The Issues:
Budget Surplus: One of the biggest issue this election seems to be the Budget Surplus and what, if anything to do about it. Since 1998 the Federal Budget has been running a surplus (currently at $200 Billion) with the Washington Post projecting this surplus could be as high as a $750 billion or even a trillion dollars over the course of the next decade. With a federal debt of $6 trillion dollars the idea of paying the debt down for the first time since the Andrew Jackson administration has many Deficit hawks excited.
Al Gore: Vice President Gore supports using the surplus to increase spending for the environment, education, healthcare, and social security. At the same point in time Gore wants to keep some of the surplus so they can keep paying down the national debt. Gore claims that under his plan the national debt will be paid off by 2012 and Social Security solvency will be increased until at least 2054.
George Bush: Bush wants to use the budget surplus for big tax cuts. Tax cuts have been a centerpiece of his campaign since he announced his candidacy back in'99.
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Foreign Policy: In 1999 NATO forces intervened in the ongoing conflict in the Balkans, primarily through bombing Yugoslavia's forces. In October 2000 Al-Qaeda terrorists bombed the USS Cole, killing 17 servicemen. These two issues are front of mind of the foreign policy front.
Al Gore: Al Gore is defiantly the foreign policy hawk in this election, supporting Clinton's actions in the Balkans, and beveling Americans must intervene early to prevent problems from arising around the world.
George Bush: Governor Bush is running as an isolationist. During the debate with Gore he said, "If we don't stop extend our troops all around the world, in 'Nation Building' missions, then we're going to have a serious problem coming down the road and I'm going to prevent that". As President Bush plans to review all foreign troop deployments.
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Education: Education is expected to be a central issue this election, as George Bush has made it a center point of his campaign
Al Gore: The Vice-President supports the creation of a tax-free "lifelong learning savings accounts". He opposes Conservative initiatives to use federal aid to send students to private schools (school choice) but does support increasing the number of charter schools and increasing the use of tech in the classroom.
George Bush: Education has been one of the big themes of Bush's candidacy. Bush frequently highlights the successes of his education programs in Texas on test scores. This campaign he is calling for Federally required state testing of schools and supports the use of federal money for private school vouchers for students in failings public schools (school choice).
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Social Security: Strengthen Social Security is a key issue of the Gore campaign.
Al Gore: Al Gore has talked about creating an 'iron-clad lockbox' fund for Social Security and Medicare which can not be touched by congress. Additionally Gore hopes to strengthen Social Security benefits by putting some of the budget surplus towards strengthening it. Under his plan Al Gore believes he can increase Social Security's solvency until the 2050s.
George Bush: Bush supports a privatization plan that would allow workers to put to a portion of their payroll taxes to be placed into personal accounts and to be invested in stocks and bonds.
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Elián González: While immigration is not a major issue this election, there is one particular immigration case which has risen to national prominence. At only five years old Elián González and his mother fled Cuba along with his mother on refugee rafts, his mother drowned during the journey but Elián survived and was placed into the custody of his great-Uncle in Miami. Elián's father meanwhile sued for the return of his son to Cuba, resulting in an international custody battle. This issue motivated Cuban-Americans (an important demographic in the battleground of Florida) and anti-Communists who felt the eventual return of Elián to the communist dictatorship by the Clinton Administration was a betrayal of American values.
Al Gore: Al Gore broke with President Clinton on this issue, supporting legislation that would have allowed Elián to remain in America, much to the chagrin of his fellow Democrats.
George Bush: Governor Bush has said that Elián getting US citizenship would be a wonderful thing, and suggesting bringing in his father so he can "get a taste of freedom" too. He called on Janet Reno to reconsider her decision to send the boy back to Cuba, though added that he thought the Florida Family Courts should ultimately decided what's best.
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Gun Control: In 1994 a Federal Assaults Weapons ban was passed which is set to expire in 2004, during the term of whoever wins this election. As such it's renewal (or lack therefor) is of top concern to gun owners. Additionally the school shooting last year at Columbine has elevated gun control in the minds of many Americans.
Al Gore: Gore supports the current assault weapons ban. In the aftermath of the shooting at Columbine Gore, in his role as Vice-President, cast the tie-breaking vote in the senate on a bill requiring background checks for purchases at gun shows. Additionally he supports requiring people who purchase firearms to obtain photo licenses. He is also open to a national gun registry for all firearms, though he thinks this has very little chance of passing.
George Bush: The Bush Campaign also supports renewing the assault weapons ban, though the Governor does not support a firearms registry.
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Energy Policy: Two big energy concerns this election is rather or not to ratify the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, which is designed to limit greenhouse gas emissions, and rather or not to open the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) to drilling for Oil
Al Gore: A big environmentalists Gore helped negotiate the Kyoto protocol and opposes any efforts to drill in the ANWR
George Bush: Governor Bush has criticized the Kyoto Protocol and has called for allowing drilling in the ANWR.
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Race Relations: In 1998 James Byrd Jr, a black man, was brutally killed in Texas by 3 men (two of whom were avowed White supremacists), this was sparked debate surrounding hate crimes and hate crime legislation in the country.
Al Gore: Vice-President Gore has called on the passage of federal hate crime legislation.
George Bush: When asked about hate crime laws Bush simply said, "all crime is hate" and refused to elaborate his position any further. As Governor of the state where Byrd was murdered Bush resisted calls for hate crime legislation, highlighting the fact hat two of the three perpetrators were put to death as evidence the current legislation was satisfactory. Bush has said he supports the state of South Carolina deciding itself rather to remove the Confederate battle flag over the state capitol building.
