In this week's look at the top 9 candidates, we discussed their views on Education, Health Care, Energy dependence and the environment. Below I will rank the candidates in these regards:
Last week: Foreign policy rankings (Paul 96, Thompson 94, Obama 87, McCain 86, Giuliani 85, Romney 82, Huckabee 79, Clinton 79, Edwards 77)
1. Mike Huckabee 94%
Huckabee encourages use of the Voucher system for school choice and homeschooling. He says we need more arts/music in school b/c they are just as important as math/science. Huckabee stood up to the teachers union in Arkansas. He's for privatized health care, but with a change of focus to preventative health instead of always responding to emergencies. We should be stewards of the environment while exploring all technologies to obtain energy independence.
2. Ron Paul 91%
Ron Paul wants to eliminate the entire Department of Education and move control of our schools back to the states and local boards. He favors the voucher system to increase quality. As a medical doctor, Paul understands the problems in the health care industry and feels we should change our direction back to a fully privatized system by reducing regulations and rewarding healthy habits. He reminds us that making profits in the energy industry is not evil, but the federal government should not be subsidizing the industry. We should read both sides of the Global Warming debate and stay informed.
3. Rudy Giuliani 88%
In our country, colleges are working great, but k-12 is a mess. Giuliani says this is b/c colleges are primarily privatized and k-12 is led by the federal government. We should move control back to the states and encourage the voucher system to increase quality. He's also for privatized health care and would encourage a $15K tax credit to help the uninsured buy their own insurance. Global Warming is a reality and we must invest in all technologies to combat it.
4. Fred Thompson 87%
We should let the states try the voucher system. He voted for No Child Left Behind, but now thinks its critics were correct. We need to encourage the traditional family unit if we want to better our children. We have the best health care system in the world, but it will only remain that way if we make it more and more privatized. We should shift the focus to preventative and modernize the industry. Thompson is skeptical that Global Warming is caused by man, but sees energy independence as a national security issue.
5. John McCain 87%
McCain doesn't say a whole lot about education except for agreeing with the standard republican positions on vouchers. He says we need to get rid of bad teachers. Health care should be privatized. A $2.5K tax credit will help the uninsured. The drug companies are getting rich at our expense. Climate change is real and nuclear power is the solution.
6. Mitt Romney 86%
Education needs to be controlled at a local level. Romney is for the Voucher programs and performance based teacher salaries. We should privatize health care and let the states get creative with their given health care markets. Global warming is a reality and we should invest and subsidize new energy technologies.
7. Barack Obama 79%
We need more programs for 0-5 year olds and we need to move toward universal Pre-K. We also need more after school programs and the first $4k of college should be free. No Child Left Behind was a good idea, but needed more funding. His health care plan would cover most of the currently uninsured. We need to break down the borderline monopolies in the industry to lower costs. We need to double our energy research budget in pursuit of independence form foreign oil. Nuclear power is OK.
8. Hillary Clinton 77%
We need more $ for teachers, a fully funded Pre-K, more after school programs, and programs to help parents parent. Vouchers should only be for public schools, otherwise we are abandoning them. Health care should be a private/social blend to cover every American citizen. We can fund this by repealing the Bush tax-cuts for the rich. Global Warming is caused by man and we are obligated to increase our research budgets and demand our industries to meet new standards.
9. John Edwards 76%
We should increase salary for urban teachers. We should move toward a universal Pre-K. Student loans should be through the Department of Education. If students are willing to work, they should go to college for free. We should teach that same-sex marriage is valid in grade school. All citizens should have health insurance and, in fact, it is required in Edwards' plan. Global Warming is made by man and we must respond, but nuclear power is not an option.
8 comments:
It will be so sad if the Democrats get the Presidency. National health care will be a huge mess. I hope there will be some kind of opt-out. I personally am in favor of banning insurance for everyone. I think it would make health care cheaper.
Banning insurance is fine until you know someone with a terminal illness. Then the cost start to add up anyway.
I'm not a fan of nationalized health care either. banning insurance would bring down the overall costs, but almost certainly not enough for critical health emergencies to be doable financially.
I think the ideal is to have privatized hospitals that are run by charities\churches. they don't turn anyone away and build that into their pricing for those who can pay.
Matt, your idea of privately run facilities with the wealthier footing the bills for those who cannot pay has (at least) elements of national health care. I love the philosophy, though the US could certainly learn from some mistakes in Canada.
What about Huckabee's spending record in Arkansas and his abuse of pardoning ability? What's your take?
The difference b/w what I recommend and what the democrats recommend is that the former is voluntary and the latter is forced upon the people thru taxes. But you are right, they are in practice somewhat similar.
I gave Huckabee the edge on these 4 categories, but I ranked him very low in foreign policy and I will rank him very low again next week when it comes to fiscal policy and taxes, rest assured :)
Haha. Thanks. I'll be reading!
I doubt a change can be made until our current system comes crashing down around us, but frankly, health insurance is covering less and less and costing more and more. It's easy to see why. Every party (insured, insurer, provider) is fighting for the pie. I like Matthew's idea of private care. At least when you KNOW the person who is getting the care, you KNOW whether they need it or not. Churches have really fallen down on the charity work since big brother took over. It's everyone's loss.
And as an Arkansan, I can say that Huckabee likes to implement government programs. I don't recall us getting our taxes cut either. However, we have run a big surplus with him as governor, when other states were going in the hole.
that big surplus was because he raised taxes, contra his response to romney, "the only thing i raised was hope." baloney. government surpluses are just signs that the government takes too much money from the people than it knows what to do with. it happened in canada under the Liberals and under the Conservatives. the Cons used it to pay down debt, at least.
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