Biden supported repealing Bush's tax cuts for the wealthy, and a public healthcare option. He defended increased funding for Common Core, and criticized George W. Bush for invading countries without the support of the international community. Very narrow margins in IA and OH pushed Biden through.
During the Biden Presidency, tax rates on the wealthy were increased, while tax inversion was curtailed, teacher salaries and funding for the Department of Education were increased twofold, with a focus on Common Core. Healthcare was reformed through an expansion of Medicaid, an individual mandate and the protection of patients with preexisting conditions. Same-sex civil unions were legalized nationwide in 2007. As to foreign policy, U.S troops started to gradually withdraw from Iraq in the beginning of 2006, cooperation between the United States and European Nations increased, America joined the Kyoto Protocol, and US involvement in Afghanistan increased. However, the housing bubble still burst.
John McCain ran as a moderate conservative who supported tax cuts, keeping the dollar strong rather than bailing out corporations, malpractice reform, a $35,000 tax credit and cutting red tape for private insurers, focusing American foreign policy on containing Iran, Russia and China, boosting support for NATO allies, and implementing a nationwide program of school vouchers. Biden highlighted his work on the recession while promising a public healthcare option, regulating banks and corporations, and renegotiating free trade agreements during his second term.
Policies implemented during the McCain Administration included the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2009, a strong dollar, malpractice reform, an end to Joe Biden's penalty enforcing individual mandate, the deregulation of the insurance industry, the creation of a $35,000 tax credit to offset the cost of private insurance, the expansion of offshore drilling, a work requirement for TANF, a federal ban on abortion after 24 weeks, greater oversight of the financial sector, and the cession of federal grants to local police departments. On foreign policy, McCain killed Bin Laden, continued to scale down US involvement in Iraq, signed free trade agreements with Brazil and Colombia, continued to cooperate with China while imposing sanctions on Russia, strengthened sanctions on Iran and North Korea, and intervened in Libya.
Barack Obama became the first African-American to appear in a major party ticket after defeating Tim Kaine for the Democratic nomination. He ran a moderate liberal campaign of raising taxes on the wealthy, implementing a public option, making primary education free, renegotiating NAFTA and continuing to focus on confronting countries such as China and Iran. However, the economic recovery caused Obama's defeat.
During his second term, John McCain continued his first term's economic policies, with the last American soldiers leaving Iraq in early 2013. McCain led efforts to pass the Trans-Pacific Partnership, while launching airstrikes against ISIS, funding opposition groups in Venezuela, tightening the embargo against Cuba, eliminating federal taxation for these making below $10,000, and handling out healthcare vouchers for these with a lower income.
Vice President Romney easily won the Republican nomination, facing Amy Klobuchar in the general election, who ran as a moderate Democrat focused on domestic policy (with mentions of fighting terrorism when something of the sort happened). Romney commited gaffes which hurt him.
As President, Amy Klobuchar failed to pass comprehensive immigration reform, implemented a public healthcare option, made primary education free, implemented mandatory rehabilitation for drug criminals through drug courts, implemented mandatory body cameras for police officers, renegotiated NAFTA and TPP with greater protection for American manufacturing, tightened regulations on private health insurers, reduced subsidies for the oil and gas industry, raised the federal minimum wage to 12 dollars per hour, and gave tax breaks for electric vehicle manufacturers.
Klobuchar's careful handling of COVID made her defeat Little Marco.
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