It's The Economy, Stupid

From SFGATE.COM

Where the candidates stand on key economic issues

	Barack Obama	John McCain
Taxes	Supports ending Bush income tax cuts for households with income above $250,000. Would offer tax credit up to $1,000 to middle-class households and eliminate taxes on seniors making less than $50,000. Would raise top rate on capital gains.	Would extend all Bush income tax cuts. Would lower corporate tax rate and maintain current capital gains rate. Would offer tax credit of up $5,000 for those buying health insurance. Would ban Internet taxes.
Spending	Would spend $15 billion annually on alternative energy development and $18 billion on education. Would cut earmarks to 2001 levels and end subsidies to the oil and gas industry.	Would institute a one-year freeze on nonmilitary discretionary spending. Would veto earmarks. Would provide $7 billion to $10 billion in subsidies to state health insurance pools for high-risk patients.
Budget deficit	Seeks to reduce the deficit by raising taxes on wealthy, cutting special interest spending, closing corporate tax loopholes and ending Iraq war. Supports pay-as-you-go rules that require new spending or tax cuts to be paid for by new revenue or cuts in other programs	Would balance the budget by 2013 by boosting economic growth and clamping down on spending. Would work with Congress on a bipartisan deficit reduction plan.
Social Security, Medicare	Opposes benefit cuts or privatization. Seeks greater efficiencies and cuts in subsidies to Medicare providers. Would impose payroll tax on earnings above $250,000.	Would supplement Social Security with private accounts. Says reform of the programs is needed to address long-term budget deficit. Opposes payroll tax increases.
Trade	Supports free trade agreements only if they include protections for labor and the environment.	Believes globalization is an opportunity for Americans and supports initiatives to reduce trade barriers.
Housing	Would create fund to help homeowners avoid foreclosures.	Would encourage lenders to refinance responsible subprime mortgage borrowers who can't afford existing loans.