Barack Obama vs. Mitt Romney

Democrats vs. Republicans

Note: This was an editorial I wrote for an English class.

In 2009 Barack Obama of the Democrats assumed office of the President of the United States. Now 2012, he is campaigning to stay in office against Senator Mitt Romney of the Republicans. As of now ( 29/10/12) Romney is currently in lead of the polls with 49% backing Romney and 47% backing Obama. It is a close run, but will much loved president Obama come out top of the race? Let’s hope so.

In 2008, Obama competed against John McCain for Presidency  the result was 52.1% backing Obama and 44.5% backing McCain. Obama was the clear favourite, his campaign was ambitious and full of promise. He assured America he would fix the financial situation, reinvent education and health care policies, and discover alternative energy sources. During his run as president he tackled some of the many issues facing America with respect; he changed taxes for working families, small businesses and first time home buyers – this proved to be beneficial. He improved relations with with Europe, China and Russia and opened dialogue with Iran, Venezuela and Cuba. He won the Noble Peace Prize for his efforts in helping the on-going wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.


 Obama’s campaign for 2012 is very much similar to his in 2008, thus saying he truly believes in his issues and believes he can fix them and change America for the better.  Obama is campaigning for new jobs, investing in health care, education and energy;  he wants to simplify the tax code, create a legal immigration system, increase use of renewable energy, solve the situation in Israel and support same-sex marriages.

You’re thinking Obama promised this in 2008? You’re thinking he didn't follow through with his promises? Yes. In 2008 Obama promised to cut America’s debt in half and create thousands of new jobs, and he maybe didn't do that fully, but in 2009 America’s debt was standing at $1.4 trillion, and has been cut to $1.2 trillion with Obama in office. Now it maybe doesn’t seem like much, but Obama has managed to cut the debt by $2 million in 4 years. That to me is a pretty good achievement. It is even estimated that if Obama is kept in office it will dip a further $2 million.

For 2012 Obama has a new economic plan that he believes will cure America’s economy problems; cutting the deficit more and creating new jobs. Whereas Romney’s plan is expected to add $5 trillion in tax cuts, that will either add to the debt or increase taxes on the working middle class - that’s you.

You may have been watching the debates or have been to a Romney rally and so you know he’s a smooth talker, making you believe his promises of 12 million jobs and create economic growth, but doesn't that sound familiar?
Before becoming a candidate for the presidency, Mitt Romney was governor of Massachusetts, he promised then to create more jobs, decrease the deficit and create a smaller government. When Romney left office, the state debt had increased, the size of government had grown, and the state had fallen behind in job creation.
David Axelrod, senior adviser for Obama’s campaign, said that “when he was governor of this state, this state was 47th in job creation. He created huge new debt here – debt went up 16 percent. Incomes went down while around the country incomes were going up.”, he then went on to say “People need to know this because this is the sole basis for which he is running for President”.
The Boston Globe said that “It was one of the worst economic records in the country.”
Romney’s economic plan didn't work in Massachusetts, and so it will not work in Washington, and will not work for America.

How about we look at some more delicate topics? Obama and Romney’s views on war, guns, gays and rights. 
Obama, for the past 4 years, has made significant efforts in war; he helped end the Iraq war and he helped kill the terrorist behind 9/11, Bin Laden. By 2014, Obama wishes to pull out American troops from Afghanistan and bring them home. His main issue is to make sure the number of nuclear weapons is reduced, especially making sure no terrorists get a hold of such weapons.
Romney intends to keep soldiers in Afghanistan for as long as they are needed, he criticized Obama’s announcement to bring them home in 2014. He said Iran is a big threat to America, and he will do most to stop them gaining nuclear weapons but that engaging in War with Iran could be a possibility. So Romney wants to go backwards and start another war just as two are nearly over. 
Romney is also wanting to reinforce the current gun ownership laws, which makes it easy for anybody to buy and own a gun. Obama wishes to create new laws, that tighten up on gun sales, making it so not anybody can own a gun. Obama hopes this will help stop criminals from carrying and using guns, he also opposes citizens carrying concealed weapons.

Obama and Romney have very opposite views on LGBT* rights. Romney has a very closed minded approach, he completely opposes same-sex marriages and civil unions stating that “I believe that traditional marriage is right for the nurturing and development of children.”. In 2011, Romney signed the  2012 Presidential Pledge, that supports the Federal Marriage Amendment**
Obama, on the other hand, supports same-sex marriages and civil unions. He also repealed the “Don’t ask, Don’t tell” policy within the Army making it so people can be openly gay.
Obama is the first President to support LGBT rights while in office. His view is the step forward to creating better equal rights, and to lessen discrimination and hate towards those that are LGBT.
Romney believes abortion should be made illegal, unless in the cases of rape, incest and to save the mother’s life. He vowed that if he was made president he would cut all federal funding to Planned Parenthood leaving all soon-to-be mothers (including young mothers of 16-18) without support or sex education and protection .

Both Obama and Romney have very distinct views on such social policies, but whose benefit you as an American citizen more? Whose benefit more to the middle class?

* LGBT – Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender ** Federal Marriage Amendment - was a proposed amendment to the US Constitution which would have limited marriage in the US to unions of one man and one woman.

 

Shall we sum up?

Obama

VS

Romney

Long-term economic plan to invest in education, small businesses, clean energy, infrastructure, and tax cuts for companies to create jobs.	Mitt Romney’s plan would add $5 trillion in tax cuts to the rich, either increasing the deficit or requiring tax increases on the middle-class
Strategy to develop every available source of American made energy—including oil, gas, clean coal, wind, solar and biofuels - and taking steps to protect our climate.	Let Big Oil advisers and donors write a drilling-centered energy policy for America, that will never reach energy independence, excluding any plan for energy efficiency and stripping funding for clean energy
Cut tuition growth in half over the next decade with a plan to double campus based student aid and incentives for schools that are successful at keeping tuition growth down	As governor, Romney made deep cuts to higher education - by the end of his term, college costs had skyrocketed, with fees at state colleges and universities increasing 63%
Responsibly ended the war in Iraq , is bringing our troops home from Afghanistan, and will use half the savings to reduce the deficit and the rest to engage in nation-building here at home	Mitt Romney criticized the end of the Iraq war as "tragic," and has offered no plan withdraw our troops from Afghanistan
Believes a woman’s health care choices are personal decisions, best made with her doctor—without interference from politicians	Give employers and government the authority to limit women’s access to common forms of birth control
Is lifting the shadow of deportation from young, hardworking immigrants who were brought here as children, and is committed to comprehensive immigration reform	Pledged to ban the DREAM Act, and refuse help for many immigrants who came here as children.
Repealed the “Don’t ask, Don’t tell” policy in the army, letting men and woman be openly gay, bisexual and lesbian in the army. Supports same-sex marriages. Abortion should be legal.	Wanted to keep the “Don’t ask, Don’t tell” policy in place. Believes same-sex marriages will destroy  the sanctity of marriage. Believes Abortion should be illegal.

B

Barack Obama was the clear favourite in the 2008 elections, he was the first African American to be 

President, this was a massive change and a huge forward step in society – it meant people were lessening racism and hate, and becoming more open minded. If Mitt Romney is elected President this open mindedness will be tarnished with his views.
Yes, Obama perhaps did not follow completely through with his promises, and you may feel he let you down, but do you honestly think Mitt Romney will do this country any better? Look at his past experiences with being in power; look how he failed Massachusetts. Obama did America justice in his first 4 years of presidency, he could do so much more in another 4 years.
Obama is the step forward for society, for life, for America.

"So if you're willing to stick with me and fight with me ... I guarantee you we will move this country forward. We will finish what we started. And we’ll remind the world just why it is the United States of America is the greatest nation on Earth.”

_{– Barack Obama}