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.
John McCain
The Republican candidate, despite his party’s usual clear and well defined agenda, is vague when it comes to the non profit sector. He is convinced that America’s problems have got to be faced with the classic approach of reward on the basis of merit and competition between excellence. Minimum state intervention and little redistribution of accumulated wealth.
Aid for development
McCain intends to create a League of Democracies that would operate in those cases where the United Nations failed or was not able to operate, such as the crisis in Darfur, for example. Among the priorities of US Aid are the fight against Aids in Subsaharian Africa and Malaria in Africa.
Volunteering
Even though in 2003, when, together with 42 other members of the Senate, he wrote a letter to President Bush asking for an increase in funding for the AmeriCorps, McCain is vague when it comes to defining his agenda. During the electoral campaign he has not mentioned volunteering, rather he has highlighted the areas he wishes to work with: disability, schools, cultural programs between American and foreign students.
Poverty
McCain gave his vote for the creation of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program in 1997. The plan allows families that are not wealthy to receive medical insurance to cover their children’s healthcare costs. In 2007, however, he voted against the 45 billion dollar expansion of the same program. McCain’s priorities for the future would include intervening to reduce the cost of food and fuel. In particular, McCain would suspend fuels taxes for the period between Memorial Day and Labour Day. As far as concerns the housing market, McCain has promised to help 400 thousand families that risk loosing their houses following the subprime crisis.
Climate Change
McCain aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and invest in innovative technologies that contribute to their reduction. The protagonist of all climate change action, however, is to be the private sector. In his website, McCain has highlighted how initiatives and decisions that relate to climate change must be based on short term targets and a relationship with the international community in order to help coordinate a global solution.
Religion
His position regarding religion is classically Republican: only those religious institutions that have excelled in their provision of social services deserve to be funded.
Education
McCain believes that teachers should be paid according to the quality of their teaching. He proposes to work with the No Child Left Behind Act, a law that punishes (financially) those schools that have low grades. A new proposal, however, is that of trying to convince good teachers to teach in low income schools.
