They have different visions for America’s future, but even when the two White house candidates share a common objective – like that of reducing greenhouse gasses or school reform – the approach and solutions of one are different to those of the other. As the Chronicle of Philanthropy’s special report confirms.
Barack Obama
The Democrat candidate has articulated his vision for the future of America and the developing world that embodies the values that he believes in and the budget that he intends to invest in achieving his aims. His programme is a sort of ethical business plan in which the main beneficiary will be the less well off American, the environment and development in Africa.
International Aid
Obama aims to double aid to 50 million dollars a year by 2012. He wants to create a 2 billion dollar Global Education Fund to reduce what he calls “the global education deficit”. In Obama’s plans, there is also the cancellation of debt for the least developing countries and a strong economic commitment of about 50 billion dollars to invest in the prevention and cure of HIV-Aids. Obama also wants to promote a Global Energy and Environment Initiative to ensure that African countries have access to low carbon energy technologies and has promised to help African business enter into the American market.
Volunteering
Obama promises to: expand the number of AmeriCorps from 75 thousand to 250 thousand and double the amount of PeaceCorps to 16 thousand; create a plan to coordinate and involve high school students in at least 50 hours of community service per year; implement the American Opportunity Tax credit, a plan that would allow citizens tax cuts of 4000 dollars a year in exchange for 100 hours of public service a year.
Poverty
If he wins, Obama will allocate 1 billion dollars in 5 years to support ad hoc programmes to help new graduates enter into the world of work and to make finding new jobs easier for those who get fired. He would also expand the State Children’s Health Insurance Programme (in 2007 he voted to increase the budget from 35 billion to 60 billion dollars) and increase the minimum wage to 9.50 an hour, reduce taxes for the non rich and provide transport to work as well as subsidised housing to the poorest families.
Climate Change
Obama’s aim is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80% before 2050. He wants 10% of electricity to be produced by renewable sources by 2012 and 25% by 2050 and he wants to promote incentives for ‘Plug in Hybrid’ cars, that run 150 miles on one gallon of petrol. All in all, Obama would invest 150 billion dollars in alternative and “clean” energy.
Religion
Obama has proposed to create a President’s Council for Faith Based and Neighbourhood Partnership to help religious organisations navigate the complex federal funds systems. He would, however, deny federal funds to those organisations that practice proselytism or that discriminate against people of other religions and invest 500 million dollars a year in religious school camps.
Education
Obama’s American Opportunity Tax Credit would cover 4000 dollars worth of fees in the first semester of public college. The budget should also cover the costs for the entire duration of studies for students attending community college; moreover, Obama will double the budget for the 21st Century Community Learning Centers, that is to say after school activities for children.
