McCain: McCain supports free trade agreements, and opposes a growing role of government in creating jobs or steering the economy. McCain blames Wall Street greed and mismanagement at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac for the current credit crisis affecting the markets.

Though he has generally been for deregulation, he has recently called for more regulation and an expanded government role in helping financial institutions unload toxic loans. McCain wants increased oversight of the Treasury Department.

Quote: "Expanding free trade is a way to improve the well-being of all Americans, particularly the working poor. The most basic economic analysis shows that tariffs represent an unfair tax on an already overtaxed public. Reducing barriers to trade is the equivalent of a tax cut for every consumer."

Obama: Obama favors the government partnering with private entities to create opportunities for low-wage workers. He also supports government programs for training, transportation, tax credits, and loans to those entering the workforce. He has a mixed record on trade deals. He supports a windfall profits tax on oil company profits to be distributed to Americans as energy rebates.

Obama also wants increased oversight of the Treasury Department.

Quote: "Over the last few decades, fundamental changes in the way we work and live have trapped too many American families between an economy that's gone global and a government that's gone AWOL. Too many rungs have been removed from the ladder to middle-class security, and the safety net that's supposed to break any falls from that ladder has grown badly frayed."