Health Care

Disappointingly, neither candidate's plan will bring us to the ideal of universal health care access. But both plans will expand Medicare and increase seniors' access to prescription drugs. Although funded differently, both plans are similar in this respect. However, only Gore has expressed a commitment to target specifically uninsured children. Furthermore, although Bush has professed a commitment to a patient's bill of rights during the final presidential debate, his track record is dubious: In Texas, he refused to sign such a bill.

Civil Liberties and Social Values

The next president of the may have the opportunity to appoint up to five Supreme Court justices. Even a single appointment could upset the delicate balance that currently exists on the high court. Without a question, civil liberties and social values are at stake during this election. Gore has forcefully advocated women's abortion rights, even though it is a politically polarizing issue. His voting record indicates that he is a stalwart supporter for the rights of gays and minorities. Bush's conservative appointees, on the other hand, could mean an overturn of Roe vs. Wade. During the final presidential debate, Bush refused to define his cryptic term "affirmative access." Although we are discouraged by some of Gore's moderate and conservative stances on social issues, such as the death penalty, we are confident that the vice president will continue to protect a number of our core rights and values.

Campaign Finance Reform

The appeal of Sen. John S. McCain (R-Ariz.) and former Sen. Bill Bradley was their almost idealistic commitment to take special interests out of politics. As McCain has noted, without campaign finance reform, it is difficult to expect that a Congress beholden to special interests will enact any of the other necessary legislation that Americans support. Gore has vowed to make campaign finance reform a top priority and has said the McCain-Feingold would be the first piece of legislation passed under his administration. Bush has been thus far unwilling to make this commitment.