Where Obama stands on the issues

Calvin Woodward ,  The Associated Press   |  Wed, 11/05/2008 12:16 PM  |  World

A sampling of President-elect Barack Obma's campaign promises and positions:

ABORTION

Favors abortion rights.

AFGHANISTAN

Would add about 7,000 troops to the U.S. force of 32,000, bringing the reinforcements from Iraq. Has threatened unilateral attack on high-value terrorist targets in Pakistan as they become exposed, 'if Pakistan cannot or will not act" against them.
 

Would add about 7,000 troops to the U.S. force of 32,000, bringing the reinforcements from Iraq. Has threatened unilateral attack on high-value terrorist targets in Pakistan as they become exposed, 'if Pakistan cannot or will not act" against them.

CUBA

Would ease restrictions on family-related travel and on money Cuban-Americans want to send to their families in Cuba. Open to meeting new Cuban leader Raul Castro without preconditions. Favors easing U.S. trade embargo if Havana "begins opening Cuba to meaningful democratic change."

DEATH PENALTY

Supports death penalty for crimes for which the "community is justified in expressing the full measure of its outrage." As Illinois lawmaker, wrote bill mandating videotaping of interrogations and confessions in capital cases and sought other changes in system that had produced wrongful convictions.

ENERGY-GLOBAL WARMING

Supports 10-year, $150 billion fund for biofuels, wind, solar, plug-in hybrids, clean-coal technology and other "climate-friendly" measures. Mandatory reductions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases by 80 percent from 1990 levels by 2050, using a market-based, cap-and-trade system that would increase energy costs. Increase federal fuel economy requirements from 35 mpg (15 kpl) to 40 mpg (17 kpl). Now would consider limited expansion of offshore oil and gas drilling. Opposes drilling in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska. Proposes windfall-profits tax on largest oil companies to pay for energy rebate of up to $1,000. Expand federal requirements for ethanol from 36 million gallons (136 million liters) to 60 million gallons (227 million liters) a year with increase coming from non-corn sources, and require utilities to produce 25 percent of power from renewable energy such as wind, solar and biomass by 2025. $7,000 tax credit for the purchase of advance-technology vehicles; put 1 million plug-in hybrid cars on road by 2015.

FINANCIAL CRISIS

Two-year plan offering $3,000 tax credit to businesses for each new job created and enabling people to withdraw up to 15 percent of their retirement money, to a maximum of $10,000, without penalty, except for the usual taxes. Would temporarily extend an expiring tax break that lets small businesses immediately write off investments of up to $250,000, and sweeten small-business loans at a cost of about $5 billion. Estimated cost of proposals: $60 billion. Now favors mandatory 90-day freeze on some foreclosures. Lobbied fellow lawmakers to support $700 billion rescue plan. Extend unemployment benefits, offer tax credit covering 10 percent of annual mortgage-interest payments for "struggling homeowners."

GAY MARRIAGE

Opposes constitutional amendment to ban it. Supports civil unions, says states should decide about marriage. Switched positions in 2004 and now supports repeal of Defense of Marriage Act, which denies federal recognition of same-sex marriages and gives states the right to refuse to recognize such marriages.

GUANTANAMO BAY PRISON

Says Guantanamo should be closed and detainees allowed to challenge their detention. Criticized Bush administration for neglecting to develop a military justice system to ensure those held were suspected terrorists instead of people "accidentally accused." Praised Supreme Court decision on civilian courts. Voted against the Military Commissions Act of 2006.

HEALTH CARE

Mandatory coverage for children, no mandate for adults. Aim for universal coverage by requiring larger employers to share costs of insuring workers and by offering coverage similar to that in plan for federal employees. Proposes spending $50 billion on information technology over five years to reduce health care costs over time. Tax Policy Center estimates overall plan's cost at $1.6 trillion over 10 years.

IMMIGRATION

Voted for 2006 bill offering legal status to illegal immigrants subject to conditions, including English proficiency and payment of back taxes and fines. Voted for border fence.

IRAN

Initially said he would meet President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad without preconditions, now says he's not sure "Ahmadinejad is the right person to meet with right now." But says direct diplomacy with Iranian leaders would give U.S. more credibility to press for tougher international sanctions. Says he would intensify diplomatic pressure on Tehran before Israel feels the need to take unilateral military action against Iranian nuclear facilities.

IRAQ

Spoke against war at start, opposed troop increase. Voted against one major military spending bill in May 2007; otherwise voted in favor of money to support the war. Says his plan would complete withdrawal of U.S. combat troops in 16 months. Initially had said a timetable for completing withdrawal would be irresponsible without knowing what facts he would face in office.

MISSILE DEFENSE

Has expressed skepticism about the amount of money the United States is spending on missile defense. Supports deploying the European missile defense system but only after it has been tested properly to prove its effectiveness, which could delay it for years.

NORTH KOREA

Distances himself from the hard-line policies that Bush adopted in his first term by playing up his willingness to continue direct talks with North Korea, which Bush only recently embraced. Favors a strong international coalition to eliminate North Korea's nuclear weapons program.

STEM CELL RESEARCH

Supports relaxing federal restrictions on financing of embryonic stem cell research.

SUDAN-DARFUR

Wants a no-fly zone to contain Sudanese government-sponsored violence in Darfur, ideally under the United Nations flag. Signed a statement last May with other Democratic candidates that condemned the violence and said the Sudanese government is chiefly responsible for it and could end it.

TAXES

Raise income taxes on families making over $250,000 and individuals making over $200,000. Raise corporate taxes. $80 billion in tax breaks mainly for poor workers and elderly, including tripling Earned Income Tax Credit for minimum-wage workers and higher credit for larger families. Eliminate tax-filing requirement for older workers making under $50,000. A mortgage-interest credit could be used by lower-income homeowners who do not take the mortgage-interest deduction because they do not itemize their taxes. Nonpartisan Tax Policy Center estimates tax break of $1,118 for the middle 20 percent of taxpayers - those making $37,600 to $66,400.

TRADE

Seek to reopen North American Free Trade Agreement to strengthen enforcement of labor and environmental standards. In 2004 Senate campaign, called for "enforcing existing trade agreements," not amending them.

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