Challenger

The Presidential campaign has become a very tight race . In some polls Senator John Kerry is behind in points and in others he is tied with President W. Bush. Recently, Presidential Tracking Polls showed George Bush with 48% of the vote and John Kerry with 47%.

Data has shown that 45% of voters expect thier taxes to go up if Senator John Kerry is elected,as opposed to staying the same if the President is re-elected. On social-security, voters are evenly divided as to which is riskier-- letting workers invest on thier own or relying on the federal government for promised benefits.

With Social Security, Bush thinks that younger workers should be given the option of putting part of their payroll tax into personal retirement accounts, giving them a chance to make a higher return on that investment in return for smaller Social Security benefits.
Kerry opposes partial privatization of Social Security. He would require companies switching to cheaper lump-sum pension plans to offer retiring workers the choice of staying with traditional company pension.

The president’s budget plan for 2005 says annual deficits can be cut by half in five years. Bush proposes that Congress limit discretionary spending in programs outside defense and homeland security to a 0.5 percent increase next year.
Kerry says that he would cut deficit by half, at least, in first term, in part through repeal of Bush tax cuts for wealthier Americans.

In Kerry’s own words, he says, “I’m running for President to make the country we love safer, stronger, and more secure. I’m asking every American to be a Citizen soldier again commited to leaving no soldier behind.”

Bush quotes, “My campaign is going to take a hopeful and optimistic message to the American people. I hope you will show your support by taking action in your community. Vice President Cheney and I are focused on the nations top priorities -- strengthening the economy, protecting the homeland, and winning the war on terror. We will continue to earn the confidence of the American people by working to keep this nation prosperous, strong, and secure.”

Bush has an opposition to abortion that is at the core of Bush’s “right to life” platform. Bush opposes funding international organizations involved in abortion. Bush opposes intact dilation and extraction, known also as “partial-birth abortion”, which he calls a “brutal and violent practice”. Bush also supports legislation to extend the 14th Amendment to protect unborn children.

Kerry on the other hand, supports legal abortion and says he would not pick Supreme Court nominees justices who disagreed. Kerry voted against measures to outlaw partial-birth abortion as a Senator. He also endorsed family planning and health insurance plans that provide abortion counseling and contraceptive coverage.

In Iraq, Bush ordered an invasion of Iraq, calling the Saddam Hussein regime a threat to America’s security. The United States oversaw a swift military victory over Hussein followed by aviolent aftermath in which the death count for U.S. soldiers topped 1,000 in September. Bush won congressional approval of $87 billion for military operations and aid in Iraq and Afghanistan. Bush also pushed plan for government to run country until it is replaced following national elections.

Kerry voted against $87 billion package for Afghanistan and Iraq. Kerry makes a dissimilarity between conceding a president war-making authority as a member of the Senate and, as commander in chief, taking that important step.