A Voter's Guide to the Economy

We need reforms that promote growth and opportunity.

He has reinvented himself as a classic economic conservative, favoring new tax cuts partly paid for by reducing spending, but not on the war in Iraq

SPENDING: The federal debt has grown 50% under Bush. How would the candidates balance the budget?

Calls for a one-year halt to most discretionary-spending increases but no longer pledges to balance the budget by his first term's end.

TAXES: Should Bush's tax cuts for families making more than $250,000 be eliminated?

Wants to keep Bush's tax cuts. Would kill the alternative minimmum tax and lower the corporate tax rate from 35% to 25%.

TRADE: Free trade leads to growth, but there are costs too. Should there be limits.

A staunch supporter of free trade, he says open markets create opportunity and are better for the economy in the long run.

HEALTH CARE: What would the candidates do about soaring costs and the 47 million uninsured?

Would push for cost containment but says government should not control the health-care industry or issue mandates for coverage.

ENERGY: All agree that energy independence is a worthy goal. How will the candidates get there?

Says a market-based cap-and-trade program will spurthe use of alternative-energy resources; encourages nuclear power.