Promises and proposals from Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama:
Iraq and Afghanistan
McCain: Opposes scheduling a troop withdrawal from Iraq, saying latest strategy is succeeding. Promises to employ same strategy in Afghanistan, with unspecified boost in U.S. forces there. Willing to have permanent U.S. peacekeeping forces in Iraq.
Obama: Promises to complete the withdrawal of U.S. combat troops within 16 months of taking office. But hedges by saying this would require consultations with military commanders and, possibly, flexibility. Says he will use the drawdown to bolster U.S. troop presence in Afghanistan.
Financial crisis
McCain: Proposes $300 billion plan for the government to buy bad mortgages and renegotiate them at a reduced price. Proposes a one-year suspension of requirements that people age 701/2 begin cashing in retirement accounts. Would eliminate taxes on unemployment benefits; guarantee 100 percent of all savings for six months; lower the tax rate on retirement funds to the lowest rate, 10 percent, on the first $50,000 withdrawn; cut the tax rate on capital gains in half, down to 7.5 percent for two years.
Obama: Calls for immediate, post-election passage of new stimulus measures including a 90-day moratorium on home foreclosures at some banks, $3,000 tax break to businesses for each new job created, unpenalized withdrawals of up to $10,000 from retirement accounts, cutting capital gains taxes for investment in small businesses, an extension of unemployment benefits, short-term federal loans to keep state and local governments functioning, money for infrastructure construction and doubled loan guarantees for automakers.
Energy
McCain: Advocates increased offshore drilling and construction of 45 nuclear power reactors by 2030. Seeks mandatory reductions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases by 60 percent from 1990 levels by 2050, using a market-based cap-and-trade system. Supports $2 billion program to develop carbon capture and other clean-coal research and development. Proposes $5,000 tax credit for the purchase of zero carbon emission cars; $300 million prize for improved batteries for hybrid vehicles.
Obama: Proposes emergency cost-fighting measures such as a windfall-profits tax on largest oil companies to pay for energy rebates of up to $1,000 per couple and the release of up to 70 million barrels of oil from Strategic Petroleum Reserve to boost supplies. Ten-year, $150 billion fund to encourage biofuels, wind, solar, plug-in hybrids, clean-coal technology and other “climate-friendly” alternative supplies, with financing to come from selling pollution allowances in a market-based, cap-and-trade system. Aims for mandatory reductions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent from 1990 levels by 2050. Supports increasing federal fuel economy requirements from 35 mpg to 40 mpg. Would consider limited expansion of offshore oil and gas drilling, but opposes drilling in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
Health care
McCain: Promises $2,500 refundable tax credit for individuals, $5,000 for families, to make health insurance more affordable. No mandate for universal coverage. Would no longer shield from income taxes those payments that businesses and their workers make toward employer-sponsored health insurance. Would let people buy health plans offered by insurers operating in other states.
Obama: Proposes mandatory coverage for children, no mandate for adults. Aims for universal coverage by requiring larger employers to share costs of insuring workers and by offering coverage similar to that in federal employees’ plan. Proposes spending $50 billion on information technology over five years to reduce health-care costs over time.
Taxes
McCain: Proposes extending all of President Bush’s tax cuts and cutting corporate tax rate to 25 percent. After initially pledging not to raise taxes, now says nothing can be ruled out in negotiating compromises to keep Social Security solvent.
Obama: Promises immediate tax cuts for households making less than $250,000, and increased taxes on families making over $250,000, as well as on corporations and capital gains. Promises to create new tax breaks for lower-income families, including tripling Earned Income Tax Credit for minimum-wage workers, giving larger families a higher credit, and eliminating the tax-filing requirement for older workers making under $50,000. Also calls for tax incentives for savings, child care and mortgage expenses.
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