GET OUT AND VOTE!!!
Today is Election Day and your chance to vote to keep President Obama or get two faced Mitt Romney.
President Obama
Healthcare
Signed the 2010 healthcare overhaul bill. Calls for patient protections
like allowing coverage for pre-existing conditions, not letting insurers cancel
policies when patients get sick, and requiring individuals to buy health
insurance or pay a fine.
Immigration
Supports a path to legalization for illegal immigrants that includes
learning English and paying fines; toughen penalties for hiring illegal
immigrants; voted for fence along Mexican border.
Energy
Wants to create a 5-year, $50 billion project for energy and climate
change to finance research into discovering alternative energy sources and
developing technologies. Opposes domestic drilling offshore and in the Arctic
National Wildlife Refuge.
Supports a mandatory cap-and-trade system to reduce carbon emissions.
Opposes Keystone XL pipeline.
Foreign Policy
Refocusing on the Threat from al Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Taken the fight to al Qaeda and eliminated Osama bin Laden. Ending the War in
Iraq, bring troops home by end of 2011. Built an international coalition to
stop a massacre in Libya, and to support the Libyan people as they overthrew
the regime of Moammar Qadhafi.
National Security & Military
Opposed invasion of Iraq from the beginning; opposed troop increase;
ended military operations in Iraq(on previously negotiated Bush timeline). Made
no effort to keep promise to exit in 2009. Troops moved to Afghanistan and
Iranian border.
Iran: Engage in direct diplomacy; tighten economic sanctions with
international cooperation; military option not off the table. Failed to deliver
on 2008 campaign promise to meet with the Iranian president without
preconditions.
Publicly opposed wars and intervention but has recently admitted to
expanding Afghan conflict into Pakistan. Says Congressional approval not
required if UN gives approval.
Allowed Patriot Act to be extended. Signed National Defense
Authorization Act of 2012, which permits the indefinite detention of U.S.
Citizens
While purporting to reduce military spending, proposed a defense budget
in January, 2012, that would INCREASE military spending by $36 billion over the
next five years, even after assumed reductions in expenditures for the Iraq and
Afghanistan wars.
Education
Voted in favor on shifting $11B from corporate tax loopholes to
education. Signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 which
included a $4.35 billion education reform program financed by the Department of
Education.
Taxes, Budget & Economy
Repeal Bush tax cuts for households earning more than $250,000. Lower
taxes on manufacturing industry. Stimulus spending and tax cuts to grow the
economy (short term). Cut spending and raise taxes on wealthy to reduce deficit
(long term).
The national debt has increased more – almost $5 trillion – during 3 ½
years under President Obama than it did during the entire 8 years of the Bush
Administration.
Jobs & Corporations
Proposed the American Jobs Act of 2011. Cutting and suspending $245
billion worth of payroll taxes for qualifying employers and 160 million medium
to low income employees. Spending $62 billion for a Pathways Back to Work
Program for expanding opportunities for low-income youth and adults. Spending
$50 billion on both new & pre-existing infrastructure projects. Spending
$35 billion in additional funding to protect the jobs of teachers, police
officers, and firefighters. Spending $30 billion to modernize at least 35,000
public schools and community colleges. Spending $15 billion on a program that
would hire construction workers to help rehabilitate and refurbishing hundreds
of thousands of foreclosed homes and businesses. Creating the National
Infrastructure Bank (capitalized with $10 billion), originally proposed in
2007, to help fund infrastructure via private and public capital. Creating a
nationwide, interoperable wireless network for public safety, while expanding
accessibility to high-speed wireless services. Creating additional regulations
on businesses who discriminate against hiring those who are long-term
unemployed. Loosening regulations on small businesses that wish to raise
capital, including through crowdfunding, while retaining investor protections.
Abortion
Supports Roe v. Wade; criticized Supreme Court decision that upheld ban
on partial-birth abortions.
Gun Control
Respect 2nd Amendment, but local gun bans ok (Source: 2008 Politico
pre-Potomac Primary interview , Feb 11, 2008)
On individual gun rights & the DC gun ban: “Just because you have
an individual right does not mean that the state or local government can’t
constrain the exercise of that right.”
Mitt Romney
Healthcare
Though he created similar legislation in Massachusetts, promises to
repeal Barack Obama's 2010 healthcare overhaul. Would encourage individuals to
purchase their own health insurance rather than rely on their employers.
Immigration
Would make English the official language of the US and "turn off
the magnets like tuition breaks or other breaks that draw people into this
country illegally"
Energy
Opposes cap and trade legislation. Supports Keystone XL pipeline.
Exporting carbon emissions to China hurts US and planet. (Aug 2007), Humans
contribute to world getting warmer. (Nov 2011), $20 billion package for energy
research & new car technology
Foreign Policy
China: Romney has accused China of "cheating" and
"stealing American jobs". Romney favors keeping the United States
embargo against Cuba in place. Opposes U.S. aid to European debt crisis. Romney
supported the invasion of Iraq and the "troop surge". Believes and
supports a strong relationship with Israel. Supported U.S. military action in
Libya
National Security & Military
Romney says that keeping the U.S. in Iraq is the best option for
minimizing casualties and maintaining a democratic government in Iraq. Military
option not off the table for Iran. Would have signed NDAA as is. Military
intervention: Consult with lawyers on legality but believes President has the
right to do what he believes makes the country safer.
Has pledged to commit at least 4% of U.S. GDP to core defense spending,
not including “war costs”, compared to a projected level for 2013 if 3.2%.
About Romney’s proposal, one expert observed that it would be almost impossible
to “spend 4% (next year) if you wanted to.” Proposes to “increase the (Navy’s)
shipbuilding rate from 9 per year to 15”, at a five-year cost of an additional
$35-$40 billion.
Supports the Patriot Act. Does not consider waterboarding to be
torture. Proposed wiretapping mosques.
Education
Supported No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.
Taxes, Budget & Economy
Make Bush tax cuts permanent. Lower corporate tax rate across the board
to 25%. Cut taxes and regulations to encourage business. Cut "non-security
discretionary [government] spending" by 5% to reduce deficit.
In March, 2009, said the TARP bailouts were necessary. In Sept., 2009,
said he is opposed to bailouts.
Jobs & Corporations
Romney's plan includes overhauling federal tax, regulatory, trade and
energy policies. The intent is "to create the conditions that allow the
private sector and entrepreneurs to create jobs and to grow our economy,"
according to Romney. He has vowed to create some 12,000,000 jobs within his
first four years in office if elected.
Abortion
Opposes Roe v. Wade; believes states should be allowed to ban
abortions., 1994: Supported abortion rights but personally opposed, No
punishment for women who have partial birth abortions, change of heart in 2005
when preparing to run for President.
Gun Control
Gun Owners of America Rating: D-. 1994: “I don’t line up
with the NRA”. 2007 “I am now a proud member” (of the NRA).
Please VOTE TODAY!!!
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