LAS VEGAS -- On the eve of the last presidential debate, Sen. John McCain is releasing the details of his economic plan.

This comes one day after Sen. Barack Obama offered his plan.

With just a few weeks to go before the big day, how much of all this has to do with rescuing the economy, and how much has to do with winning the vote?

"Sen. Obama's going to raise your taxes. And in this economy, raising taxes is the surest way to turn a recession into a depression," McCain said.

"You know there are some ideas that Sen. McCain has put forward in the last couple of weeks that are very bad ideas,” Obama said.

The criticism is usually general, but now that pundits and people on the street have agreed the U.S. is in a crisis, the candidates are being forced to talk about American’s personal finances.

“People want answers, and they want specific answers. So, yesterday, Obama, today, McCain, came up with a plan. Because in many cases, they need to show the public they're ready to lead on Day One,” said Ken Fernandez, UNLV political sciences professor.

McCain's plan calls for eliminating taxes on unemployment benefits. It would reduce capital gains taxes on assets held for more than a year. And, it would slash taxes and penalties to 10 percent on IRA and 401(k) withdrawals up to $50,000.

“Retirees have suffered enough and need relief,” McCain said.

But because rescuing the economy isn't exactly an easy task or an exact science, both plans may not just be about the issue itself.

Fernandez said if anyone really had the answer, the problem would cease being one.

“I think because they're not president yet, and in many cases, the people making decisions are going to be chairmans of different committees and the treasury department and the federal reserve, a lot of this is political,” he said.