Voter Guide: Candidates

The following candidates are running for President, or an office in the State of Ohio, or in the 15th House District in Central Ohio which includes the OSU campus area. For information on other candidates, please visit OhioElects.com.

For President/ Vice President

Taxes and the Economy

"Eliminate alternative minimum tax. Raise the personal exemption for each dependent from $3,500 to $7,000. Cut estate tax rate to 15 percent and exempt estates under $10 million. Cut the federal corporate tax rate to 25 percent from 35 percent and allow corporations to immediately deduct the costs of new equipments and technology. Establish a permanent tax credit for companies that is equal to 10 percent of wages spent on research and development. Require three-fifths vote in Congress to increase taxes. Propose an alternative tax system, while keeping the current one in place for those who want to use it, with “two tax rates and a generous standard deduction.” Pay for cuts by eliminating earmarks, implementing “a one-year pause in discretionary spending increases, with the necessary exemption of military spending and veterans benefits,” and overhauling programs like Social Security and Medicare." -New York Times. See McCain's Economic Plan for more information.

Higher Education

"Prepare for the 21st Century in Higher Education: America is facing increased competition from overseas like never before. Higher education is as much a part of that competition as the job sector, and we must rise to the challenge and modernize our universities so that they retain their status as producers of the most skilled workforce in the world. The answer is not to impose more regulations on institutions, but to encourage the government to support innovative approaches to education, removing regulatory barriers that prevent us from moving forward with new ideas."

McCain/Palin's goals include:

• "Improve Information for Parents
• Simplify Higher Education Tax Benefits
• Simplify Federal Financial Aid
• Improve Research by Eliminating Earmarks
• Fix the Student Lending Programs"

JohnMcCain.com, John McCain's Higher Education Policy

Environment

Principles:

• "Climate Policy Should Be Built On Scientifically-Sound, Mandatory Emission Reduction Targets And Timetables.
• Climate Policy Should Utilize A Market-Based Cap And Trade System.
• Climate Policy Must Include Mechanisms To Minimize Costs And Work Effectively With Other Markets.
• Climate Policy Must Spur The Development And Deployment Of Advanced Technology."

-JohnMcCain.com, Climate Change

Health Care

"The problem is not that most Americans lack adequate health insurance — the vast majority of Americans have private insurance, and our government spends billions each year to provide even more," McCain has said. "The biggest problem with the American health care system is that it costs too much."

The thrust of McCain's plan is to encourage people to buy their own insurance — rather than get it through their jobs. He'd do that using several strategies: giving people tax credits, encouraging more people to set up tax-advantaged health savings accounts, and letting them buy insurance policies across state lines.

McCain also wants to rein in the government's big health care programs, Medicare and Medicaid. Just this week in Pittsburgh, for example, he criticized Medicare's new drug benefit for being too generous.

And one thing McCain says he won't do is impose any sort of requirement that people have health insurance — the sort of mandate that Clinton and Obama are currently sparring over." NPR:Morning Edition, April 17, 2008

Abortion

Opposes Roe v. Wade and wishes to overturn the ruling.

Same Sex Marriage

"The family represents the foundation of Western Civilization and civil society and John McCain believes the institution of marriage is a union between one man and one woman. It is only this definition that sufficiently recognizes the vital and unique role played by mothers and fathers in the raising of children, and the role of the family in shaping, stabilizing, and strengthening communities and our nation.

As with most issues vital to the preservation and health of civil society, the basic responsibility for preserving and strengthening the family should reside at the level of government closest to the people. In their wisdom, the Founding Fathers reserved for the States the authority and responsibility to protect and strengthen the vital institutions of our civil society. They did so to ensure that the voices of America's families could not be ignored by an indifferent national government or suffocated through filibusters and clever legislative maneuvering in Congress."

-JohnMcCain.com, Protecting Marriage

Gun Control

"John McCain believes that the right of law abiding citizens to keep and bear arms is a fundamental, individual Constitutional right that we have a sacred duty to protect. We have a responsibility to ensure that criminals who violate the law are prosecuted to the fullest, rather than restricting the rights of law abiding citizens. Gun control is a proven failure in fighting crime. Law abiding citizens should not be asked to give up their rights because of criminals - criminals who ignore gun control laws anyway."

-JohnMcCain.com, Protecting Second Amendment Rights

War in Iraq

“I do not want to keep our troops in Iraq a minute longer than necessary to secure our interests there. Our goal is an Iraq that can stand on its own as a democratic ally and a responsible force for peace in its neighborhood. Our goal is an Iraq that no longer needs American troops. And I believe we can achieve that goal, perhaps sooner than many imagine. But I do not believe that anyone should make promises as a candidate for President that they cannot keep if elected. To promise a withdrawal of our forces from Iraq, regardless of the calamitous consequences to the Iraqi people, our most vital interests, and the future of the Middle East, is the height of irresponsibility. It is a failure of leadership. “

“I know the pain war causes. I understand the frustration caused by our mistakes in this war. And I regret sincerely the additional sacrifices imposed on the brave Americans who defend us. But I also know the toll a lost war takes on an army and on our country's security. By giving General Petraeus and the men and women he has the honor to command the time and support necessary to succeed in Iraq we have before us a hard road. But it is the right road. It is necessary and just. Those who disregard the unmistakable progress we have made in the last year and the terrible consequences that would ensue were we to abandon our responsibilities in Iraq have chosen another road. It may appear to be the easier course of action, but it is a much more reckless one, and it does them no credit even if it gives them an advantage in the next election.”–JohnMcCain, On the Road Ahead

For President/ Vice President

Taxes and the Economy

"Cut taxes by $80 billion a year for workers, homeowners and retirees. Give credits to working families; eliminate income taxes for elderly workers making $50,000 or less. Keep estate tax. Raise capital gains taxes to as much as 28 percent." -New York Times. See Obama's Plan to Strengthen the Economy for more information.

Health Care

"Obama will sign a universal health care plan into law by the end of his first term in office. His plan will provide affordable, quality health care coverage for every American. Obama’s plan will bring down the cost of health care and reduce a typical family’s premiums by as much as $2,500 per year." -Barack Obama's Blueprint for Change.

Higher Education

"Create the American Opportunity Tax Credit: Obama and Biden will make college affordable for all Americans by creating a new American Opportunity Tax Credit. This universal and fully refundable credit will ensure that the first $4,000 of a college education is completely free for most Americans, and will cover two-thirds the cost of tuition at the average public college or university and make community college tuition completely free for most students. Recipients of the credit will be required to conduct 100 hours of community service.

Simplify the Application Process for Financial Aid: Obama and Biden will streamline the financial aid process by eliminating the current federal financial aid application and enabling families to apply simply by checking a box on their tax form, authorizing their tax information to be used, and eliminating the need for a separate application."

BarackObama.com, Higher Education 

Environment

"The Obama-Biden comprehensive New Energy for America plan will:

• Provide short-term relief to American families facing pain at the pump
• Help create five million new jobs by strategically investing $150 billion over the next ten years to catalyze private efforts to build a clean energy future.
• Within 10 years save more oil than we currently import from the Middle East and Venezuela combined.
• Put 1 million Plug-In Hybrid cars -- cars that can get up to 150 miles per gallon -- on the road by 2015, cars that we will work to make sure are built here in America.
• Ensure 10 percent of our electricity comes from renewable sources by 2012, and 25 percent by 2025.
• Implement an economy-wide cap-and-trade program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 80 percent by 2050."

BarackObama.com, New Energy 

Abortion

Supports Roe v. Wade.

War in Iraq

"Barack Obama and Joe Biden believe we must be as careful getting out of Iraq as we were careless getting in. Immediately upon taking office, Obama will give his Secretary of Defense and military commanders a new mission in Iraq: ending the war. The removal of our troops will be responsible and phased, directed by military commanders on the ground and done in consultation with the Iraqi government. Military experts believe we can safely redeploy combat brigades from Iraq at a pace of 1 to 2 brigades a month that would remove them in 16 months. That would be the summer of 2010 – more than 7 years after the war began.

Under the Obama-Biden plan, a residual force will remain in Iraq and in the region to conduct targeted counter-terrorism missions against al Qaeda in Iraq and to protect American diplomatic and civilian personnel. They will not build permanent bases in Iraq, but will continue efforts to train and support the Iraqi security forces as long as Iraqi leaders move toward political reconciliation and away from sectarianism."

BarackObama.com, War in Iraq

For US Congress, Ohio 15th District
Democrat

War in Iraq

Mary Jo Kilroy believes that the decision to go into Iraq was a mistake, and now the only thing that can be done to improve the situation is a complete “redeployment and withdrawal” of all American troops. It is Congress’s responsibility for making President Bush develop a plan to stabilize Iraq and bring American forces home. To do this, Kilroy suggests, setting up “benchmarks” that the Iraqi police must meet that would increase their responsibility for security. In addition the Iraq government must be taught that American troops will not stay forever, and that they, themselves, must step up their role in national security to establish their legitimacy to the people. President Bush must also remove and/or cancel all permanent military bases in Iraq. Kilroy believes that responsibility for Iraq falls with the executive branch.

Healthcare

Kilroy believes that healthcare costs are too high and are what’s causing Ohio businesses who “play by the rules” to go bankrupt. To curb this, Kilroy suggests that all Ohioans should get minimal healthcare for themselves and their families. Mary Jo Kilroy wants to provide affordable coverage to all American families while guaranteeing choice of doctors and plans. She wishes to emphasize prevention of health issues, and financial assistance for lower-income and working families can afford coverage.

Budget and Economy

Kilroy supports the House Democrats Budget plan and seeks to balance the budget by 2012. She will reinstate the “pay-as-you-go” (PAYGO) rules that “require the costs of any new mandatory spending or revenue legislation to be offset.” Providing more resources for public health programs, medical research, education, and the environment as well as setting aside a reserve fund of $150 billion for working families in tax cuts are her primary goals. She also will match the Republican budget on defense and homeland security funding.

Minimum Wage

Kilroy supports a federal minimum wage increase to $7.25/hour and the Ohio referendum to raise the sate minimum wage to $6.85/hour by January 1st, 2007. She also believes that Congress should not vote itself another pay raise until minimum wage is increased. Lastly her goal is to keep the minimum wage proportional to inflation

Stem Cell Research

Mary Jo Kilroy supports the scientific research of stem cells.

For US Congress, Ohio 15th District
Republican

Healthcare

"My plan to reform America’s health care system is predicated on three principles: increasing access to health care for all Americans, lowering costs for patients and throughout the system, and improving quality of care through innovation. However, we must retain our private market health care system. I oppose creating a Canadian-style, government run system."

Stivers Goals Include:

• "Our goal must be to ensure that health care is available for anyone who wants it. I have worked hard in the General Assembly to increase access... One third of Americans without health insurance are currently eligible for some type of government assistance. For far too long, however, we have done a poor job marketing these programs to those who need them, and as a result, many Americans are unaware of their eligibility. We need to enroll these Americans at the point of service – at their doctors’ office, at the hospital or urgent care facility, or at a community health clinic.
• ..We must allow for more portability in health care, and allow workers to retain their insurance when they change jobs. To that end, I support Governor Strickland’s insurance exchange program, which lets workers keep their insurance coverage as they switch jobs, and I would work to enact a similar program nationally. 
• ..[A]llow insurance companies to compete across state lines, which would drive down costs and offer more choices for health care consumers
•  ..[M]ove from “sick-care” to “well-care” in chronic disease care by emphasizing prevention, early intervention, and healthier lifestyle habits to rein in costs."

Stivers4Congress.com, Health Care Security

Energy Security Plan

 "We need a balanced plan that:

• Increases domestic energy supplies through drilling and building new refineries.
• Invests in clean, alternative fuels
• Improves our conservation to reduce American demand for fossil fuels

...Working part and parcel with increased drilling is the need to build additional refineries in the United States. No new refinery has been built in America since 1976, and in the wake of fifty cent spikes in gas prices following Hurricane Ike, consumers recognize that we our paying a high price at the pump for our lack of refineries.

Investing in Alternative Energies:

My plan invests $100 billion of the revenue generated from the new offshore drilling into alternative energies over the next decade – a fiscally conservative approach to investing in the sustainable energies of tomorrow that costs nothing to taxpayers, yet adds two million green jobs to our American economy.

Improving Conservation:

We must not only address our nation’s energy supply issues – we must also be vigilant to reduce energy demands in this country....

...Only through a comprehensive and balanced energy plan -- one that embraces increased supplies through drilling and new refineries, invests in alternative and sustainable energies, and improves our conservation – can we end our dangerous dependence on foreign oil. My plan accomplishes this, without increasing spending and adding to our massive national debt."

SteveStivers4Congress.com, Energy Security and Independence Plan

Jobs & The Economy

"To strengthen our economy, we must reduce government over-spending...To rein in spending, I have called upon Congress to reform earmarks, ensuring complete transparency in the process and absolute accountability for those who would attempt to sneak wasteful earmarks and pork barrel spending into spending bills.  I have also advocated for a Presidential line-item veto to allow our next President the power to remove ridiculous spending items from legislation without having to veto the entire bill.  Most importantly, we must send people to Washington with an ability to make difficult decisions on spending, and who are capable of tightening government’s belt alongside the millions of American families who are learning to make do with less.

Similarly, during these tough economic times, the worst thing our government could do is raise taxes on businesses and families.  Rather, I believe we must keep taxes at their current level.  We cannot tax our way out of a recession, but we can absolutely prolong it by taking more tax dollars from our workers and out of our economy and sending to the big spenders in Washington."

Stivers4Congress.com, Jobs and Economic Security