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Their great policy divide

COMPILED BY BART JONES

September 8, 2008

In accepting their parties’ nominations in the past two weeks, Barack Obama and John McCain laid out fundamental differences on the role of government: Obama urged more activism, McCain offered a hands-off approach.

From those basic philosophies flow their different policy approaches.

Newsday examined the positions of Obama and McCain on 10 key issues, yesterday looking at the economy, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, national security, energy and the environment/climate change. Here are today’s five issues.

THE ISSUES

WHERE OBAMA STANDS

HEALTH CARE: Would create a national health insurance program for people without employer-provided health care and who do not qualify for other existing federal programs.

Program would be mandatory for children, but not for all adults. He hopes to achieve universal coverage by requiring employers to share costs of insuring workers and by offering coverage similar to plan provided to federal employees. Estimates costs at up to $65 billion a year after savings from making system more efficient. To help pay costs he would eliminate tax cuts granted by President George W. Bush for people making more than $250,000.

SOCIAL SECURITY: Strongly opposes privatization, pledges to keep Social Security solvent and protect middle-class families from tax increases of benefit cuts.

[CORRECTION: A chart yesterday misstated Barack Obama's position on Social Security payroll taxes. Obama wants to impose higher Social Security payroll taxes on wages over $250,000. For the 2008 tax year, Social Security payroll tax applies only to the first $102,000 a worker earns. Pg. A17 ALL 9/9/08] Believes way to strengthen system is through payroll tax system. Social Security payroll tax currently applies only to first $97,500 a worker earns. Wants to increase maximum amount of earnings covered by Social Security. Pledges to work with Congress on reform package to keep the system solvent for at least next half century.

EDUCATION: Backs expansion of pre-K programs, pledging to quadruple Early Head Start with $10-billion-a-year injection and also increase funding for Head Start.

Plans to reform No Child Left Behind, recruiting high-quality teachers and rewarding talented ones in part with higher pay not linked to standardized test scores. Proposes tax credit of $4,000 for college students who perform 100 hours of community service a year. Wants to make community college entirely free nationwide.

IMMIGRATION: Voted for 2006 Bush-backed bill, which would have increased funding and improved border-security technology and improved enforcement of existing laws.

Supports construction of 700-mile fence along U.S.-Mexico border.

ABORTION: Favors abortion rights and opposes any constitutional amendment to overturn the Supreme Court's decision in Roe v. Wade.

Disagrees with the Supreme Court ruling to uphold the "Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act." Did not cast vote on Prohibiting Funds for Groups that Perform Abortions amendment in 2007.

WHERE McCAIN STANDS

HEALTH CARE: Opposes federally mandated universal coverage, saying competition will improve quality of health insurance.

Pledges to reform tax code to offer choices beyond employee-based health insurance coverage. Every family would receive a direct refundable tax credit for $2,500 for individuals and $5,000 for families. Wants families to be able to purchase health insurance nationwide, across state lines, and have their policy follow them from job to job.

SOCIAL SECURITY: Wants to supplement Social Security benefits with individual investment accounts.

Prefers slowing growth of benefits rather than raising taxes. Asked about Social Security during a GOP debate, he said: "Every man, woman and child in America needs to know it's going broke, and we've got to do the hard things. We've got to fix it for the future generations of Americans ... It's got to be bipartisan."