Their faces peer from magazine stands.

Their names headline newspapers. Everything from their words to their clothes is cannon fodder for network news anchors; John McCain and Barack Obama are nearly unavoidable these days.

But it can be hard to clearly see the candidates with much of the past and present news detailing soundbites, scandals and flag-pin lapels.

Lurking somewhere behind the modern presidential campaign’s glamour, each candidate also has a publicly-designed plan that will affect how Americans live for the next four years and beyond.

Whether students choose to vote or not, the president-to-be will be shackled with the responsibility to enact policies that will ripple downward toward individual students or those just entering the job market.

For the students:

Both candidates want to simplify financial aid forms for college students. They contend that the form’s complexity deters many eligible students from applying for financial aid.

McCain:

McCain opposes feeding more dollars toward a larger federal education budget. Rather, college cost would be evaluated with rewards going toward schools which value affordability. Enhanced scrutiny would also cut supposed pork-barrel spending, or education spending for lawmakers’ favored projects.

Obama:

Obama proposes a $4,000 tax credit — a reduction in taxes owed — for each American student, with one condition: any student receiving the money must complete 100 hours of community service.

But…

Federal higher education policy fails to directly impact many college students. Public schools like the UW are state entities with budgets and tuitions that are determined by the state rather than the federal government.

Internationally:

For students, the cost of education is not the only factor affected by the upcoming election. Whoever ends up navigating the world’s diplomatic corridors as president of the United States will chart an international course with consequences for Americans abroad and at home.

McCain:

While McCain once said that a 100-year stay in Iraq would be acceptable if it got the job done, he is now favoring a policy of planned withdrawal in conjunction with U.S. military commanders and the Iraqi government.

Obama:

Obama favors a withdrawal by 2010 while refocusing American military efforts from Iraq to Afghanistan, according to an article in The Independent.

But…

Apart from each candidate’s foreign policy is the foreign perception of the candidates; according to an article in The Guardian, America’s neighbors favor Obama, as do America’s allies, among them Japan and Great Britain. In Kenya, Obama’s father’s country, the candidate’s popularity was predictably high. A Gallup poll released this month shows the international community prefers Obama to McCain by a 4-to-1 ratio.

Domestically:

Back in the States, however, the primary worry isn’t about the war, nor is it about foreign policy.

Homeowners, stockholders and students trying to find a job all have one thing in common; they’re all looking closely at their pocketbooks. The American Psychological Association released data revealing that the economy is stressing Americans out the most.

During the next four years, the president of the United States will contend with the need to bolster the country’s economic security and guarantee the population’s health.

McCain:

McCain’s health care strategy moves citizens away from the current employer-based health care toward an individual plan that stays with a person when that person switches jobs.

Obama:

His plan leaves the current system intact and requires employers to expand their coverage.

But…

According to an article in The Seattle Times, neither plan reaches the point of universal health care.

On the environment:

On the environmental front, both McCain and Obama have acknowledged global warming is happening and humans have an effect on its magnitude.

McCain:

To reduce carbon and still keep the lights on, McCain advocates increasing nuclear power, which he says is safe and efficient.

Obama:

Obama has endorsed nuclear power while also placing emphasis on government funding for new energy sources.

Economic policy:

Each candidate has a different economic policy that will supposedly guide the United States toward a stable financial future, but both do propose tax cuts.

McCain:

McCain’s economic policy largely extends Bush’s tax cuts.

Obama:

Obama’s plan would expand tax cuts to the middle class, while increasing taxes for the upper class.

But…

While changing economic realities could change their policies, the national debt is one economic reality that will loom over the young generation for years to come. Whatever the economic reality may be when either candidate takes office, the debt will surely be an important issue for the young voters ultimately paying the bills.

Reach reporter Andrew Doughman at features@dailyuw.com.