The Bush Record	The Kerry Plan
Jobs	On George Bush's watch, America has lost 1.6 million private sector jobs and 2.7 million manufacturing jobs -- despite Congress having passed his entire economic plan and massive tax cuts for the last three years.	John Kerry and John Edwards plan to spur the private sector to create 10 million jobs. They would end tax breaks for companies that move overseas, using the savings to cut the corporate rate by 5 percent; establish a New Jobs Tax Credit to provide a payroll holiday for new hires in manufacturing and small business; and cut the deficit in half and make government live within its means.
Deficit	As a result of the reckless fiscal policies of the Bush administration, America has gone from a record surplus of $236 billion in 2000 to a projected record deficit of $422 billion in 2004 -- the largest fiscal deterioration in America's history.	John Kerry and John Edwards have a specific plan to slash the deficit in half by the end of their first term in office. They would cut spending, put into place real budget reforms, and eliminate tax giveaways for the richest while protecting tax cuts for middle-income families.
Health Care	Under Bush-Cheney, health care costs have gone up more than 50 percent, and 5 million Americans have lost their health insurance.	Kerry and Edwards will cut premiums by $1,000 per year and insure 27 million Americans by allowing anyone to join the same health program enjoyed by federal employees; providing a tax credit to assure workers can keep their health care between jobs; and insuring every child in America.
College Tuition	In part because of the Bush-Cheney recession, tuition at public universities has increased a record 35 percent ($1,207) as cash strapped state governments have been forced to cut support.	Kerry and Edwards will make college affordable for all Americans by providing $50 billion in tax credits to help families meet the cost of tuition.
Energy Costs	Families are spending $750 more per year on gasoline than when Bush took office, while oil companies have raked in record profits. Over the past four years, America has become more dependent on foreign oil. Sixty-two percent of the oil America consumes comes from foreign sources.	Kerry and Edwards will help rein in the cost of gasoline and reduce our dependence on foreign sources of oil by assuring that 20 percent of electricity comes from renewable sources by 2020 and cutting the government's energy bill 20 percent by 2020 -- saving taxpayers $14 billion over the next 10 years.
Poverty	Under Bush-Cheney, 4.3 million Americans have entered poverty.	Kerry and Edwards have a plan to help move families out of poverty by making work pay. Their plan would expand the Child Tax Credit for low-income families and end the marriage penalty for those who qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit.
Child Care	George Bush came into office claiming he was a "compassionate conservative." Yet he opposes an increase in child care to finish the job of welfare reform, and has proposed deep cuts in after-school programs.	Kerry and Edwards have a plan to help families raise their kids. A Kerry administration will increase the Child Tax Credit from $3,000 to $5,000 and increase the number of kids in afterschool programs by 2 million.
Environment	Bush and Cheney have made the EPA into a toothless agency more concerned with the moneyed interests of big polluters than with enforcing environmental laws. They have eliminated funding for the Superfund and undermined the regulatory power of the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts.	Kerry and Edwards will vigorously enforce existing environmental legislation and work to make it stronger. They will fully revitalize Superfund while creating federal incentives to encourage farmers, developers, industry, and the public to reduce pollution.
Education	George Bush has set back the cause of education reform with bureaucratic bungling of the No Child Left Behind Act. He has no plan to help every child succeed, or make sure every teacher is qualified.	The Kerry and Edwards education plan will finish the job of education reform by paying teachers better and demanding more in return; providing more after-school programs; breaking up big troubled high schools; and helping one million more students graduate high school.