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Politics

Obama unveils plan to halt income inequity

By ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published November 8, 2007

BETTENDORF, IOWA

Obama unveils plan to halt income inequity

Democrat Barack Obama offered a package of proposals Wednesday aimed at halting growing income inequity. The presidential candidate and Illinois senator tied together some proposals he had already offered with a new focus on bankruptcy and college costs. He said he would:

- Reverse recent changes in the nation's bankruptcy laws, giving new protections for those who go into debt for medical expenses.

-Create a credit card bill of rights that would ban unilateral changes to a credit card agreement, prohibit changes in interest rates in debt already incurred and ban interest on late fees.

-Create a refundable tax credit worth $4,000 for tuition and fees every year that would cover two-thirds of the cost of the tuition at the average public college or university.

-Create pension programs that would force employers to enroll workers in a retirement account that puts a small percentage of each paycheck into a retirement account.

Later in the day, Obama said he supported increasing the minimum wage every year.

COLUMBIA, S.C.

Romney urges homeschool credit

Parents who homeschool their children should get a tax credit to help offset the expense of teaching, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney said Wednesday. He supports giving parents more educational options, through charter schools or vouchers, but he said legislation should be done on a state level. Romney also said teachers are underpaid and better teachers should be rewarded with more money.

PETERBOROUGH, N.H.

Clinton proposes energy bonds

Hillary Rodham Clinton campaigned Wednesday for the energy plans she said she would push as president. For star power, she also brought along home-improvement king Bob Vila. The Democratic New York senator said she would ask citizens to invest in energy independence in the same way the country supported the military during World War II. She outlined an "energy independence bond" proposal, similar to U.S. savings bonds, during a town hall-style meeting. She said proceeds from her plan would pay for new energy projects and update the power grid - so people could even sell their own unused electricity.

MASON, Mich.

Ruling jeopardizes early primary

The law that pushed Michigan's presidential primary up to Jan. 15 was ruled unconstitutional by a court Wednesday, at least temporarily jeopardizing the state's plan to leap to the front of the 2008 nomination contests. An Ingham County Circuit Court judge ruled that part of the law prevents public access to some information related to voting records in the primary. The ruling could be appealed, or the Legislature could change the law in time for the primary to be held.

[Last modified November 7, 2007, 22:45:56]