Pletten geneamondson.com
Chuck Baldwin (campaign) Constitution Darrell Castle baldwin2008.com
Bob Barr (campaign) Libertarian Wayne Allyn Root bobbarr2008.com
Róger Calero Socialist Workers Alyson Kennedy
Charles Jay Boston Tea Thomas L. Knapp CJ08.com
Alan Keyes (campaign) America's Independent Party Brian Rohrbough alankeyes.com
Gloria La Riva Socialism & Liberation Eugene Puryear votepsl.org
John McCain (campaign) Republican Sarah Palin johnmccain.com
Frank McEnulty New American Independent David Mangan frankforpresident.org
Cynthia McKinney (campaign) Green Rosa Clemente votetruth08.com
Brian Moore Socialist, Liberty Union Stewart Alexander votesocialist2008.org
Ralph Nader (campaign) Independent, Peace and Freedom Matt Gonzalez votenader.org
Barack Obama (campaign) Democratic Joe Biden barackobama.com
Ron Paul (campaign) Louisiana Taxpayers Party
Constitution Party of Montana 		Barry Goldwater, Jr.
Michael Peroutka 		ronpaul2008.com
Thomas Stevens Objectivist
Ted Weill Reform Frank McEnulty

Biographical data

John McCain Barack Obama Ralph Nader Bob Barr Chuck Baldwin Cynthia McKinney
Gender Male Male Male Male Male Female
Age 72 47 74 59 56 53
Party Republican Party Democratic Party Independent
 Libertarian Party
Republican Party (former) 		Constitution Party
Republican Party (former) 		Green Party
Democratic Party (former)
Profession U.S. Senator, U.S. Congressman, Businessman Naval Aviator U.S. Senator, Attorney, Professor of Constitutional Law Consumer advocate, lobbyist Former U.S. Congressman, United States Attorney, CIA employee Pastor, syndicated columnist and radio host Former U.S. Congresswoman, high school teacher, and college professor
Undergraduate education B.S. United States Naval Academy (The Naval Academy had a fixed curriculum and did not allow Midshipmen to pick a major) B.A. Columbia University (Political Science, International Relations) 1983 B.A. Princeton University (East Asian Studies, International Relations) 1955 B.A. University of Southern California (International Relations) 1970 B.A. Liberty University B.A. University of Southern California (International Relations)
Graduate education National War College J.D. Harvard Law (1991) L.L.B. Harvard Law (1958) M.A. George Washington University (International Relations) (1972), J.D. Georgetown University Law Center (1977) Master's Degree in Theology Christian Bible College M.A. Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University (1982?); diplomatic fellow, Spelman College (1984); a PhD student at University of California, Berkeley
States/Countries lived in Arizona, Florida, Panama Canal Zone, North Vietnam, Washington, D.C. California, Hawaii, Illinois, Indonesia, Massachusetts, New York, Washington, D.C. Connecticut, Washington, D.C. California, Georgia, Iowa, Lima, Peru, Tehran, Iran, Washington, D.C. Indiana, Florida, Virginia Georgia, California
Last political office U.S. Senator (1987–2018) U.S. Senator (2005–2008) None U.S. Congressman (1995–2003) None U.S. Congresswoman (1993–2003, 2005–2007)
Other political experience United States Congressman (1982–1986) Illinois State Senator (1996–2004) Consultant to Department of Labor (1964) Region 4 Representative for the Libertarian National Committee (2006–2008), National Rifle Association Board Member, Florida Chairman of Moral Majority (1980–1984), 2004 Constitution Party vice presidential nominee Member of the Georgia House of Representatives, (1988–1992)
U.S. Senate committee memberships Armed Services Committee; (Chairman of the) Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee; (Chairman of the) Indian Affairs Committee; Committee on POW/MIA Affairs Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, Foreign Relations; Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs; Veterans' Affairs Advised auto safety subcommittee (1964) None None None
U.S. House committee memberships Committee on the Judiciary, Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Committee on Financial Services None None Committee on the Judiciary, Government Reform Committee, Committee on Financial Services, Committee on Veteran's Affairs None Committee on Interior Affairs, Committee on Armed Services; Subcommittee on Military Personnel; Subcommittee on Terrorism and Unconventional Threats, Committee on the Budget
Management/Corporate experience Vice President of Public Relations for Hensley & Co. President of the Harvard Law Review; Junior editor for Business International Corporation; Associate Lawyer of Davis, Miner, Barnhill & Galland None President of the Southeastern Legal Foundation Founded/lead Crossroad Baptist Church, Pensacola (1975–)
Teaching experience Gave the 114th Landon Lecture on March 15, 1999, at Kansas State Lecturer in Constitutional Law at the University of Chicago Law School (1993–2004) Professor of History and Government (University of Hartford) Adjunct professor teaching "Privacy and Public Policy in 21st century Business and Society" at Kennesaw State University (2008) Pastor of Crossroad Baptist Church, Pensacola (1975–) Earth Day Lecturer at CSU (2008)
Armed Forces experience (1958–1981) Midshipman, US Naval Academy; Naval Aviator; Prisoner of War; Commander; Commanding Officer, VA-174 "Hellrazors" None US Army (1959) None None
Armed Forces awards Silver Star, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Distinguished Flying Cross, Navy Commendation Medal and the National Order of Vietnam from South Vietnam None None None None
Net worth (with spouse) $23–36 million (US$) $10–16 million (US$) $4 million (US$) $50,000 (US$)
Spouse Cindy Hensley McCain (m. 1980) Michelle Obama (m. 1992) None Jeri Barr (m. 1986) Connie Cole Baldwin (m. 1973) None
Spouse's undergraduate education B.A. in education, University of Southern California B.A. in sociology, 1985, Princeton University n/a None n/a
Spouse's graduate education M.A. in Special Education, University of Southern California J.D. in Law, 1988, Harvard Law School n/a None n/a
Spouse's profession High school teacher, businessperson, philanthropist Attorney, executive n/a Numerous positions in Cobb, Georgia n/a

Economic issues

Tax policy

Projected Federal income tax changes in 2009 assuming all tax proposals were adopted by congress and the budget remains the same.

Yellow is for the projected tax change most favorable to people in that income bracket.

John McCain Barack Obama
Income Average
tax bill		 Average
tax bill
Over $2.9M −$269,364 +$701,885
$603K and up −$45,361 +$115,974
$227K–$603K −$7,871 +$12
$161K–$227K −$4,380 −$2,789
$112K–$161K −$2,614 −$2,204
$66K–$112K −$1,009 −$1,290
$38K–$66K −$319 −$1,042
$19K–$38K −$113 −$892
Under $19K −$19 −$567
CNN, Tax Policy Center, BarackObama.com, and JohnMcCain.com

The third-party candidates' tax plans were not studied by mainstream media outlets and the Tax Policy Center. Chuck Baldwin supports replacing the income tax with a 10% across-the-board tariff on imported goods. Bob Barr supports replacing the income tax with a consumption tax (the FairTax). The details of his exact plan are not known but consumption taxes tend to be regressive unless accompanied by a negative income tax for the poor to offset necessary expenditures. Cynthia McKinney supports sharply progressive taxation, with higher taxes for the rich and a tax cut for the middle class.

Financial crisis and bailout

Further information: Economic crisis of 2008 and Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008
John McCain Barack Obama
Supported bailout Supported bailout
Bob Barr Cynthia McKinney
Opposed bailout. Barr will seek to limit policies that permit political interference in the economy in favor of the exercise of a free-market economic model. This would include: formally and clearly end the bailouts which promote private economic retrenchment and corporate work-outs; limiting powers of the government to place sustained federal pressure to increase mortgage lending, through Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae; amending or revoking the Community Reinvestment Act; limiting the ability of the Federal Reserve to manipulate the currency for political purposes; Ensuring enforcement of the SEC regulations to insure solvency and transparency in the operation of major investment firms; Permanently lowering tax rates and simplifying taxes to more effectively reinforce long-term plans for hiring, inventory and production; cutting environmental rules such as Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards on vehicles; initiating a detailed audit of federal rules, relaxing or eliminating any regulations for which costs outweigh benefits; reducing penalties on people for delayed tax payments and premature withdrawals from IRAs; ending nonessential federal spending, particularly frivolous special interest outlays; Over the longer term, evaluate, plan, and implement for future federal liabilities and obligations—FDIC bank guarantees, Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation promises, Social Security and Medicare liabilities, and more. Opposed $700 billion bailout to Wall Street. Instead offered a 14-point proposal which included a moratorium on foreclosures; elimination of all ARM mortgages and their renegotiation into 30- or 40-year loans; the establishment of new mortgage lending practices to end predatory and discriminatory practices; the establishment of criteria and construction goals for affordable housing; a redefinition of credit and regulation of the credit industry so that discriminatory practices are eliminated; full funding for initiatives that eliminate racial and ethnic disparities in home ownership; recognition of shelter as a right according to the UN Declaration of Human Rights; targeting of funds to cushion job loss and provide for retraining of those at the bottom of the income scale as the economy transitions; the closure all tax loopholes and repeal of the Bush tax cuts for the top 1% of income earners; fair taxation of corporations, denial of federal subsidies to those who relocate jobs overseas repeal NAFTA; the appointment of former Comptroller General David Walker to fully audit all recipients of taxpayer cash infusions, including JP Morgan, Bear Stearns, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and AIG, and to monitor their trading activities into the future; the elimination of all derivatives trading; the nationalization of the Federal Reserve; and the establishment of a federally owned, public banking system that makes credit available for small businesses, homeowners, manufacturing operations, renewable energy and infrastructure investments; and criminally prosecute any activities that violated the law, including conflicts of interest that led to the current crisis.
Chuck Baldwin Ralph Nader
Opposed bailout. Ralph Nader opposed the bailout, suggesting that derivatives transactions be taxed instead.

Trade

Further information: Free trade and United States free trade agreements
John McCain Barack Obama
McCain is a strong proponent of free trade. He supports the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the existing General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, and U.S. participation in the World Trade Organization (WTO). He opposes including labor and environmental conditions to trade agreements. Obama supports expanding trade only if the United States' trade partners place labor and environmental standards on their industries to "level the playing field" for American interests. If elected president, Obama plans to renegotiate NAFTA to include stricter labor and environmental standards for Canada and Mexico. He has criticized the current agreement for not including such standards, and he also voted against and criticized the Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) for similar reasons.
Chuck Baldwin Bob Barr Cynthia McKinney Ralph Nader
Baldwin would lead the US out of the North American and the Central America Free Trade Agreements. He would impose a revenue tariff. Barr's campaign site states that America "should encourage private involvement around the world, particularly through free trade. The most effective way to preserve peace is through an expanding free market, backed by a full range of cultural and other private relationships". McKinney stresses enacting laws on US corporations to keep labor standards high at home and raise them abroad. She would repeal NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement), CAFTA, the Caribbean FTA, and US-Peru FTA. She opposes the guest-worker program as riddled with abuses; supports justice for immigrant workers, and immigrant reform that includes amnesty and a path to legalization for undocumented people who have been living and working in the US for years. Nader views NAFTA and the WTO as subverting national regulatory agencies. He blames them for diminishing standards of living (i.e. race to the bottom). Nader supports a constitutional amendment asserting the "sovereignty of people over the power of corporations."

Health care

Main article: Health care reform in the United States presidential election, 2008 Further information: Health care in the United States and Health care reform in the United States
John McCain Barack Obama
McCain favors tax credits of up to $5,000 for families that purchase health insurance. "We do not believe in coercion and the use of state power to mandate care, coverage or costs." His plan would reduce the number of uninsured by 1 million by 2009 and 5 million by 2013, while raising the national debt by $1.3 trillion over 10 years, according to one estimate. Obama's health care plan includes implementing guaranteed eligibility for affordable health care for all Americans. His plan would reduce the number of uninsured by 18 million by 2009 and 34 million by 2018, covering nearly all children, while raising the national debt by $1.6 trillion over 10 years, according to one estimate.
Chuck Baldwin Bob Barr Cynthia McKinney Ralph Nader
Believes in supplying better health care to America's veterans. Supports freedom of choice, opposes compulsory vaccination. Wants to cut costs by reducing controls and regulations. Believes Medicare and Medicaid are financially unstable, and "need to be transformed to emphasize patient choice, focus on the truly needy, and add cost-saving incentives." Co-sponsored every bill in Congress to create a system of universal health care under a single payer model. Opposes forced, coerced, or uninformed medication and sterilization; believes Americans should be able to purchase drugs from other countries if the price is cheaper, and the U.S. should negotiate with drug companies to provide cheaper drugs for all U.S. residents. Nader supports a universal single-payer health care system and full Medicare for everyone.

Taxation and budget deficit

See also: United States federal budget and Taxation in the United States
John McCain Barack Obama
While McCain has more often favored deficit reduction over tax cuts, he supports both, and has pledged not to rescind recent tax cuts in combination with reduced spending. McCain believes that lower taxes will stimulate the economy, and that the current deficit owes more to overspending than to tax cuts. McCain plans to balance the budget by the end of his first term. According to the Tax Policy Center, McCain's tax plans (by extending the Bush tax cuts and cutting corporate tax rates from 35% to 25% to increase investment, among other measures), would increase the national debt by nearly $5 trillion over 10 years, a nearly 50% increase. Obama advocates responding to the "precarious budget situation" by eliminating "tax credits that have outlived their usefulness", closing corporate tax loopholes, and restoring the PAYGO policy that prohibits increases in federal spending without a way to compensate for the lost revenue. Obama proposes extending the Bush tax cuts for low- and middle-income families, while letting taxes go back up for individuals earning over $200,000 or couples earning over $250,000.
Chuck Baldwin Bob Barr Cynthia McKinney Ralph Nader
Baldwin would work to repeal the Sixteenth Amendment (income tax), inheritance taxes, and property taxes. "We are bankrupting our country with this incessant and burdensome tax system." Barr supports repealing the Sixteenth Amendment and mentions the Fair Tax as a possible alternative. "Meaningful tax reform begins with reining in government spending." Would repeal Bush tax cuts for top 1% of income earners; close tax loopholes; tax corporations more; and deny federal subsidies to those who relocate jobs overseas. Proposes to regain control of the monetary system and respond to the current economic crisis, by steps that include a moratorium on foreclosures; elimination of all ARM mortgages and their renegotiation into 30- or 40-year loans; establishment of new mortgage lending practices to end predatory and discriminatory practices; funds targeted at cushioning job loss and retraining of those at the bottom of the income scale as the economy transitions; appointment of former Comptroller General David Walker to fully audit all recipients of taxpayer cash infusions, including JP Morgan, Bear Stearns, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and AIG, and to monitor their trading activities into the future; elimination of all derivatives trading; nationalization of the Federal Reserve and the establishment of a federally owned, public banking system that makes credit available for small businesses, homeowners, manufacturing operations, renewable energy, and infrastructure investments; criminal prosecution of any conflicts of interest that led to the current crisis. Nader opposes corporate welfare and seeks to end corporate loopholes, exemptions, credits, accelerated depreciation schedules, deductions, and targeted exceptions. He would balance the national budget by cutting military spending by $100 billion, or about a fifth, and through sharply progressive taxation.

Social Security

Further information: Social Security debate (United States)
John McCain Barack Obama
In June 1999, McCain said "The only way to increase the yield on Social Security dollars is by allowing workers to make investment decisions for themselves; by empowering American families to invest, in most robust portfolios, a portion of their earnings for Social Security that they would otherwise pay in taxes to Social Security." In January 2000, he repeated his strong support for creating private Social Security accounts. Partial privatization, or diverting payroll taxes to private accounts, would reduce available funds for current retirees significantly, requiring large debt increases to cover the transition. Obama has said that Social Security's funding problem is "real but manageable." He has proposed to fund Social Security by applying payroll taxes to individual income above $250,000 per year, and says that these high-income earners should "pay their fair share." When asked if he would consider raising the retirement age or cutting benefits, Obama did not rule these approaches out entirely, saying, "everything should be on the table." However, he has said that he would not push for either of those approaches, and says that an increase in tax revenue is necessary to stabilize the system. Obama opposes adding personal accounts to Social Security.
Chuck Baldwin Bob Barr Cynthia McKinney Ralph Nader
Phase out Social Security. Social security is not sustainable. Social Security should be changed to an "individualized system of private accounts." McKinney strongly opposes privatizing Social Security, and recognizes cuts disproportionately harm women. She believes tax payments on benefits should be reduced, and benefits increased. Nader views Social Security as "government as it should work – a coming together of society to ensure that we, as a community, take care of each other as we age or suffer from disabilities." Nader opposes a privatized system that would replace "systemic tranquility with an enforced anxiety". He says people are already able to take risk in the stock market through IRAs, 401Ks and other tax-subsidized private retirement devices.

Network neutrality

Further information: Network neutrality and Network neutrality in the United States
John McCain Barack Obama
McCain is against government regulation of network neutrality unless evidence of abuse exists. He is quoted in May 2007 as saying, "let's see how this thing all turns out, rather than anticipate a problem that so far has not arisen in any significant way," and, "When you control the pipe you should be able to get profit from your investment." Obama is "a strong supporter of Net neutrality," saying that regulations are required to prevent the telecom companies from changing "the internet as we know it." Promoting net neutrality would be a priority in his first year as president.
Chuck Baldwin Bob Barr Cynthia McKinney Ralph Nader
In June, 2006 McKinney voted for network neutrality. Strongly supports net neutrality.

Lobbying

Further information: Lobbying in the United States
John McCain Barack Obama
McCain does not allow his staffers to hold positions as lobbyists. Obama does not take contributions from federally registered lobbyists or PACs, though he does accept money from non-federal lobbyists and unregistered lobbyists.
Chuck Baldwin Bob Barr Cynthia McKinney Ralph Nader
At the beginning of his campaign, Nader stated that he "will receive no money from commercial interests, no money from political action committees, only from individuals." He sees Washington D.C. as "corporate-occupied territory, every department agency controlled by overwhelming presence of corporate lobbyists, corporate executives in high government positions." He supports public financing of campaigns and free TV and radio time for ballot qualified candidates.

Transportation

Further information: Transportation in the United States
John McCain Barack Obama
McCain is opposed to federal funding of Amtrak. He considers it to be a "pork barrel project", particularly as far as longer distance trains are concerned.

He has also argued for more stringent safety standards with respect to cars.

Chuck Baldwin Bob Barr Cynthia McKinney Ralph Nader
Supports increased funding for public transit using alternative fuel technologies. Nader was instrumental in the unanimous passage of the 1966 National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act.

Labor

Further information: Labour economics and Labor unions in the United States
John McCain Barack Obama
John McCain voted for the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 which granted workers the right to take 12 weeks of unpaid leave for family medical reasons without being penalized by their employer. McCain sponsored the Family Friendly Workplace Act which sought to allow employers to provide more flexible work schedules to help balance work and family.
Chuck Baldwin Bob Barr Cynthia McKinney Ralph Nader
Impose a revenue tariff on all foreign goods to keep jobs in America. Wants to repeal the anti-union Taft-Hartley Act. Supports full employment and a living wage for all workers. Supports justice for immigrant workers, and opposes guest-worker programs as riddled with abuses. Opposes 'free trade' agreements and unelected international trade authorities (NAFTA, CAFTA, WTO, GATT, 'Fast Track', etc.) that give corporate power and profit priority over labor rights and environmental protections; McKinney has voted against these agreements and advocates withdrawal. Human rights protections and amnesty for undocumented immigrants, an end to raids, and tearing down the border wall; believes the flood of new immigrants is a result of economic policies and agreements (e.g., NAFTA) that impoverish people and drive them across borders, and that immigration should be addressed by fixing these policies while ensuring worker rights and right to organize. Favors a strong safety net for middle- and low-income working people and families, with support for Main Street (small businesses and local economies) instead of Wall Street, and a massive transfer of federal funding from military contract and war spending to human needs. Nader promises to repeal the Taft-Hartley Act. He supports an increase in the minimum wage to $10 an hour to give low-wage workers "a fair return for their work". Nader supports family farms and opposes large agribusiness. He is credited with helping pass the Mine Health and Safety Act (1977), Whistleblower Protection Act (1989), and OSHA (1970) – all three are fundamental to modern labor protection.

Monetary policy

Further information: Federal Reserve System and Monetary policy
John McCain Barack Obama
 
Chuck Baldwin Bob Barr Cynthia McKinney Ralph Nader
Baldwin would eliminate the Federal Reserve and move the US from fiat currency back to hard money. "Congress must insist on accountability and transparency in the Federal Reserve's operation, while reconsidering the Fed's almost total control over the money supply."

NASA and space exploration

Further information: NASA
John McCain Barack Obama
John McCain sponsored legislation to support the commercial space industry and led the Senate's efforts to implement improvements to NASA after the Columbia accident. McCain pledged that as president he would ensure that space exploration is top priority and that the U.S. remains a leader and is committed to funding the NASA Constellation program to ensure it has the resources it needs to begin a new era of human space exploration. "As president, Obama will support the development of this vital new platform Crew Exploration Vehicle to ensure that the United States' reliance on foreign space capabilities is limited to the minimum possible time period."
Chuck Baldwin Bob Barr Cynthia McKinney Ralph Nader
 

Foreign policy

Arab–Israeli conflict

Further information: Arab–Israeli conflict and Israel
John McCain Barack Obama
In a speech to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee on April 23, 2002, McCain said that "no American leader should be expected to sell a false peace to our ally, consider Israel's right to self-defense less legitimate than ours, or insist that Israel negotiate a political settlement while terrorism remains the Palestinians' preferred bargaining tool." Obama supports a two-state solution. Referring to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict in January 2006, Obama denounced Hamas while praising former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. At a meeting with then Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom on the eve of Hamas' sweeping election victory, Obama stated that Sharon's role in the conflict had always been "absolutely important and constructive."
Chuck Baldwin Bob Barr Cynthia McKinney Ralph Nader
US should stop weapons transfers to Middle East countries, including Israel—and be "honest broker." In terms of two- versus one-state solution, would listen to the voices and human rights advocates who are there. Nader supports the Israeli peace movement and views resolution of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict as central to national security. Nader was critical of the US-supported bombing of Lebanon in 2006, seeing it as collective punishment. Nader wants enforcement of UN resolutions concerning Israel and a peaceful two-state solution.

Iraq

Further information: Iraq and Iraq War
John McCain Barack Obama
McCain supported the invasion of Iraq and has stated that he would keep troops in Iraq for as long as needed, dependent on agreement from the Iraqi government. "It's not a matter of how long we're in Iraq, it's if we succeed or not." John McCain was an early supporter of the Surge. Obama opposed the Iraq war as early as 2002 and has pledged a responsible, phased withdrawal. Obama was a strong opponent of the Surge and up until July 2008, he continued to call it a failure, in spite of a general consensus that the surge had been a success. and he wrote and introduced the Iraq War De-Escalation Act of 2007 which would have stopped the Surge and started to pull American troops out of Iraq in 2007. He continues to criticize the Surge because he says it has not achieved political reconciliation, has overtaxed the military and diverted focus from Afghanistan and Pakistan, which he considers to be the central front in the War on Terror.
Chuck Baldwin Bob Barr Cynthia McKinney Ralph Nader
Baldwin has stated that the US's involvement in Iraq is clearly unconstitutional as well as unnecessary, and would begin safely withdrawing troops. Barr considers the invasion and occupation of Iraq to have been mistakes. American presence "emboldens both insurgents and terrorists", and has cost "hundreds of billions of U.S. taxpayer dollars." He supports "withdrawal without undue delay." McKinney calls for the immediate and orderly withdrawal of all US troops and contracted personnel from Iraq and Afghanistan; she would dismantle US military bases in the area, and demand that US and other international corporations relinquish any claims to Iraqi oil or other resources. She has consistently opposed funding for the war and the military budget. Nader opposes the US occupation of Iraq on the grounds that "it's the occupation that is breeding the resistance." He supports a "responsible, orderly withdrawal" within six months. Following withdrawal, he supports inclusion of an international peacekeeping force under UN auspices, promotion of Iraqi self-rule through independent elections, and the providing of humanitarian aid to stabilize the country.

Iran

Further information: Iran and Iran–United States relations
John McCain Barack Obama
John McCain called the crisis with Iran "the most serious crisis we have faced – outside of the entire war on terror – since the end of the Cold War." "Nuclear capability in Iran is unacceptable," said McCain. McCain criticized Russia and China for causing "gridlock" in the UN Security Council and preventing the sanctioning of Iran as well as other areas of conflict such as Darfur and Burma. If elected, McCain pledges to create a "league of democracies" with the purpose of addressing those conflicts without the approval of China and Russia. Obama stated he regards Iran's government as "a threat to all of us," stating that the US "should take no option, including military action, off the table. Sustained and aggressive diplomacy combined with tough sanctions should be our primary means to prevent Iran from building nuclear weapons."
Chuck Baldwin Bob Barr Cynthia McKinney Ralph Nader
Has stated that "an attack on Iran would be unnecessary, counterproductive, costly and dangerous", that "here is no imminent threat, and only an imminent threat can ever justify a preemptive strike", and concludes "any nonproliferation strategy must begin with diplomacy and include a willingness to address the other side". McKinney believes we must leave behind the militarization that has accompanied the Bush administration. She supports leaving Iraq and moving toward peaceful methods of dealing with other countries. Nader believes the US must stop "saber rattling" with Iran and take up Iran's proposal in 2003 to negotiate all outstanding issues between the US and Iran.

Darfur

Further information: Darfur and War in Darfur
John McCain Barack Obama
McCain called upon the United States to reject Sudan's demand that the AU peacekeeping force leave or be bullied. McCain believes that America must convince our allies in the region and friendly Arab nations to abandon their support for Sudan and force them to accept more peacekeepers. On a more immediate time-frame McCain called for the use of NATO air-power to establish a no-fly zone and the use of intelligence assets to gather evidence of genocide and build cases against its perpetrators. In a December 2005 opinion column in The Washington Post, and at the Save Darfur rally in April 2006, Obama called for more assertive action to oppose genocide in the Darfur region of Sudan. He has divested $180,000 in personal holdings of Sudan-related stock, and has urged divestment from companies doing business in Iran.
Chuck Baldwin Bob Barr Cynthia McKinney Ralph Nader
Expressed concern that atrocities in Darfur might be used to justify US occupation of Sudan. Nader believes the US could do more to end the genocide in Darfur. He would refuse normalized relations with the Government of Sudan "until the Sudanese government removes all obstacles to the full deployment of the multilateral UNAMID, fully implements the CPA, and engages in good faith in a comprehensive, open and inclusive peace process."

Nuclear weapons

Further information: Nuclear weapons and the United States and Nuclear warfare
John McCain Barack Obama
McCain voted in favor of the Nunn-Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction in 1991. He voted to ratify the START II strategic arms limitation treaty in 1996. McCain voted against the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty in 1999. In March 2008, McCain said that United States should reduce its nuclear arsenal to encourage other nations to reduce their arsenals. Obama has spoken out against nuclear proliferation. According to his campaign website, Obama will "crack down on nuclear proliferation by strengthening the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty." Obama has also vowed to stop the development of new American nuclear arms, pursuing an ultimate goal of "a world without nuclear weapons."
Chuck Baldwin Bob Barr Cynthia McKinney Ralph Nader
McKinney supports the reduction of nuclear weapons in the U.S. and is a strong supporter of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty. She also wants to ban the manufacture and use of depleted uranium. Nader describes nuclear weapons as "horrifying" and supports the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. He would adopt a no-first use policy, take all nuclear missiles off "hair-trigger" alert, and push for ratification of the START II and Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty as well as working with other nuclear states towards the eventual abolition of Nuclear weapons.

North Korea

Further information: North Korea, Nuclear program of North Korea, and North Korea–United States relations
John McCain Barack Obama
In October 2006, McCain said that he believed the former President Bill Clinton and his administration were to blame for the North Korea's weapons of mass destruction. He said that the U.S. had "concluded an unenforceable and untransparent agreement", allowing North Korea to keep plutonium rods in a reactor.
Chuck Baldwin Bob Barr Cynthia McKinney Ralph Nader
 

Pakistan

Further information: Pakistan and Pakistan–United States relations
John McCain Barack Obama
McCain maintains a relatively moderate stance concerning Pakistan, although he has recognized the South Asian nation as an important part of US Foreign Policy. In the aftermath of Pakistan's former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto's assassination (in December 2007) McCain appeared to rule out the option of US forces entering Pakistan, saying that it was not an appropriate time to "threaten" Pakistan. On August 1, 2007, Obama declared in a foreign policy speech that the United States must be willing to strike al Qaeda targets inside Pakistan, with or without the consent of the Pakistani government. He claimed that if elected, "If we have actionable intelligence about high value terrorist targets and President Musharraf won't act, we will".
Chuck Baldwin Bob Barr Cynthia McKinney Ralph Nader
"Free and fair elections, not U.S. troops, are the best strategy for achieving peace and stability in Pakistan." is the belief of Cynthia McKinney in Pakistan. She also opposes a United States war with Pakistan. Nader has said that military action against Pakistan is off the table.

Extrajudicial prisoners

See also: Guantanamo Bay detention camp and Unlawful combatant
John McCain Barack Obama
In October 2005, McCain, a former POW, introduced the McCain Detainee Amendment to the Defense Appropriations bill for 2005. That month, the U.S. Senate voted 90–9 to support the amendment. In October 2007, McCain said of waterboarding that, "They should know what it is. It is not a complicated procedure. It is torture." However, in February 2008 he voted against HR 2082, the Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008, which included provisions that would have prevented the CIA from waterboarding prisoners. Obama voted against the Military Commissions Act of 2006 and later voted to restore habeas corpus to those detained by the U.S. (which had been stripped by the Military Commissions Act). He has advocated closing the Guantanamo Bay detention camp, but has not supported two specific bills that would have done so. Obama opposes the use of torture.
Chuck Baldwin Bob Barr Cynthia McKinney Ralph Nader
Nader views CIA kidnapping and extraordinary rendition as leading to diminished respect around the world. "Constitutional crimes against due process, probable cause, habeas corpus, together with torture and indefinite imprisonment... will worsen and erode American jurisprudence with serious consequences for both the nation's security and its liberties."

Armenian genocide

Further information: Armenian genocide
John McCain Barack Obama
At a town hall meeting January 6, 2008 McCain was reported to have answered a question on the Armenian genocide by noting that he recognizes the Armenian genocide, but opposes the Armenian Genocide Resolution due to the Turkish government's sensitivities and the importance of their continued contribution to the war on terror. On September 29, 2008, in an open letter to the Armenian-American Community of the United States he stated, that "it is fair to say that one of the greatest tragedies of the 20th century, the brutal murder of as many as one and a half million Armenians under the rule of the Ottoman Empire, has also been one of the most neglected" and that "it is our responsibility to recognize those tragic events". On January 19, 2008, Obama announced that as a U.S. Senator, he has stood with the Armenian American community in calling for Turkey's acknowledgement of the Armenian genocide, and supports its recognition. In 2006, Obama criticized Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice for firing United States Ambassador to Armenia, John Evans, after he used the term "genocide" to describe Turkey's killing of hundreds of thousands of Armenians. In June 2008 Obama restated his commitment to U.S. recognition of the Armenian genocide in a letter to ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian. Obama supported House Resolution 106 which recognized the killings as genocide.
Chuck Baldwin Bob Barr Cynthia McKinney Ralph Nader
 

China

Further information: China and People's Republic of China–United States relations
John McCain Barack Obama
John McCain believes America should continue to work to secure an independent Taiwan and opposes the ability of corporations owned by the Chinese People's Liberation Army to make financial contributions to American political campaigns.
Chuck Baldwin Bob Barr Cynthia McKinney Ralph Nader
China is a potential military threat, and economic policies toward it weaken key American industries.

Foreign aid

See also: Foreign policy of the United States
John McCain Barack Obama
Though John McCain plans to expand foreign aid, specifically targeting malaria in Africa, he has expressed concern that too much American aid money is embezzled or outright stolen by corrupt foreign governments. Obama would double foreign aid to $50 billion by 2012.
Chuck Baldwin Bob Barr Cynthia McKinney Ralph Nader
Baldwin believes that the U.S. is not the world's policeman, and would end all foreign aid and interventionist policies. "oreign aid has proved to be a drain on the U.S. economy while doing little good for the recipients. Aid is routinely used by corrupt foreign governments to oppress their people and enrich powerful elites. Foreign aid almost always discourages economic and political reform, while subsidizing nations which often work against U.S. interests."

Georgia

Further information: Georgia (country) and 2008 South Ossetia war
John McCain Barack Obama
John McCain said that it was critical to avoid further confrontation between Russian and Georgian forces. McCain wanted to work with the EU and the OSCE to pressure Russia to withdraw from all sovereign Georgian territory.
Chuck Baldwin Bob Barr Cynthia McKinney Ralph Nader
 

United Nations

Further information: United Nations and United States and the United Nations
John McCain Barack Obama
John McCain stated that the oil-for-food scandal and perennial failure to uphold Human Rights had demonstrated a "crying need for reform" in the UN.
Chuck Baldwin Bob Barr Cynthia McKinney Ralph Nader
Baldwin would withdraw the US from the United Nations, perceiving it to be a threat to American sovereignty. Barr calls the United Nations "an enormous disappointment" and asserts that "he U.S. should push to roll back the UN's functions and slash America's financial contribution".

Energy and environmental issues

The environment

Further information: Environmental issues in the United States
John McCain Barack Obama
McCain's stances on global warming and other environmental issues have often put him at odds with the Bush administration and other Republicans. For example, he has generally opposed drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. According to the League of Conservation Voters' 2006 National Environmental Scorecard, McCain took an "anti-environment" stance on four of seven environmental resolutions during the second session of the 109th congress. The four resolutions dealt with issues such as offshore drilling, an Arctic national wildlife refuge, low-income energy assistance, and environmental funding. McCain's measures to lower auto emissions include higher fines for not complying with CAFE standards, calling for a level playing field for all alcohol-based biofuels, issuing a Clean Car Challenge to automakers (a US$5,000 tax credit for each and every customer who buys a zero-emissions car) and awarding a substantial prize to the auto company that develops a next-generation car battery. Obama has a 'New Energy for America' plan and he has pledged to cut greenhouse gas emissions 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050 by forcing a market-based cap-and-trade system, recommitting federal resources to public mass transportation and carbon sequestration (incentives to plant trees, restore grasslands or undertake farming practices). Obama also has plans for improving air and water quality through reduced carbon emissions. Obama worked as a member of the US Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works during the 109th Congress. At least 30 percent of federal government's electricity would come from renewable sources by 2020. Also, he wants to create a 'Global Energy Forum' of the largest energy consuming nations (G8+5). The League of Conservation Voters has given Obama the highest lifetime rating of anyone currently running for president.
Bob Barr Cynthia McKinney
Barr pledges to eliminate restrictions that inhibit energy production, as well as all special privileges for the production of politically favored fuels, such as ethanol; supports the exploration and production of America's abundant domestic resources, including oil in the Outer Continental Shelf and Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and alternative sources such as oil shale, which would lower costs to the consumer and assure more adequate and consistent supplies. McKinney plans to create a cap on production and consumption as well as add organic farming, sustainability, and GM to the current Farm Bill. She also plans to assess toxic levels after Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita. She voted yes on further Amtrak funding and no on changing the Endangered Species Act of 1973. She also voted down a bill that allowed commercial logging on public land.
Ralph Nader Chuck Baldwin
Nader is credited with helping the Clean Air Act (1970) and Safe Drinking Water Act (1974). He was one of the first public figures to advocate renewable energy during the 1970s. Nader supports mandatory standards for recycling and precycling, especially in areas of government control.

Energy

Further information: Energy in the United States
John McCain Barack Obama
McCain gave a major speech on his energy policy at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. He connected energy independence with national security, climate change, and the environment. McCain proposed increasing ethanol imports and moving from exploration to production of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. He said that US dependence on foreign oil is "a major strategic vulnerability, a serious threat to our security, our economy and the well being of our planet." He is co-sponsor of a Senate cap-and-trade bill designed to limit greenhouse gas emissions, and is seen as a bipartisan leader on the issue.

McCain supports the increased use of nuclear energy in the US and reduce renewable sources to produce electricity. He has promoted the expanded use of nuclear power, calling for 45 new nuclear reactors to be built by 2030.

Obama has presented a 'New Energy for America' plan to achieve a low carbon economy, subsidizing 5 million new green jobs. He proposes $150 billion over 10 years to accelerate the commercialization of plug-in hybrids, promote development of commercial scale renewable energy (establishing a 100% federal RPS to require that 10 percent of electricity be derived from renewable sources by 2012 and 25% in 2025), encourage energy efficiency, advance the next generation of biofuels (requiring 60 billion US gallons (230,000,000 m) by 2030) and fuel infrastructure, and begin transition to a new digital electricity grid (smart metering, demand response, distributed generation and electricity storage systems). He also plans to reduce overall U.S. oil consumption by at least 35%, or 10 million barrels (1,600,000 m) per day, by 2030 to offset imports from OPEC nations. Obama and other senators introduced the BioFuels Security Act in 2006. Regarding the domestic use of nuclear power, Obama declared himself flatly opposed to building a nuclear waste repository in Nevada and has called for the facility's closure. However, Obama voted for the Energy Policy Act of 2005, which allocated $4.3 billion in tax credits to the nuclear energy sector. Obama and other senators introduced a bill in 2007 to promote the development of commercially viable plug-in hybrids and other electric-drive vehicles in order to shift away from petroleum fuels and "toward much cleaner – and cheaper – electricity for transportation". In his plan, related with transportation, he proposes increase fuel economy standards 4 percent per each year, specific focus on R&D in advanced battery technology and a $7,000 tax credit for the purchase of advanced technology vehicles as well as conversion tax credits and $4 billion retooling tax credits and loan guarantees for domestic auto plants and parts manufacturers; the entire White House fleet would be converted to plug-ins and half of cars purchased by the federal government will be plug-in (hybrids or all-electric) vehicles by 2012.
Chuck Baldwin Bob Barr Cynthia McKinney Ralph Nader
Would dissolve the Department of Energy. Believes in American energy independence by repealing prohibitions on domestic oil drilling, oil refineries, and nuclear plants. Says the free market needs to be the foundation of the United States' energy policy. Supports drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. McKinney wants to leave Alaskan oil in the ground, declare the U.S. carbon-free and nuclear-free, and implement the Kyoto Treaty. She has voted no on scheduling permitting for new oil refineries and authorizing construction of new oil refineries. She has voted yes on keeping moratorium on drilling for oil offshore, raising CAFE standards; incentives for alternative fuels, prohibiting oil drilling development in ANWR, and starting implementation of Kyoto Protocol. Nader is a strong supporter of solar energy and wants to end government subsidies for the fossil fuel and nuclear energy industries. He says "technologies are way ahead of the political framework" and envisions a "massive conversion from a hydrocarbon-based economy to a carbohydrate-based economy" within 20 to 25 years. He opposes corn ethanol "which has a very poor net energy and water-usage characteristic" in favor of cellulosic ethanol. He says that cap-and-trade programs "can be easily manipulated" and wants to tax inefficient technology and pollution at the production source.

Domestic issues

Judiciary

Further information: Courts of the United States and Supreme Court of the United States
John McCain Barack Obama
John McCain voted for the appointment of Justice Roberts. McCain favors a more Constructionist standpoint and says he would work to safeguard against Judicial activism. Barack Obama was 1 of 22 senators to vote against the appointment of Justice Roberts.
Chuck Baldwin Bob Barr Cynthia McKinney Ralph Nader
 

Same-sex marriage

John McCain Barack Obama
In 2004, McCain voted against the Federal Marriage Amendment, arguing that each state should be able to choose whether to recognize same-sex marriages. He supported the 2006 Arizona initiative to ban same-sex marriage. Obama voted against the Federal Marriage Amendment which would have defined marriage as between one man and one woman, but personally believes that marriage is a religious bond between a man and a woman. He supports civil unions for same-sex couples which would be same-sex marriage in all but name, but believes that decisions about the name marriage should be left to the states.
Chuck Baldwin Bob Barr Cynthia McKinney Ralph Nader
Baldwin believes marriage is between a man and a woman and supports the DOMA. Barr opposes any federal definition of marriage, whether by statute or constitutional amendment. He believes the states should be free to determine what constitutes marriage. Supports homosexual adoption and has a HRC 80 rating on gay rights issues. Nader opposes DOMA and the military's Don't Ask Don't Tell policy. He says, "We've got to get rid of this discrimination, this chilling, this bigotry toward gays and lesbians that are reflected in literally hundreds and hundreds of statutes and regulations in this country."

Abortion

See also: Roe v. Wade and Abortion in the United States
John McCain Barack Obama
On February 18, 2007, John McCain stated, "I do not support Roe versus Wade. It should be overturned." McCain believes that Roe v. Wade should be overturned and that the issue of abortion should be returned to the states. In his write-in response to a 1998 survey, Obama stated his abortion position as: "Abortions should be legally available in accordance with Roe v. Wade." While serving in the Illinois Senate, Obama voted against bills that included partial birth abortion bans. In the presidential debate of October 16, 2008, he argued that partial birth abortions were already illegal, and he does not support the practice in accordance with Illinois law. He has received a 100 percent rating from the Illinois Planned Parenthood Council
Chuck Baldwin Bob Barr Cynthia McKinney Ralph Nader
Baldwin would encourage Congress to pass Ron Paul's Sanctity of Life Act. Would deny federal funds to abortion clinics. McKinney supports full reproductive rights for women, including safe access to comprehensive prenatal and postnatal/infant care; family planning services and contraception, including "morning after" medication; and abortion. She rejects forced, coerced, or uninformed medication and sterilization, and supports single-payer universal healthcare. Nader is opposed to legal restrictions on abortion, "I don't think government has the proper role in forcing a woman to have a child or forcing a woman not to have a child... This is something that should be privately decided with the family, woman, all the other private factors of it, but we should work toward preventing the necessity of abortion."

Gun control

Further information: Gun politics in the United States
John McCain Barack Obama
John McCain believes that the right to keep and bear arms is a fundamental, individual Constitutional right. In the past he has voted to protect gun manufacturers from attempts to make them liable for crimes committed by third parties. McCain opposes restrictions on assault rifles and has voted against such bans. He has supported legislation requiring gun manufacturers to include gun safety devices such as trigger locks in product packaging. He cosponsored legislation to lift the DC gun ban. McCain opposed "waiting periods" for the purchase of firearms. McCain also voted against the 1993 Brady Bill to restrict the availability of handguns. During a February 15, 2008 press conference, Obama stated, "I think there is an individual right to bear arms, but it's subject to commonsense regulation." He supports the right of local municipalities to determine gun laws. Obama has also stated that he will work to reintroduce the expired Federal Assault Weapons Ban and to make it permanent. In Illinois, he backed changes to state law that included a ban on assault weapons sales and limiting handgun sales to one a month. In Congress, he voted to leave gun-makers and dealers open to lawsuits for actions committed by third parties. Obama has proposed outlawing types of ammunition.
Chuck Baldwin Bob Barr Cynthia McKinney Ralph Nader
Supports the right to bear arms as an individual right. Supports the right to bear arms as an individual right. "I oppose any law requiring registration of, or restricting the ownership, manufacture, or transfer or sale of firearms or ammunition to law-abiding citizens."

Death penalty

Further information: Capital punishment in the United States
John McCain Barack Obama
McCain indicated that he supported the use of the death penalty, mandatory prison terms for selling illegal drugs, and stronger restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns. McCain is a proponent of mandatory sentencing in general. Obama favors the death penalty for cases in which "the community is justified in expressing the full measure of its outrage." On June 25, 2008, Obama condemned United States Supreme Court decision Kennedy v. Louisiana, which outlawed the death penalty for a child rapist when the victim was not killed. He said that states have the right to consider capital punishment, but cited concern about the possibility of unfairness in some sentences.
Chuck Baldwin Bob Barr Cynthia McKinney Ralph Nader
  It is the main focus of McKinney's stance on crime that capital punishment should be replaced with life imprisonment. She has voted against bills that would make death penalty appeals harder and the prosecution and sentencing of juvenile delinquency. She has voted in favor of bills that would keep habeas corpus rights in death penalty appeals, as well as in favor of bills to replace the death penalty and finding alternative sentences to capital punishment. She also supports stronger sentencing for hate crimes.

Immigration

Further information: Immigration to the United States
John McCain Barack Obama
McCain promoted the legislation and eventually the granting of citizenship to the estimated 12–20 million illegal aliens in the United States and the creation of an additional guest worker program with an option for permanent immigration. In his bid for the 2000 presidential nomination, McCain supported expansion of the H-1B visa program, a temporary visa for skilled workers. In 2005, he co-sponsored a bill with Ted Kennedy that would expand use of guest worker visas. Obama's plan: 1) Improve border security; 2) Crack down on employers who hire illegal immigrants; 3) Enable immigrants in the country illegally to voluntarily pay a fine, learn English, and get in line for legal citizenship; 4) Fix the immigration bureaucracy; and 5) Provide additional economic assistance to Mexico. Obama also supports issuing driver's licenses to illegal immigrants to prevent unlicensed drivers from creating a public safety hazard.
Chuck Baldwin Bob Barr Cynthia McKinney Ralph Nader
Baldwin would enforce visa rules, and does not support a "path to citizenship"/amnesty for aliens currently residing in the US illegally. Employers who knowingly hire illegals would be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Would end "birthright citizenship", and thus end the problem of "anchor babies". No federal monies would be used for any services to illegal aliens. Supports better border security to crack down on illegal immigration while also supporting reforms that will "sharply increase" legal immigration. Supports ending birthright citizenship and ending government benefits and services for illegal immigrants. McKinney believes the wave of new immigration is a result of economic policies and agreements (e.g., NAFTA) that impoverish people and drive them across borders. She opposes the guest-worker program as riddled with abuses, and support human rights protections and amnesty for immigrants in the country illegally, an end to raids, and tearing down the border wall. Nader does not support open borders, which he says will create a "cheap-wage policy" for businesses. He supports giving illegal workers, who have their taxes withheld, the same labor standards and benefits as American workers. He says the government should "crack down" on employers and stop "brain draining" Third World countries with H-1B visas.

Racial justice

John McCain Barack Obama
Members of the McCain camp have pointed out that George Bush signed a federal directive in 2001 that outlawed racial profiling and ordered the Attorney General to look into the matter. Obama wants to eliminate racial profiling by federal law enforcement agencies. As state senator in Illinois, Obama helped bring about passage of the state's first racial-profiling law. In October 2007, he asked Attorney General-Designate, Judge Michael Mukasey, to end the practice.
Chuck Baldwin Bob Barr Cynthia McKinney Ralph Nader
McKinney supports comprehensive federal investment in low-come families and communities, with an emphasis on people of color, to eliminate racial and other disparities in education, healthcare, imprisonment, family income, wealth, home ownership. She supports a moratorium on foreclosures, and end to the privatization of prisons. Hurricanes Katrina and Rita survivors should be recognized as Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs); she supports protecting their right of return, including their right to vote in their home states, and reparations for the losses they incurred due to government abandonment and negligence. She calls for an end to the "War on Drugs," which justifies foreign military intervention and assaults civil liberties; mandatory minimum drug sentences should be ended, and the budget should focus on treatment and prevention.

Federal funding for embryonic stem cell research

Further information: Stem cell controversy
John McCain Barack Obama
McCain is a member of The Republican Main Street Partnership and supports embryonic stem cell research despite his earlier opposition. He states that he believes that stem cell research, and indeed embryonic stem cell research, will continue whether or not the U.S. sanctions it, and so it would be the wisest course of action to support it to the extent that the United States will be able to regulate and monitor the use. Obama supports federal funding for embryonic stem cell research and was a co-sponsor of the 2005 Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act which was passed by both houses of Congress but vetoed by President George W. Bush.
Chuck Baldwin Bob Barr Cynthia McKinney Ralph Nader
Nader supports stem cell research. Through his Consumer Project on Technology, he seeks to ensure that research conducted with public money is freely available to the public, and not held back by corporate and university patents.

Education

Further information: Education in the United States and No Child Left Behind
John McCain Barack Obama
McCain supports the use of school vouchers. In 2006 he said, "Should intelligent design be taught as a science class? Probably not." On July 29, 2007, McCain voted against increasing federal student loans and Pell grants and expanding eligibility for financial aid. During an October 2004 debate, Obama stated that he opposed education vouchers for use at private schools because he believes they would undermine public schools.
Chuck Baldwin Bob Barr Cynthia McKinney Ralph Nader
Baldwin would support homeschoolers and disband the Department of Education. Would abolish the Department of Education and eliminate federal grants and regulation; also opposes No Child Left Behind. Believes that education should return to the local level. Supports state-level tax credits to parents who use private education or homeschool. "Ultimately, education will best serve the children of America if it occurs within a competitive private system rather than a government system." Has often stated that it is wrong public education receives $38 billion annually while the Pentagon receives $700 billion annually. She also believes reforms like No Child Left Behind hurt the education system, and that free higher education and better primary education is what will improve school systems throughout the nation. She also voted yes on a substitute bill to lower student loan interest rates and increase black college and Hispanic college quality and quantity. She voted yes on a bill for state-testing and voted no on bills to allow vouchers in the District of Columbia, allowing vouchers in private schools and parochial schools, and no on a bill that would only give federal aid to schools that allowed school prayer.

Patriot Act

Further information: USA PATRIOT Act
John McCain Barack Obama
McCain voted to extend the wiretap provision in the USA PATRIOT Act. He also voted to reauthorize the USA PATRIOT Act in 2006. Obama called for the repeal of the USA PATRIOT Act in 2003. He voted for the reauthorization of the USA PATRIOT Act in 2006. He supported recent FISA legislation giving telecommunications corporations immunity for cooperating with warrantless surveillance programs.
Chuck Baldwin Bob Barr Cynthia McKinney Ralph Nader
During the Libertarian Convention, Barr said of USA PATRIOT Act: "I'd drive a stake through its heart, shoot it, burn it, cut off its head, burn it again, and scatter its ashes to the four corners of the world." McKinney calls for the repeal of the Patriot Act. Nader has called for the repeal of the USA PATRIOT Act. He has stated that it has eroded civil liberties and due process of law, particularly for Muslims and Arab Americans.

See also

References

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