Presidential Election 2012 Overview

Oct. 2012
 
The next United States presidential election is to be held on Tuesday Nov. 6, 2012. Current President Barack Obama is running for a second and final term against the Massachusetts Gov., Republican Willard Mitt Romney.

Romney:
Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney is a man of experience. With a vast personal fortune, a successful private career, a stint in public office and a family life, the 65-year-old Republican nominee hopes to top off his career by becoming President of the United States of America.
“I think Romney has more experience [as a candidate],” stated junior Mary Smith, “he had to run a state! Obama never had to. But in social aspects [of the election] I am leaning more toward Obama.”
The journey has not been smooth for Romney. From the beginning he faced tremendous resistance from the GOP conservative base, from women and from minority groups.
There have been strong concerns over his fundamental political ideology, and his indecisive political stances especially concerning health care.
“Romney’s 2006 health care reform was basically the forerunner of [President] Obama’s ObamaCare Act,” said freshman John Samuels, “but for some reason he is now against his own idea.”
Romney proposes that individuals purchase their own health insurance, rather than through employers, he also wants to allow insurance across state lines.
Another aspect of Romney’s health care forum involves allowing states to ban abortions and make birth control unavailable to women. In 1994 Romney was pro-choice; however he changed his platform when preparing to run for President.
“It’s not fair to restrict women from birth control or abortions,” continued Smith, “that right of choice should not be taken away, especially from a bunch of men.”

Obama:
In 2008 Democratic Nominee Barack Obama took office under the banner of change and unity. With an articulate and hands-on approach to politics, Obama possesses an old-school charm that has captured the eye of many Americans.
The 51-year-old candidate has recently had to deal with a growing number of issues with his presidency. Questions about ObamaCare, the stagnant national unemployment rate, his previous big-government approach, and national debt have begun to surface.
“I don’t think that Obama is at fault for the debt or unemployment rates. He came into office with a giant mess to clean up. And for four years, that’s what he has been doing,” stated junior Grace Gowen.
Some of the most recognized success of the Obama administration is the hunting down and killing of Osama bin-Laden, decrease in unemployment rates, recovery of the automotive industry, and withdrawal of American forces from Afghanistan and Iraq.
“Obama definitely did a good job with his foreign policies during the Arab Spring,” said Gowen, “he effectively aided three successful revolutions.”
Obama hopes to continue the withdrawal of troops from Iraq and Afghanistan within his next term and engage in a direct diplomacy with the new governments, tighten economic sanctions and create international cooperation.
One major objection to President Obama is people’s beliefs that he has not done quite as much, or even any, of what he said he would.
“Republicans have a lot of power in government and everything is just getting stalled, but Obama says one thing and always does another,” stated sophomore Sam Jones, “he basically has not made any improvements for America.”

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