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Learn Where Each Candidate Stands Before Casting Your Vote

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 20, 2008

As the primary season rolls into full speed, we are being bombarded by a slew of debates. It appears we are faced with political carnage almost nightly.

Of the debates on both sides of the party lines, two themes are evidently clear:

Republicans are tripping over each other to claim they are the true Reaganites, "the bearers of the legacy of Ronald Reagan." Yet not one Republican has really successfully shown how he revives Reagan's legacy.

On the Democratic side, they are all beating each other with the "rod of change." They talk about change, but cannot elaborate on what change they want without turning the discussion into a Republican-bashing party.

After a while, the rhetoric of both parties is boring.

As I watch the debates, I have yet to hear a short, concise answer to three issues that matter to voters. I have read their comments on the topics and compiled the shortest answers possible.

Immigration And The Candidates

•Immigration: Democrats Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and John Edwards have essentially the same view. They support a path to legalization for illegal immigrants that includes learning English and paying fines. They support toughening the penalties for hiring illegal immigrants, and they support efforts to finish building the border fence.

On the Republican side, the three major candidates have different views.

John McCain supports a path to legalization for illegal immigrants that includes learning English and paying fines. He supports efforts to finish the border fence.

Mike Huckabee supports giving illegal immigrants 120 days to register and leave the country, after which they could apply to return. He also supports toughening penalties for hiring illegal immigrants and finishing construction on the border fence.

Mitt Romney says there should be no special path to legalization. He supports toughening penalties for hiring illegal immigrants and finishing the border fence.

Health Care

•Health care: McCain is for a free-market, consumer-based system. He has pledged affordable health care for every American without a mandate and says universal health care is possible without a tax increase.

Huckabee also is for a free-market, consumer-based system, but opposes any mandates. He favors making insurance affordable with tax credits and cost-control measures.

Romney is for a free-market, consumer-based system. He opposes any mandates. He wants to give states flexibility to create programs and deregulate markets. He would use federal money that is now used to help states cover care for the uninsured.

Obama would require that all children have health insurance. He would pay for it by rolling back President Bush's tax cuts for people earning more than $250,000. The aim of his plan is to eventually provide universal coverage.

Clinton would require everyone to get health insurance that would be subsidized by employers and the government. She would pay for it by rolling back tax cuts for people earning more than $250,000 and by savings in the existing system.

Edwards would require everyone to get health insurance, which would be subsidized by employers and the government. He would pay for it by rolling back Bush's tax cuts for the highest earners.

The War In Iraq

•Iraq: McCain voted in 2002 to authorize invasion. He is still supportive of the invasion. He is in favor of troop increases and against a timetable for withdrawal.

Huckabee is supportive of the decision to invade Iraq. However, when the issue of troop increases first arose, he was only tentatively in favor of it. He is against a timetable for troop withdrawal.

Romney supports the decision to invade. He is in favor of troop increases and against a timetable for withdrawal.

Obama opposed the invasion from the beginning. He also opposed troop increases. He wants to withdraw one or two brigades a month to finish within 16 months.

Clinton voted in 2002 to authorize invasion but now is opposed to it. She opposed troop increases. She wants to start a phased withdrawal within 60 days of taking office, with the goal to have most troops out by the end of 2013.

Edwards voted in 2002 to authorize the invasion but is now opposed. He opposed troop increases. He wants to withdraw 40,000 to 50,000 troops immediately and all troops within nine to 10 months.

Now, fellow citizens, you have the responsibility to study each of the issues and decide for yourself whether your values and those of the candidates match.

Get informed, and go to the polls. Cast your vote and be heard.

Voting is the most precious right of every citizen. We have not only a moral obligation but a civic one to ensure that every citizen is equal.

And remember, it's not your intent to vote that matters but your desire for change. If that's there, you can turn this country around.

The writer, a Democrat, is a Zephyrhills city councilman and youth counselor.

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