Ten Issues of Barack Obama

Abortion: Opposes any amendment to overturn Roe vs. Wade. Obama has a definite pro-choice stance.

Education: States the goal of No-Child Left Behind has good intentions but it needs to be revised. Wants there to be higher access to preschool and proposes a one billion dollar plan for mentoring programs for teachers. Also, proposes that community college will be free under his administration.

Death Penalty: Stated that the death penalty does little to prevent crime and should be only used if "the community is justified in expressing the full measure of its outrage." He disagreed with the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to end the use of the death penalty on child molestors.

Environment: Would establish a (National Low Carbon Fuel Standard) to help guide automobile companies how clean their cars should be. Using the Department of Energy, Obama would export climate-friendly technologies to developing countries Would offer incentives to maintain forests globally and manage them sustainably. Would reward forest owners, farmers and ranchers when they plant trees, restore grasslands or undertake farming practices (really anything that reduces carbon-emissions) by giving them tax credits.

Health care: Would create a national health insurance program for individuals who do not have employer-provided health care and who do not qualify for other existing federal programs. However he does not mandate health coverage except for children. Also advocates for people 25 or younger to be covered through their parents. Would pay for this by eliminating Bush tax cuts.

Immigration: Voted for there to be a 700-mile long fence along the Mexican-American border and supports a pathway for illegal immigrants to become American citizens.

Iraq War: If he is to ascend to the presidency, Obama's campaign made the statement that after 16 months in office, the United States will be completely out of Iraq. Also commits two billion dollars for an International effort to support 4 million Iraqis displaced by the invasion. Also encourages diplomatic activity in the area to help Iraq rebuild, keep foreign countries from meddling in Mesopotamia, and to help isolate Al Queda.

Economy: Supported the 700 billion dollar bailout bill and advocates a 50 billion dollar emergency stimulus plan that would go to 1 million jobs that would help rebuild schools, and would also help local governments avoid budget cuts. (Wants increased government spending.)

Poverty: Obama feels that the government needs to do more on helping low-income Americans by a job-creation package and an Affordable Housing Trust Fund. Advocates for Congress to extend unemployment insurance for 13 weeks for people who are suffering te worst of this economic recession. Also wants to renew support for faith-based initiatives.

Stem Cell Research: Supports federal funding for embryonic stem cell research on embryos that would be discarded but opposes creating embryos for the purpose of study. Also opposes human cloning.