Election 2004: Hot-Button Campaign Issues

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As the 2004 presidential election season kicks into gear, NPR examines the key issues voters are pondering as they choose which candidate to back. Listen to the reports in this series by clicking on the audio links above.

Health Care: Republicans have produced significant health-care legislation this year, for the first time in decades, stealing what had been a traditionally Democratic issue. NPR's Julie Rovner reports.

Homeland Security: The Democratic candidates say the Bush administration hasn't done enough to secure America since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. But experts say voters have limits on how much they'll pay for homeland security. NPR's Pam Fessler reports.

Job Growth and Economic Recovery: 2004 begins amid strong signs of economic recovery. But few new jobs are being created to replace those that have been lost, especially in manufacturing, where more job losses may still be coming. NPR's David Schaper reports.

The Bush Tax Cuts: Did the Bush tax cuts help revive the U.S. economy -- or make a return to the fiscal health of the 1990s increasingly unlikely? NPR's Jim Zarroli reports.

The "Dubya" Factor: This election year, the politics of personality could play as big a role in swaying voters as other, more tangible issues. Perhaps the one thing that most unites and ignites the Democratic Party's core supporters is their visceral reaction to the persona and style of President Bush himself. NPR's Don Gonyea reports.

The Occupation of Iraq: Even those who supported the U.S. invasion of Iraq admit that U.S. operations in the country have been plagued by problems since May 2003. The high-profile capture of ousted Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein hasn't silenced the growing criticism. NPR's Andrea Seabrook reports.