Romney Created a universal health care system for Massachusetts, which many say Clinton’s new plan closely resembles. He insists his national plan will be different, however. As president, he plans to encourage states to develop free-market systems, rather than use taxes or government reform, to provide health care to all Americans. “I think it appeals to people on both sides of the aisle: insurance for everyone without a tax increase,” Romney told USA Today in July 2005.

Minimum Wage

Last July the federal minimum wage experienced its first increase in more than a decade. What began in 2007 at $5.15 will reach $7.25 by 2009 and will collectively cost employers of the 12.5 million minimum wage workers over $26 million more an hour.

Although the average quick-serve only employs about 15 workers, minimum wage increases affect the bottom line. “We see this as a training wage issue where in the tight job market our restaurateurs are paying people a wage that quickly escalates as they prove themselves to be a valuable member of the team,” the NRA’s Monroe says of the existing wage requirements.

He contends that raising the minimum wage stunts opportunities for future employees to fill entry-level positions and that the salary inflation will affect other workers.

“If workers at the entry-level training wage are getting a salary increase, most other workers would expect a similar wage increase. And if that wage increase isn’t available it creates a pretty severe morale problem,” he says.

Clinton Voted in favor of raising the minimum wage to $7.25 by 2009 and introduced legislation that would tie future increases to congressional salary raises. She denies claims that increases would cut jobs citing past increases as proof. “We’re more than happy to continue to provide tax breaks for the wealthiest among us while we cut the social safety net, while we refuse to raise the minimum wage,” she told the Senate in 2005.

Edwards As part of his campaign for “One America,” Edwards says he will increase the minimum wage to $9.50 an hour by 2012. In an attempt to narrow the gap between the classes, Edwards helped the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (acorn) collect signatures to raise the minimum wage in four states. ACORN faced charges of election violations in six states after the 2004 election.

Giuliani Giuliani has been charged with flip flopping his stance on minimum wage but eventually landed on the conservative side of the fence, saying on FOX News in 2004, “It’s very politically appealing to say it should be raised, but the minute you raise it, you’re going to cost jobs, lose jobs, create a lot less flexibility at the lower levels in terms of entry-level jobs.”

Obama Supports further minimum wage increases beyond the 2009 mark of $7.25 to create a living wage versus a minimum wage. Under his plan, full-time workers making the minimum wage would get an Earned Income Tax Credit of up to $555. Full-time minimum-wage workers with families would receive $1,110.

McCain First voted not to raise the minimum wage to $7.25 versus $6.25 in 2005 then two years later voted in favor of increasing it to $7.25 by 2009. Just before that second vote, however, McCain joined fellow Republicans in voting to filibuster the bill that would set the wage hikes into motion.

Romney Like the other Republican candidates, he’s focused on tax reform versus wages. He supports policies that offer tax incentives to encourage employers to provide employee training and to create new jobs. As president, he has vowed to make the Bush Tax Cuts permanent.