The Democratic hopefuls
politics
fri 9/14/2007
We asked you what the most important issues of the 2008 election should be. You voted: immigration, global warming, education and jobs. So how do the would-be Presidential candidates stand on those issues?
This week, we look at the Democratic hopefuls and their positions – taken directly from their own campaign web sites.
| Who? | the Wall | the War | Global Warming | Education | Health Care |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Hillary Rodham Clinton Senator (New York) Age: 59 |
Supports border fence, voted in favor of President Bush's immigration reform bill. | End war, withdraw troops, opposed to building permament military bases in Iraq. | Use $50 billion for research and development of renewable energy, energy efficiency, clean coal and homegrown biofuels. Adopt a 20% renewable electricity standard by 2020. | Reform No Child Left Behind, higher pay for teachers, increase access to early education. | Universal care. Obesity and diabetes prevention, "paperless" medical records, reform care for chronically ill, end insurance discrimination, lower the cost of prescription medication, medical malpractice reform. |
 Mike Gravel Businessman and former Senator (Alaska) Age: 77 |
Against border fence, supports a path to citizenship. | Withdraw all troops within 120 days, require all U.S. corporations to withdraw and allow Iraqi businesses take over reconstruction. | Reduce deforestation, reduce U.S. greenhouse gases, collaborate with China and India to reduce greenhouse gases. | Reform No Child Left Behind, increase funding for education. | Universal care. Issue annual care vouchers based on projected need of each citizen. |
 Barack Obama Senator (Illinois) Age: 46 |
Supports border fence, voted in favor of President Bush's immigration reform bill. | Reduce the number of troops, initiate a phased withdrawal, improve reconstruction efforts, collaborate with international community to become more involved. | Increase fuel efficiency standards, reduce greenhouse gases, reduce gasoline consumption, encourage auto manufacturers to build advanced vehicles. | Expand early childhood education, higher pay for teachers, reform No Child Left Behind, improve testing, give high school students increased access to college courses, increase Pell Grants, end corporate subsidies on student loans. | Comprehensive care similar to the Federal Employees Health Benefits Plan, reform insurance, end insurance discrimination, cover all children, expand Medicaid, reduce cost of prescription drugs, require coverage of preventive services. |
| Out of the Running | |||||
 Dennis Kucinich Representative (Ohio) Age: 60 |
Against border fence, supports a path to citizenship. | Withdraw troops and replace them with an international security and peacekeeping force, prohibit permanent military bases, reinstate reconstruction program in Iraq, reparations. | Rejoin Kyoto Treaty, develop renewable energy, withdraw government subsidies for non-renewable energy. Reduce greenhouse gases 80% by 2050. Phase out nuclear and coal power, coal mining. | Universal pre-school, abolish No Child Left Behind, send all children to public schools, divert defense funds to education. | Comprehensive, single-payer, not-for-profit health care. |
 John Edwards Attorney and former Senator (North Carolina) Age: 54 |
Supports a smaller-scale border fence, supports a path to citizenship. | Withdraw troops within a year, prohibit permanent military bases, train Iraqi forces. | Begin capping greenhouse gas pollution in 2010 and reducing it by 80% in 2050. Create a $10 billion New Energy Economy Fund that supports research and development in energy technology. | Higher pay for teachers, curriculum reform, expand access to early education, second-chance schools for dropouts, end corporate subsidies on student loans, simplify FAFSA application process, increase number of college counselors in high schools. | Universal care. Require employers to cover employees. Reform insurance, expand Medicaid, create new tax credits, create regional "Health Care Markets." |
 Joe Biden Senator (Delaware) Age: 64 |
Supports border fence, voted in favor of President Bush's immigration reform bill. | Establish three regions in Iraq and withdraw troops. | Proponent of the Global Warming Pollution Reduction Act. | Guarantee two years of pre-school, higher pay for teachers, reduce class sizes, increase Pell Grants and tax credits for college students. | Universal care. Reduce the cost of health care, cover all children, lower costs for employers and provide catastrophic coverage, reform insurance. |
 Chris Dodd Senator (Connecticut) Age: 63 |
Supports border fence, voted in favor of President Bush's immigration reform bill. | Withdraw troops by April of 2008, spend as much money as needed for the withdrawl, focus on diplomacy. | Reduce 80% of greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, eliminate U.S. dependence on Middle East oil by 2015. | Universal pre-school, reduce class sizes, reform No Child Left Behind, end corporate subsidies on student loans, increase Pell Grants, tuition credits for community college students. | Universal care. Carried out through insurance marketplace called Universal HealthMart that is based on the Federal Employees Health Benefits Plan. |
 Bill Richardson Governor (New Mexico) Age: 59 |
Against border fence, supports a path to citizenship. | De-authorize the war, withdraw all troops within six months and replace them with primarily Muslim UN peacekeepers, aid in reconstruction, re-deploy troops to Afghanistan when threats occur. | Expand Clean Air Act, join Kyoto Treaty, reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 90% by 2090, reduce oil dependence by 50% by 2020. | Abolish No Child Left Behind, nationwide teachers' salary of $40 thousand a year, establish federal pre-school program, expand charter schools, curriculum reform, expand college grants. | Universal care. Sliding-scale tax credits, reduce the price of prescription drugs, expand Medicaid. |
Nosoylatino Says:
Well este year yo voy a poder votar!!! and I was hopin John Edwards wouldnt drop out and he could run!!! I was going to vote for him :( now i have to see which presidential hopeful will make it to the ballot this year!!! ALL i hope for is that a democrat wins just b/c none of the REPUBLICANS have said they want to give options to illegal immigrants!!!
.:*yara*:.
(WiLsOn, CaRoLiNa DeL NoRt3)
2/4/2008
Next year Ima get a chance to vote for the first time and i go for the ones dat are against the wall, but i still have to see which one will make the U.S. a better place!!!
Gi-Gi
(WASHINGTON, PA)
9/20/2007
i would vote 4 hilary clinton(if i wuz old enough)cuz she's representin 4 d ladies and her husband wuz a really good president!!!wh didn't like bill clinton???so, whenever she's havin trouble, she can alwayz ask him 4 advice cuz he has experience wit d whole president thing and she has experience too cuz she used 2 help him whenever he needed help. so, it'll b like a really good team.like 2 presidents or somethin.so, i go 4 hilaryn clinton.
-kitty
kitty
(tR@V!3S@St0wN)
9/18/2007
I GO 4 THE ONES THAT ARE AGAINST THE WALL!!!!!!!
RkM & KeN-y Fr3@K
(SACHSE,TX)
9/15/2007
My vote is going to probably be for Mike Gravel or Bill richardson.They is not hispanic but he is against the wall but also allow citizenship. His plans sound really good, but we need to keep our mind open to someone we trust not just because they are hispanic, you have to look at all of there plans for our future.
Vicki
(Victorville)
11/28/2007
I'll go for all the one's that are against the wall presidents that think is not fair to put the ST**** wall. preferiblemente i want 2 vote 4 Bill Richardson cuz he supports all latinos and specially "immigrants"
la homie
(High Point, NC)
10/24/2007
I F A HAD TO GO WITH ONE OF THIS POTENTIAL CANDIDATES I WOULD PROBALY GO FOR BILL RICHARDSON JUST CAUSE HIS MEXICAN,NONE OF THIS CANDITATES R ANYTHING SPECIAL ,THEIR JUST PUPPETS FOR THE SHADOW GOVERNMENT JUST LIKE EVIL BUSH~
cali boy
(BaYaReA,CA)
9/15/2007
i'd vote 4
Dennis Kucinich
cuz i want to be the first woman president :)
o and cuz he'z against the wall to!
kristina
9/18/2007
i'm gonna vote 4 hilary clinton cuz she's da best ya'll and she is representing the women and good things
cj da dominican girl
(New York City)
11/29/2007
its like dis year, there;s no 1 person dat ery1 wants as president.....like in the past there wasa 1 person dat u'd always hear bout dat ery1 was gonna vote 4, but not dis time...i'm so glad im not old enuff 2 vote cuz idk who i'd pick specailly since all dis stuff is happeneing.....
*Marina*
(SA Town, TX)
9/17/2007
your response