2012 Presidential 2012 Presidential CampaignCampaign

Candidates Candidates

and Issuesand Issues

Barack ObamaBarack Obama

Born August 4, 1961Born August 4, 1961 Married with 2 Children (ages 7 Married with 2 Children (ages 7

and 10)and 10) Grew up in Hawaii, Indonesia, Grew up in Hawaii, Indonesia,

and New York Cityand New York City Graduated from Columbia Graduated from Columbia

University in 1983University in 1983 Earned Law Degree from Earned Law Degree from

Harvard University in 1991Harvard University in 1991

Life in ChicagoLife in Chicago

Worked in Chicago Worked in Chicago as a community as a community organizerorganizer

Practiced law as a Practiced law as a civil rights attorneycivil rights attorney

Taught Taught Constitutional Law Constitutional Law at the University of at the University of Chicago Law Chicago Law SchoolSchool

Political CareerPolitical Career Elected to the Illinois State Senate in Elected to the Illinois State Senate in

19971997 Elected to United States Senate in Elected to United States Senate in

2004 (with 70% of the vote)2004 (with 70% of the vote) Elected President of the United States Elected President of the United States

in 2008in 2008

Political Achievements - SenatePolitical Achievements - Senate

Required tax dollar spending to be posted Required tax dollar spending to be posted on the Interneton the Internet

Has pushed for Ethics Reform legislationHas pushed for Ethics Reform legislation Member of the Veterans Affairs CommitteeMember of the Veterans Affairs Committee Visited Russia to assist in WMD Visited Russia to assist in WMD

nonproliferation effortsnonproliferation efforts Has promoted the use of alternative fuels Has promoted the use of alternative fuels

to reduce dependence on foreign oilto reduce dependence on foreign oil Chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on

European AffairsEuropean Affairs

Political Achievements - PresidentPolitical Achievements - President

Signed the American Recovery and Signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009Reinvestment Act of 2009

Signed the Patient Protection and Signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (aka – ObamaCare)Affordable Care Act (aka – ObamaCare)

Ended US military involvement in IraqEnded US military involvement in Iraq Ordered the military operation that led to Ordered the military operation that led to

the killing of bin Ladenthe killing of bin Laden Became the first sitting president to Became the first sitting president to

publicly support same-sex marriagepublicly support same-sex marriage

Willard “Mitt” RomneyWillard “Mitt” Romney Born March 12, 1947 in Detroit, Born March 12, 1947 in Detroit,

MichiganMichigan Married with 5 children and 18 Married with 5 children and 18

grandchildrengrandchildren Grew up in Bloomfield Hills, MI Grew up in Bloomfield Hills, MI

and attended the Cranbrook and attended the Cranbrook SchoolSchool

Graduated from Brigham Young Graduated from Brigham Young in 1971 and Harvard Law and in 1971 and Harvard Law and Harvard Business Schools in Harvard Business Schools in 19751975

Lives in Belmont, MALives in Belmont, MA

Business ExperienceBusiness Experience Co-Founder of Bain Capital – an Co-Founder of Bain Capital – an

investment companyinvestment company Built the company into one of the most Built the company into one of the most

successful in the countrysuccessful in the country Worth about $190 – 250 millionWorth about $190 – 250 million Has used the money he earned through Has used the money he earned through

his business to finance his political his business to finance his political campaignscampaigns

Political Career – Governor of Political Career – Governor of MassachusettsMassachusetts

Eliminated a $3 billion deficit without Eliminated a $3 billion deficit without raising taxes or borrowing moneyraising taxes or borrowing money

Added new jobs and state Added new jobs and state unemployment rate dropped from unemployment rate dropped from 5.6% to 4.7%5.6% to 4.7%

Focused on making it Focused on making it

easier for small easier for small

businesses to operatebusinesses to operate

in Massachusettsin Massachusetts

Achievements – 2002 Winter Achievements – 2002 Winter OlympicsOlympics

Brought in to manage the 2002 Salt Lake Brought in to manage the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympic GamesCity Olympic Games

Helped to set up securityHelped to set up security for the athletes and for the athletes and visitors following thevisitors following the September 11 attacksSeptember 11 attacks Trimmed the budget toTrimmed the budget to stop the event fromstop the event from going bankruptgoing bankrupt

Issues – Who Do You Agree With?Issues – Who Do You Agree With?

The following slides introduce some of The following slides introduce some of the major issues being discussed in the major issues being discussed in the 2012 campaignthe 2012 campaign

Use your chart to keep track of your Use your chart to keep track of your opinions about the following issuesopinions about the following issues

See which candidate you agree with See which candidate you agree with most consistentlymost consistently

MilitaryMilitary

ObamaObama• Ended the Iraq WarEnded the Iraq War• Increase troops in Increase troops in

AfghanistanAfghanistan• Approved use of Approved use of

U.S. air power to U.S. air power to help rebels in Libyahelp rebels in Libya

• Supports cuts in Supports cuts in funding for Army funding for Army and Marine Corpsand Marine Corps

RomneyRomney• Endorses 2014 end Endorses 2014 end

to combat forces in to combat forces in AfghanistanAfghanistan

• Supports increasing Supports increasing strength of armed strength of armed forcesforces

• Supports additional Supports additional $100 billion to the $100 billion to the military budget in military budget in 20162016

TerrorismTerrorism

ObamaObama• Approved the raid Approved the raid

that killed bin that killed bin LadenLaden

• Set policy to no Set policy to no longer use harsh longer use harsh interrogation interrogation technidquestechnidques

• Increased use of Increased use of unmanned drone unmanned drone strikes in Pakistan strikes in Pakistan and Yemenand Yemen

RomneyRomney• No constitutional No constitutional

rights for foreign rights for foreign terrorism suspectsterrorism suspects

• In 2007, refused to In 2007, refused to rule out rule out “waterboarding” “waterboarding” terrorist suspectsterrorist suspects

• Does not consider Does not consider waterboarding waterboarding “torture”“torture”

ImmigrationImmigration

ObamaObama• Immigrants brought Immigrants brought

illegally into the US illegally into the US as children are as children are exempt from exempt from deportationdeportation

• Record number of Record number of illegal immigrants illegal immigrants were deported were deported during his first term during his first term in officein office

RomneyRomney• Favors US-Mexico Favors US-Mexico

border fenceborder fence• Opposes education Opposes education

benefits to illegal benefits to illegal immigrantsimmigrants

• Establish Establish immigration-status immigration-status verification system verification system and punish and punish employers for hiring employers for hiring illegal immigrantsillegal immigrants

GunsGuns

ObamaObama• Signed laws letting Signed laws letting

people carry people carry concealed weapons concealed weapons in National Parks in National Parks and in checked and in checked bags on Amtrack bags on Amtrack trainstrains

• Voices support for Voices support for renewed ban on renewed ban on assault-type assault-type weaponsweapons

RomneyRomney• Opposes stricter Opposes stricter

gun control lawsgun control laws• Favors tougher Favors tougher

enforcement of enforcement of existing gun lawsexisting gun laws

• Signed a ban on Signed a ban on assault weapons in assault weapons in Massachusetts in Massachusetts in 20042004

Foreign PolicyForeign Policy ObamaObama

• Opposes near-term Opposes near-term strike on Iran but strike on Iran but won’t rule it out in won’t rule it out in the futurethe future

• Sought penalties Sought penalties against China for against China for unfair trade unfair trade practicespractices

• Chastised Israel for Chastised Israel for continuing to build continuing to build new housing in near new housing in near Palestinian borderPalestinian border

RomneyRomney• Supports more Supports more

aggressive stance aggressive stance against Iranagainst Iran

• Pledges more Pledges more military support to military support to IsraelIsrael

• Has pushed for Has pushed for stronger sanctions stronger sanctions against China for against China for manipulating manipulating currencycurrency

EconomyEconomy

ObamaObama• Term marked by high Term marked by high

unemploymentunemployment• Responded to Responded to

recession with a recession with a $800 billion dollar $800 billion dollar stimulus packagestimulus package

• Proposes tax breaks Proposes tax breaks for companies that for companies that create new jobs in create new jobs in the U.S. or bring jobs the U.S. or bring jobs back from overseasback from overseas

RomneyRomney• Supports lower Supports lower

taxestaxes• Supports Balanced Supports Balanced

Budget AmendmentBudget Amendment• Replace jobless Replace jobless

benefits with benefits with unemployment unemployment savings accountssavings accounts

EducationEducation

ObamaObama• Has approved Has approved

waivers freeing waivers freeing states from states from elements of No elements of No Child Left BehindChild Left Behind

• Created Race to the Created Race to the Top program to Top program to encourage encourage educational reformeducational reform

RomneyRomney• Supports Supports

accountability accountability standards of No standards of No Child Left BehindChild Left Behind

• Believes the federal Believes the federal government should government should have less control have less control over educationover education

EnergyEnergy

ObamaObama• Ordered temporary Ordered temporary

stop to deep water stop to deep water drilling after BP oil drilling after BP oil spillspill

• Supported historic Supported historic increase in fuel increase in fuel consumption consumption standards for carsstandards for cars

• Spent heavily on Spent heavily on developing “green” developing “green” energyenergy

RomneyRomney• Supports increased Supports increased

drilling for oil in the drilling for oil in the Pacific and Atlantic Pacific and Atlantic Oceans and AlaskaOceans and Alaska

• Supports increased Supports increased permits for areas permits for areas that have already that have already been approved for been approved for drillingdrilling

• Says “green” energy Says “green” energy is not yet viableis not yet viable

Health CareHealth Care

ObamaObama• Achieved overhaul of Achieved overhaul of

U.S. health insuranceU.S. health insurance Can’t deny coverage Can’t deny coverage

for pre-existing for pre-existing conditionsconditions

Tax credits to Tax credits to subsidize premiumssubsidize premiums

Small businesses get Small businesses get help for offering help for offering coveragecoverage

Moving toward Moving toward universal coverageuniversal coverage

RomneyRomney• Promises to fight for Promises to fight for

repeal of repeal of “ObamaCare”“ObamaCare”

• Says states should Says states should be in charge of be in charge of managing policy managing policy concerning the concerning the uninsureduninsured

• Supports medical Supports medical savings account savings account plansplans

TaxesTaxes ObamaObama

• Wants to raise taxes Wants to raise taxes on the wealthy to at on the wealthy to at least 30%least 30%

• Supports continuing Supports continuing tax cuts for people tax cuts for people making less than making less than $200,000 ($250,000 $200,000 ($250,000 for couples)for couples)

• Allow top tax Allow top tax brackets to go back brackets to go back to 39.6% and 36%to 39.6% and 36%

RomneyRomney• Drop tax rates for all Drop tax rates for all

income levelsincome levels• Reduce top tax rate Reduce top tax rate

to 28% from 35%to 28% from 35%• Eliminate capital Eliminate capital

gains tax for families gains tax for families making less than making less than $200,000$200,000

• Cut corporate tax Cut corporate tax rate to 25% from rate to 25% from 35%35%

Issues – Who Do You Agree With?Issues – Who Do You Agree With?

Visit the following website to learn Visit the following website to learn more about some of the main issues more about some of the main issues in this year’s campaignin this year’s campaign

Select the issues and positions you Select the issues and positions you agree with the mostagree with the most

See which candidate you agree with See which candidate you agree with most consistentlymost consistently

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