FACTBOX: Top goals in Democratic Congress, White House
21 Sep 2008 11:22:58 GMT Source: Reuters
Sept 21 (Reuters) - Democrats may win control of both the White House and U.S. Congress in the Nov. 4 elections for the first time in 16 years. Here is a list of some of the priorities they hope to work on if they obtain expanded majorities in the House of Representatives and Senate and if Barack Obama wins the Oval Office. * House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat, says the top goal will be to set timetables for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq, which would free up the U.S. military to root out militants in Afghanistan and other countries. * In response to the turmoil sweeping Wall Street and record home foreclosures, Democrats want to create a new regulatory scheme for the financial industry after years of what critics say has been inadequate oversight. * Stimulate the economy. This could be done, in part, by spending the hundreds of billions of dollars saved by ending the Iraq war on hiring people to replace crumbling U.S. roads and bridges as well as sewer and water systems. Obama also wants to cut taxes for the middle class and plug tax loopholes he says encourage U.S. firms to move overseas, taking American jobs with them. * Expand health care, perhaps starting with passing a bill vetoed by outgoing President George W. Bush to increase federal aid to the State Childrens' Health Insurance Program. * Ease the country's energy problems by encouraging oil companies to drill where they are allowed, stepping up conservation efforts, accelerating development of alternative energy sources and reigning in oil speculators, who are blamed in part for rising prices. * Enact legislation vetoed by Bush that would expand federally funded embryonic stem cell research. * After eight years of Bush nominating anti-abortion conservatives to the federal bench, Obama will likely name more moderate and even liberal judges. (Reporting by Thomas Ferraro and Richard Cowan; Editing by David Alexander and Eric Walsh)
U.S. ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker (L) gestures beside an unidentified Iraqi government official and Iraq's Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani (R) before the start of a news conference in Arbil, 310 ...
