Presidential Candidates 2012

   Presidential elections will take place on Tuesday, November 6, 2012.  Many of high school students will have their first opportunity to take part.  When voting, it is vital to understand each candidate’s ideals, views, and positions on important issues.

   (Dem.) Randall Terry: Terry is in favor of immediate withdrawal of U.S. troops from both Iraq and Afghanistan, amnesty for undocumented immigrants, and capital punishment for convicted murderers.  He advocates for prayer in public schools, the right to bear arms, the legalization of marijuana, and the expansion of domestic oil drilling.  Terry is against government mandated universal health care, stronger regulations to protect the environment, increasing tax rates for wealthy Americans, and raising the national debt ceiling –increase in the cap that Congress sets for how much money the U.S. government can legally borrow.  He is not in favor of same sex marriage, legal abortions during the first six months of pregnancy, and an enactment of stronger anti-discrimination laws.

   (Rep.) Michele Bachmann: Bachmann is a constitutional conservative who wishes to restore the economy by creating jobs, repeal Obamacare and other “unconstitutional mandates”, cut spending to reduce America’s debt, strengthen families by defending marriage, and avoiding debt ceiling increases. 

   (Libertarian) R. Lee Wrights: With the campaign slogan “Stop All War”, R. Lee Wrights stated the following: “We have waged war on poverty since the 60s and people are still poor.  We have waged war on ignorance since the 70s and our children still cannot read, write, or think critically.  We have gallantly fought the demon drugs for decades, and all we have done is put more people in prison for non-violent crimes than any other nation while funding terrorists who kill people all over the world.  We have waged hot and cold wars against “godless-communism” in the jungles of southeast Asia and across the villages and plains of Europe.”  Wrights is for stopping government spending, opening the borders, and restoring America’s educational excellence.

      (Dem.) Barack Obama: Obama will run for a second term in office, and if re-elected, Obama hopes to revive the economy and provide affordable, accessible health care to all.  He wants to build up American public education and social security systems, and would also like to make the country more energy independent and tackle climate change.  Obama has proposed the Jobs Act: this act is intended to give Americans more work and money by increasing taxes for the wealthy and rewarding companies who give an increase in wages.  He is for ending war in Iraq, finishing in Afghanistan, and preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons.