Education

We live in a country where every child has the chance to go to school. That is something very special. In some parts of the world, children cannot go to school. Parents may not have enough money to send their children to school. Our government helps pay for schools, books, lunches, and teachers’ salaries.

President Bush passed the No Child Left Behind law in 2002. This law means that students must take and pass tests so that schools can get money from the government. Look at the chart on the next page to find out how Obama and McCain want to help our schools.

Environment

The environment is the surroundings where we live. It is the lakes, air, animals, and plants around us. People are also part of the environment. Unfortunately, some of the things we do can hurt the environment. We cut down trees without planting new ones. We drill into the earth for oil. We use oil to make gas that causes air pollution.

We need to take better care of our environment. One way is to save the energy we use. Learn how McCain and Obama want to help the environment.

The War in Iraq

In 2003, the United States and its allies invaded Iraq. They were searching for weapons of mass destruction. But no weapons were found. Since then, the United States has been helping the new Iraqi leaders fight terrorists.

There are thousands of American soldiers in Iraq. Some Americans believe they should stay in Iraq. These people think we should help Iraq become a safe place to live. Others believe it is time for our soldiers to come home. Senators McCain and Obama have different opinions about the war. Find out what each plans to do.

Health Care

When people get sick, sometimes they need to see a doctor. When people get really sick, they may need to spend a day or more in a hospital. Doctor’s visits, medicine, and hospital stays are all examples of health care.

Health care can cost a lot of money. Most people use health insurance to help pay for medicine and other health care needs. But not everyone can afford health insurance. See how Obama and McCain want to help people get health insurance.

Economy

Food, shoes, clothes, or gas. These are just some of the things your parents might buy each week. Whenever we buy something we are helping the economy. Stores and restaurants are part of the economy. Any business or place of service that uses money is part of the economy.

Right now the economy is slowing down. That means that businesses are not making as much money as they used to. This hurts Americans in many ways. The cost of food and gas is going up. There are fewer jobs. People are having a hard time paying for their homes and other bills. McCain and Obama have different plans to help the economy.