How GOP, Demo platforms compare

Wednesday, 16 August 2000
By Calvin Woodward
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
http://www.azstarnet.com/public/dnews/000816NPlatform-Glance.html

LOS ANGELES - A look at how the Democratic platform approved at the party's convention in Los Angeles and the Republican Party platform approved in Philadelphia deal with some issues.

ABORTION RIGHTS:

GOP: "The unborn child has a fundamental individual right to life which cannot be infringed."

Democrats: "The Democratic Party stands behind the right of every woman to choose, consistent with Roe vs. Wade, and regardless of ability to pay."

BUDGET:

Democrats: Balance budget every year, barring national emergency, and pay off publicly held national debt by 2012.

Republicans: Amend Constitution to require balanced budgets. Reduce national debt.

CRIME:

Democrats: Notes Al Gore's support for death penalty and for constitutional amendment on rights of crime victims.

Republicans: Support for death penalty and constitutional amendment for crime victims.

DEFENSE:

Democrats: Develop technology for a "limited" national missile defense.

Republicans: Deploy "robust" national missile defense as soon as possible.

EDUCATION:

Democrats: Subsidize preschool to make it universally affordable; increase teacher salaries; raise standards for teachers, students and states; triple number of charter schools; and let more parents choose from among public schools. No private school vouchers.

Republicans: Higher standards for states, schools and students; more charter schools; federal aid tied to performance; and limited vouchers for poor children in persistently failing schools.

ENVIRONMENT:

Democrats: Tax credits for state and local bonds to preserve open spaces, create parks, improve water quality. No oil drilling in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge or coastal California or Florida. Ratify
Kyoto protocols on global warming.

Republicans: Expand tax credits for renewable energy and provide tax break for residential solar power. Allow oil exploration in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Environmental problems "at times" require "federal intervention." Preserve "high priority" wilderness and wetlands, such as Everglades. Kyoto protocols "ineffective and unfair."

HEALTH CARE:

Democrats: Guarantee affordable health care for all children, expand Medicaid to help people move from welfare to work, add Medicare drug benefit, let people age 55 to 65 buy into Medicare.

Republicans: Make coverage more affordable through tax breaks, increased competition, letting small companies band together to buy group insurance. More federal spending on community health centers in poor communities. Affordable prescription drugs for elderly.

IMMIGRATION:

Democrats: Keep family reunification the main principle of immigration. Increase in visas for skilled workers should only be temporary and should come with higher fees to be used for U.S. worker training. Restore "essential benefits" for legal immigrants. More bilingual and English language training in schools.

Republicans: Ensure family reunion preferences give priority to spouses and children, rather than extended family. Increase visas for skilled workers and temporary farm workers.

RETIREMENT:

Democrats: Match people's contributions to private retirement accounts with government tax credits. No privatization of Social Security.

Republicans: Give workers the option of putting a portion of their payroll taxes into private investment accounts instead of Social Security.

TAXES:

Democrats: Targeted tax breaks for college saving, child and elderly care, job training.

Republicans: Broad tax cuts, with fewer income tax brackets and lower rates across the board.

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