As promised (and re-promised...apt for a political blog, eh?), my topic today is the economic plan proposed by Barack Obama.  As with Ms. Clinton, I got most of the information about Obama's plan from his website and by reviewing one speech.

There was an immediate, palpable difference between the two websites that, in some ways, seems to reflect a key difference between the candidates.  As I mentioned, Clinton's plan is scattered in pieces throughout her website--interested parties have to glean her intentions from press releases, sub-categories of issue lists, and by sheer guesswork. 

Obama's plan is found under the heading of "Economy" on his site (How simple!).  There's a bullet point overview followed by details and then (for those who are interested) a link to an extremely detailed plan called, "Keeping America's Promise--Strengthening the Middle Class."

I realize the candidates don't design their own websites, so to some extent, it's not really fair or accurate to judge them by the structure of their sits.  Still, it bears noting that the difference between the sites does seem to be reflected in their plans as well.  Obama's plan is comprehensive, global and visionary.  Clinton's plan is piecemeal, localized and tactical.

So here's the quick and dirty on Obama's 8-point plan:

1.  A middle-class tax cut aimed at 150 million American workers, paid for in part by repealing the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy 1%-ers.  Obama would also simplify the tax code, eliminate taxes on retirees earning less than $50,000 per year, and create a new tax credit that would essentially eliminate taxes for the poorest 10 million Americans.

2.  Obama pledges to review and revamp NAFTA and to enforce fair trade requirements in order to level the playing field for American workers.

3.  The most detailed portion of Obama's plan is job creation through focus on innovation, new technologies and renewable/clean energy investments.  As with Clinton, Obama sees the future growth of this country's job market springing from the soil of cradle-to-cradle enviromental technologies.

4.  Focus on labor including strengthening unions and increasing the minimum wage.

5.  Protecting home owners from predatory lending practices, helping some avoid foreclosure and cracking down on the industry with more (and better) regulation.

6.  Curtailing predatory credit card practices (this is unique to Obama's plan).

7.  Reforming Bankruptcy laws to help families in crisis and aide individuals rather than financial institutions.

8.  Under what Obama calls "Work/Family Balance," are a number of proposals to expand family leave, encourage flexible work schedules and to expand the child tax credit.

There are a number of similarities, not surprisingly, between the Democratic candidates' approach to the economy.  Both have a middle-class tax cut, repealing the Bush tax cuts and investment in green energy technology as cornerstones of their plans.

Obama's plan is more expensive than Clinton's--perhaps because it is more expansive than hers...more encompassing.  Both have the advantage over McCain's non-plan of making the Bush cuts permanent.  (As Jon Stewart summarizes that idea--"Are you suggesting we take the policies that got us into this mess in the first place and render them irrevocable?!")

In short, I give the Dems a thumbs up on this issue over McCain.  And between the two Dems, I give Obama the edge for the comprehensive nature of his plan. 

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