Election 2008: Make your voice heard!
"To make democracy work, we must be a nation of participants, not simply observers. One who does not vote has no right to complain.”
— Louis L'Amour
The U.S. Presidential Election is less than a week away!
Find out where the candidates and their running mates stand on the issues so you can make an informed decision in that voting booth. (profiles from NY times online Election Guide 2008)
YUGA E-Newsletter October 2008
In This Issue
Where the candidates stand
Issues important to YOUth
Senator Barack Obama | Senator John McCain |
 "Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek." Abortion: Pro-choice, Supports Roe v. Wade Climate Change: Supports a mandatory cap-and-trade system to reduce carbon emissions 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050. Economy: 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. Estimated tax break of $1,118 for the middle 20 percent of taxpayers — those making $37,600 to $66,400. Education: Proposes $18 billion a year in new federal spending on early childhood classes, teacher recruitment, performance pay and other initiatives. Energy: Opposes gas tax holiday; supports taxing windfall profits; opposes drilling in the Arctic and offshore; supports ethanol subsidies; not a proponent of expanding nuclear power. 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. Gun Control: Voted to leave gun-makers and dealers open to suit. Also, as Illinois state lawmaker, supported ban on all forms of semiautomatic weapons and tighter state restrictions generally on firearms. Health Care: Require that all children have health insurance; pay for it by rolling back President Bush's tax cuts for households earning over $250,000; aims for universal coverage. Housing: Enact a 90-day moratorium on most home foreclosures, requiring financial institutions that take government help to agree not to act against homeowners who are trying to make payments, even if not the full amounts. Immigration: Supports a path to legalization for illegal immigrants that includes learning English and paying fines; toughen penalties for hiring illegal immigrants; voted for fence along Mexican border. Iran: Tighten economic sanctions with international cooperation; military option not off the table. Supports engaging in direct diplomacy without preconditions and "willing to meet with appropriate Iranian leaders at the appropriate time after due preparation and advance work by U.S. diplomats." Iraq: Opposed invasion from the beginning; opposed troop increase; wants to withdraw one or two brigades a month to finish within 16 months and spur the Iraqis to reconcile their differences. |  "Stand up and fight. America is worth fighting for. Nothing is inevitable here. We never give up. We never quit. We never hide from history. We make history." Abortion: Pro-life. Wants to overturn Roe v. Wade Climate Change: Supports a mandatory cap-and-trade system to reduce carbon emissions 60 percent below 1990 levels by 2050. Economy: Proposes extending all of President Bush's tax cuts and cutting corporate tax rate to 25 percent. Twice opposed Bush's tax cuts, at first because he said they were tilted to the wealthiest and again because of the unknown costs of Iraq war. Now says those tax cuts, expiring in 2010, should be permanent. Estimated tax break of $325 for the middle 20 percent of taxpayers — those making $37,600 to $66,400. Education: Favors parental choice of schools, including vouchers for private schools when approved by local officials, and right of parents to choose home schooling. More money for community college education. Energy: Supports gas tax holiday; opposes taxing windfall profits; opposes drilling in the Arctic, supports offshore drilling; opposes ethanol subsidies; supports expanding nuclear power. Gay Marriage: Opposes constitutional amendment to ban it. Says same-sex couples should be allowed to enter into legal agreements for insurance and similar benefits, and states should decide about marriage. Supports the federal Defense of Marriage Act, which denies federal recognition of same-sex marriages and gives states the right to refuse to recognize such marriages. Gun Control: Voted against ban on assault-type weapons but in favor of requiring background checks at gun shows. Voted to shield gun-makers and dealers from civil suits. Health Care: For free-market, consumer-based system; has pledged affordable health care for every American without a mandate; says universal health care is possible without a tax increase. Housing: Purchase troubled mortgages from financial institutions and replace them with fixed-rate, government-guaranteed mortgages at the home's reduced value. Initially opposed large-scale federal assistance. Immigration: Helped write the 2007 immigration bill supporting a path to legalization for illegal immigrants that includes learning English and paying fines, but said earlier this year that he would no longer vote for his own bill. Voted for fence along Mexican border. Iran: Form an alliance with European countries to put economic and diplomatic pressure on Iran; no unconditional diplomacy; military option not off the table, but would consult with leaders of Congress. Iraq: Voted in 2002 to authorize invasion, still supportive; favored troop increase, and argues that security allowed political headway; against a timetable for withdrawal, but projected he would have most forces home by 2013. |
Too young to vote?
Make your voice heard by advocating to your local congresspeople to support the issues that are important to YOUth! Here are some laws which YUGA is advocating for this year . . .
Climate Change
We call on our Congress to support the Climate Security Act of 2008, which aims to reduce the impact of the United States on the environment, mainly by lowering greenhouse gas emissions. We believe that a groundswell of youth support of the legislation will help it get passed and put into action.Urge your local lawmakers to support the Climate Security Act. Download a form letter to be mailed to your congressional representatives.
Global Poverty
We call on our Congress to support the Global Poverty Act of 2008, which calls on the United States government to keep the promises made in the Millenium Development Goals to eradicate poverty and world hunger.Urge your local lawmakers to support the Global Poverty Act. Download a form letter to be mailed to your congressional representatives, by you and your classmates.
Child Exploitation
You can help end child exploitation by urging your local lawmakers to support these two important pieces of legislation!Over 250,000 children around the world are being forced to sacrifice their childhoods and risk their lives as soldiers in armed groups.
Join Plan and YUGA in the fight to end the use of child soldiers. Print The Child Soldier Prevention Act, get your classmates to sign it and urge your congressperson to cosponsor the act, which calls for the end of US military assistance to governments using child soldiers.
You can also help support the rights of children everywhere by urging your local Senator to support the U.S. ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), an international law designed to protect and promote the rights of children. The United States and Somalia are the only two countries in the UN who have not yet ratified the CRC. Use our form or create a letter of your own to advocate on behalf of this important piece of legislation.
HIV and AIDS
Take Action to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS by urging your member of Congress to cosponsor HIV/AIDS prevention legislation, the HIV/AIDS Prevention Act.Two of the world’s leading international development organizations, Plan USA and CARE have joined forces to advocate for people all over the world.
Join Plan and CARE in their advocacy efforts by printing this petition, getting your classmates to sign it and urging your congressperson to cosponsor the HIV/AIDS Prevention Act to ensure that all children worldwide get the opportunity to protect themselves against AIDS.
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