A bad atmosphere – Fact file.

For those of you who like me (YES! I admit. I had no clue about politics, hate it and hate it more!!!) did not know anything about these people, here is a little compiled information.

WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE?

BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA II

Born : August 4, 1961

Birth place : Honolulu, Hawaii.

Alma Mater : Harvard Law School , Columbia University, Occidental College.

Greatest moral failure : During high school he used marijuana, cocaine, and alcohol.

Present Position : Junior United States Senator from Illinois and presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2008 general election.

State Legislator (Illinois) – 1997 to 2004

U.S. Senate campaign – 2004

U.S. Senator – January 4, 2005.

–> voted in favor of the Energy Policy Act of 2005.

–> defended the New Deal social welfare policies of Franklin D. Roosevelt and opposed Republican proposals to establish private accounts for Social Security in April 2005.

–> cosponsored the Secure America and Orderly Immigration Act.

–> supported a related bill, the Secure Fence Act.

–> Lugar–Obama and Coburn–Obama Transparency Act.

–> introduced follow-up legislation: Strengthening Transparency and Accountability in Federal Spending Act of 2008.

–> introduced a corporate jet provision to the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act

–> introduced Deceptive Practices and Voter Intimidation Prevention Act.

–> introduced the Iraq War De-Escalation Act of 2007.

–> proposed a cap and trade auction system in Oct 2007.

–> sponsored an amendment to the Defense Authorization Act adding safeguards for personality disorder military discharges.

–> sponsored the Iran Sanctions Enabling Act.

–> co-sponsored legislation to reduce risks of nuclear terrorism.

–> sponsored a Senate amendment to the State Children’s Health Insurance Program providing one year of job protection for family members caring for soldiers with combat-related injuries.

–> encouraged Democrats to reach out to evangelicals and other religious groups.

–> supports legal abortion.

Feb 10, 2007 – announced his candidacy for President of the United States.

PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN :

Top priorities –> ending the Iraq War, increasing energy independence, and providing universal health care.

–> ending development of new nuclear weapons.

–> reducing the current U.S. nuclear stockpile.

–> enacting a global ban on production of fissile material.

–> seeking negotiations with Russia in order to take ICBMs off high alert status.

–> universal health care in the U.S.

–> eliminate taxes for senior citizens with incomes of less than $50,000 a year.

–> repeal income tax cuts for those making over $250,000 as well as the capital gains and dividends tax cut.

–> close corporate tax loopholes.

–> lift the income cap on Social Security taxes.

–> restrict offshore tax havens.

–> simplify filing of income tax returns by pre-filling wage and bank information already collected by the IRS.

June 3, 2008 – passed the threshold to become the presumptive nominee.

Aug 23, 2008 – selected Delaware Sen. Joe Biden as his vice presidential running mate.

John Sidney McCain III –> Maverick Republican

Born : August 29, 1936

Birth Place: Coco Solo Naval Air Station in the Panama Canal Zone, Panama.

Alma Mater : United States Naval Academy.

Oct 26. 1967 : POW

Present Position : Senior United States Senator from Arizona and presidential nominee of the Republican Party in the 2008 presidential election.

1977 – Navy’s liaison to the U.S. Senate beginning through McCain.

April 1, 1981 – retired from the Navy as a captain.

1982 – ran as a Republican for an open seat in Arizona’s 1st congressional district.

1983 – opposed creation of a federal Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, active on Indian Affairs bills.

Jan. 1987 – Beginning of McCain’ Senate career.

–> one of the main authors of the 1988 Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.

–> strong supporter of the Gramm-Rudman legislation.

–> member of the 1991–1993 Senate Select Committee on POW/MIA Affairs.

–> Since Jan. 1993 – McCain has been Chairman of the International Republican Institute.

–> actively supported the Line Item Veto Act of 1996.

–> proposed legislation that would increase cigarette taxes.

–> co-sponsored the Aviation and Transportation Security Act that federalized airport security.

–> October 2002 : voted for the Iraq War Resolution

–> May 2006 : supported the Bush tax cut extension.

Greatest Legislative achievement: March 2002, McCain-Feingold passed in both Houses of Congress and was signed into law by President Bush.

Sept 27, 1999 – announced his candidacy for President.

PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN:

–> “a fight to take our government back from the power brokers and special interests, and return it to the people and the noble cause of freedom it was created to serve”

–> strong supporter of the Bush administration’s position.

–> strongly supported the Iraq troop surge of 2007.

–> supported the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2007.

October 2005 : introduced the McCain Detainee Amendment to the Defense Appropriations bill for 2005.

April 25, 2007 – John McCain formally announced his intention to run for President of the United States.

March 4, 2008 – McCain became the presumptive Republican nominee.

August 29, 2008 – Sarah Palin was revealed as McCain’s surprise choice for running mate. McCain chose Palin in part due to her potential to rally Christian conservatives behind his campaign.

SARAH PALIN :

–> advocated gun safety education for youth.

–> supports capital punishment.

–> supports allowing the discussion of creationism in public schools.

–> opposes same-sex marriage and supported a non-binding referendum for an Alaskan constitutional amendment to deny state health benefits to same-sex couples.

–> supports a constitutional amendment to make abortion illegal in all cases, including rape and incest, except if the life of the mother is endangered.

–> supports sex education in public schools.

–> supports preemptive military action in the face of an imminent threat, and supports U.S. military operations in Pakistan.

–> supports NATO membership for Ukraine and Georgia.

–> affirms that if Russia invaded a NATO treaty member the United States would meet its treaty obligations.

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Now, what would are you going to do on Nov. 4th, 2008 – The Grand Election date which has been set..?! Who are you going to select? Why? Are you sure you are making the right choice?