When speaking about the best candidate in 2008, we cannot ignore Social Security. CNN provided a pretty in-depth overview of the candidates and their stances on Social Security reform. Since we're down to four prospective presidential candidates, let's review where they stand utilizing CNN's information:

DEMOCRATS:

Hillary Clinton - Hillary opposes efforts to privatize Social Security; while she supports the idea of a bipartisan commission coming together to discuss reform, she believes that fiscal responsibility is the first key to success. Following this responsibility, she believes long-term challenges can then be dealt with.

Barack Obama - Like Hillary, Obama opposes privitization. He believes that Social Security can be strengthened by focusing on the payroll tax system. According to CNN, "Currently, the Social Security payroll tax applies to only the first $97,500 a worker earns; Obama supports increasing the maximum amount of earnings covered by Social Security." Obama also says that he "Would work with Congress to choose a payroll tax reform package that will keep Social Security solvent for at least the next half century."

REPUBLICANS:

Mike Huckabee - Through the Fair Tax, Huckabee "Would eliminate all federal income and payroll taxes, including Social Security." Unlike Hillary and Barack, Huckabee supports what he calls the "personalization" of Social Security funds, providing what he says is greater access and control over one's financial future.

John McCain - According to CNN, "When asked about Social Security during a GOP debate, he stated: "Every man, woman and child in America needs to know it's going broke, and we've got to do the hard things. We've got to fix it for the future generations of Americans ... It's got to be bipartisan. And you have to go to the American people and say we won't raise your taxes. We need personal savings accounts, but we [have] to fix this system."

The above information was taken from http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/issues/issues.socialsecurity.html [1]