ECONOMY
Bush	Kerry
Says deficits can be halved in five years, but has not fully explained how. Proposes that Congress limit discretionary spending in programs outside defense and homeland security to a 0.5 percentage increase next year. Signed tax cuts each of the past three years, including a $1.35 trillion cut over 10 years signed in 2001. Wants $3,000 re-employment accounts to help the unemployed with job-search expenses.	Said he would cut deficit by half, at least, in first term, but has not fully explained how. Would repeal Bush's tax cuts, primarily for families with incomes more than $200,000, generating $860 billion over 10 years. Would increase child-care tax credit by $1,000. Wants to give $50 billion over two years to states struggling with budget deficits.
EDUCATION
Bush	Kerry
Championed a 2002 overhaul of elementary and secondary education that toughened standards for teachers, schools and student achievement. Supported vouchers for low-income students. The provision was stripped from the education bill passed by the House.	Wants to provide free public college tuition for two years of community service. Opposes private-school vouchers. Supports No Child Left Behind Law, but wants to establish $200 billion trust fund to pay for school reforms and special education.
HEALTH CARE
Bush	Kerry
Achieved prescription drug benefit for older Americans that subsidizes costs for low-income patients and encourages private insurance companies to offer coverage for the elderly willing to opt out of traditional Medicare. Cost of drug benefit and other Medicare changes now estimated at $534 billion over 10 years, up from $395 billion when changes were debated. Calls for expanding tax-free medical savings accounts.	Wants to expand existing insurance system for federal employees to all citizens through tax credits and subsidies. Overall costs estimated by outside analyst at $895 billion over 10 years, to cover 27 million more people. Would help companies and insurers pay an employee's catastrophic medical costs if the firms would agree to hold down premiums. Wants federal support to expand access to state-administered health insurance for children.
IRAQ
Bush	Kerry
Invaded Iraq, calling it a threat to nation's security. Won congressional approval of $87 billion for continued military operations and aid in Iraq and Afghanistan.Defends decision to go to war despite later findings that Iraq had no weapons of mass destruction. Says Saddam Hussein had the will to foment unrest, cooperate with terrorists and develop such weapons over time.	Supported congressional resolution authorizing war, but says he did so based on faulty U.S. intelligence and with the belief the president would build a true coalition and exhaust options short of war. Opposed $87 billion package for Iraq and Afghanistan. Says he would try to begin U.S. troop withdrawal in six months and complete it in four years, by encouraging allies to commit more forces.
FOREIGN POLICY
Bush	Kerry
Supports multilateral talks with North Korea only to disarm nuclear threat. May offer Iran economic incentives to suspend its uranium enrichment activities; prepared to push for economic sanctions if Iran does not concede. Supports more bilateral trade deals and one for the Western Hemisphere. Calls for a Palestinian state as part of yet-to-be-adopted "road map for peace" plan.	Supports one-on-one talks between U.S. and North Korea alongside the six-nation negotiations. Says U.S. and other nations should offer Iran nuclear fuel for peaceful purposes, then take back the spent fuel so it cannot be used to develop nuclear weapons. Supports creation of a Palestinian state, but says there must be verifiable security benchmarks that the Palestinian Authority can reasonably achieve. Would place all agreements under 120-day fairness review.

OTHER CANDIDATES ON THE OHIO BALLOT

Michael A. Peroutka

Affiliation: Constitution Party

Age: 52

Residence: Millersville, Md.

Occupation: Lawyer

Education: Law degree, University of Baltimore

Previous elective office: None