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George W. Bush
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John Kerry
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ANTI- TERRORISM • Aid for Local Police |
Would increase Homeland Security money for states and cities by $3.6 billion next year. more
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Would reimburse cities for Homeland Security expenses, create a fund to hire firefighters, and enlist the National Guard and Americorps volunteers. more |
• Bioterrorism |
Established a program in major cities to detect the spread of bioterrorism agents. Also would increase vaccine and drug development. more |
Would appoint an individual responsible for communicating with state and local officials on biosecurity issues. Also would increase vaccine and drug development. more |
• Patriot Act |
Would continue to support the Patriot Act.more |
Would amend the Patriot Act. more |
CIVIL RIGHTS • Affirmative Action |
Opposes racial quotas and preferences.more |
Supports affirmative action programs. more |
• Gay and Lesbian Rights |
Opposes gay marriage; supports constitutional amendment defining marriage; allows gays to serve in military only if they do not talk about their sexuality. more |
Opposes gay marriage; opposes constitutional amendment defining marriage; would allow openly gay soldiers to serve in military. more |
CRIME • Gun Laws |
Supports background checks at gun shows; supports granting immunity to gun makers from civil lawsuits. more |
Supports background checks at gun shows; opposes granting immunity to gun makers from civil lawsuits. more |
• Policing/ Sentencing |
Cut funding for community policing programs. Proposes a $300 million program to reduce prisoner recidivism rates and help ex-convicts contribute to their communities. more |
Supports community policing programs, as well as increased funding for drug rehabilitation programs. more |
• Death Penalty |
Supports the death penalty. more |
Opposes the death penalty, except for terrorists. more |
ECONOMY • Jobs |
Issued tax breaks that he says created 1.4 million new jobs. Would continue tax cuts to encourage job growth. more |
Promises to create 10 million jobs in four years through a series of tax reforms and initiatives to keep jobs in U.S. more |
• Minimum Wage |
Has not supported increase in minimum wage. more |
Would raise minimum wage to $7 an hour. more |
• North America Free Trade Agreement |
Supports NAFTA and says it helps American families. more |
Would amend NAFTA to keep more jobs in U.S. more |
• Taxes |
Would continue tax cuts, totaling over $1 trillion over six years. more |
Would repeal tax cuts for families with incomes over $200,000. more |
EDUCATION • Higher Ed |
Would increase grants to needy undergraduate students and supports new funding for education and job training programs. more |
Would support a program to provide full college tuition in exchange for two years of community service, and would triple the tax credit to $4,000 for college tuition. more |
• No Child Left Behind |
Would continue to support the No Child Left Behind Act. more |
Would reform the No Child Left Behind Act. more |
• Vouchers |
Supports vouchers for private schools. more |
Opposes vouchers for private schools. more |
HEALTH CARE |
Signed Medicare reform, giving prescription drug benefit to senior citizens. Would expand medical savings accounts to give workers more control; would increase tax credits to help uninsured buy medical coverage. more |
Would offer every American access to health care plan offered to federal employees; would expand existing programs to cover 96 percent of population. more |
HOUSING |
Would continue to support programs that help families with down payments for homes and would encourage minority home ownership. more |
Would support measures to create a housing trust fund to build long-term affordable housing and to encourage construction and rehabilitation of affordable housing for low and medium income families. more |
IMMIGRATION
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Would offer temporary visas to immigrants who register with employer; would increase enforcement on U.S./Mexico border. more |
Would reform current policy to expedite citizenship process for some immigrants; supports adequately funding and reforming border control. more |
MASS TRANSIT |
Would continue to support federal mass transit initiatives; would continue support of federal aid to rebuild lower Manhattan’s transit system. more |
Would support transportation policy that allows cities to choose how best to use federal money. more |
POVERTY |
Would increase work requirements for welfare-to-work programs; would create faith-based initiatives to meet needs of poor. more |
Would provide job training and childcare for welfare-to-work programs; would support initiatives to require fathers to pay child support. more |
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