Ally+and+Madeline

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= W i l l a r d M i t t R o m n e y =




 * Political Party**: Republican Party
 * Previous Position in Government: ** Governor of Massachusetts
 * Current Position in Government: ** Candidate for the 2012 Republican Party presidential nomination
 * Home State: ** Detroit, Michigan

Willard Mitt Romney was born on March 12, 1947, in Detroit, Michigan and is sixty-four years old. Mitt Romney is a member of the Republican Party and was the Governor of Massachusetts from 2003 through 2007. Romney had the distinction of being the valedictorian for his class at Brigham Young University, where he graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. in English. Although he then attended Stanford University for two semesters, he left to be a Mormon missionary in France for over two years. Romney then attended both Harvard Law and business schools to graduate cum laude from law school and as a Baker Scholar in business with a joint J.D. and M.B.A.

Romney built his career as a businessman in the private sector, founding Bain & Company, a consultant group, which helped prominent companies like Domino's Pizza rebuild their businesses. He was appointed the President of the Salt Lake City Olympic Games Organizing Committee, which was in danger of collapsing from scandals like bid rigging, to reorganize and ensure that the 2002 winter games took place successfully. This feat led him to becoming Governor of Massachusetts, which was in economic turmoil. Romney eradicated a $3 billion state deficit without raising taxes or borrowing funds. Romney's presidential campaign centers around shrinking the federal government and cutting spending, lowering taxes, creating jobs by promoting trade and free enterprise, repealing Obamacare and reforming healthcare through the private sector, and strengthening the military.

__**Where Romney Stands: Key Issues**__ Romney is pro-life and views abortion as a problem. According to UDK, Mitt believes life begins at conception, and wants the law to reflect this idea. He believes there should be severe restrictions on abortion to support "the values of most young people in a general way."
 * Abortion **

Mitt plans to simplify the financial aid system and cut federal spending. Instead of focusing on community or four-year colleges, he would like to focus on skill-training programs. Certain sources believe that this will better the economy.
 * Education **

According to Romney, the government should get out of the way when it comes to the economy. He believes that, if elected, the free market forces will come into play, resulting in an immediate rebound for the American economy.
 * Economy **

Mitt plans to have the states obtain both the incentive and flexibility to experiment, learn from one another, and craft the approaches best suites to their own citizens. If elected, he will block grant Medicaid and other payments to the states. He will also limit federal standards and requirements on both private insurance and Medicaid coverage.
 * Health Care **

Romney opposes same sex marriage and says it should be banned with a constitutional amendment, not left to states. Mitt states that, "Marriage is not an activity that goes on within the walls of a state." Additionally, he believes that all citizens deserve equal rights, regardless of sexual preference. However, he believes that marriage itself should be between a man and a woman.
 * Gay Rights **

__**Overall Philosophy of Government:**__ Romney's overall economic and governmental philosophy has remained consistent in that he seeks to both lower taxes and reduce spending to balance budgets. At times, he has sought to bring the federal government into the private market to address specific needs, however he believes in less government intrusion.

__**Mitt Romney on the Political Spectrum:**__


 * Liberal---Moderate- Mitt -Conservative**

__**Recent Quotes From Mitt:**__ “When it comes to pinning blame, pin the tail on the donkeys.”

"I'm going to stop the subsidy to PBS," Romney said. "I'm going to stop other things. I like PBS, I love Big Bird. Actually, [I] like you, too. But I'm not going to keep on spending money on things to borrow money from China to pay for.

"The people who are having the hard time right now are middle-income Americans," Romney said. "Under the president's policies, middle-income Americans have been buried. They're just being crushed. Middle-income Americans have seen their income come down by $4,300. This is a tax in and of itself. I'll call it the economy tax. It's been crushing."

__**Links:**__ [|Final Presidential Debate] [|Official Mitt Romney Site]

__**Recent Articles On Mitt Romney:**__ [|Article One] [|Article Two] [|Article Three]

__**Current Polling Results (From October 30th):**__

__**Three Interesting Facts:**__ **2.** For eight years, Romney earned no salary as an intern in the governors office.
 * 1. ** In 2003, Mitt used a jet ski to save a family and their terrier in Lake Winnipisaukee while their boat sank.
 * 3. ** While at Bain Capital, Romney shut down the company so that workers could help find a partners missing daughter.

Sources http://www.archives.com/genealogy/presidential-candidates-mitt-romney-2012.html http://www.ijreview.com/2012/08/13525-the-top-ten-romney-ryan-facts/

= B a r a c k O b a m a =

**Current** **P****osition in** **Government**: Candidate for the 2012 Democratic party presidential nomination
 * Political Pa****rty:** Democratic Party
 * Previous Position in Government: ** President
 * Home State: ** Honolulu, Hawaii

Barack Obama was born on August 4th, 1961 in Honolulu, Hawaii and is 51 years old. He is a member of the democratic party and is currently the 44th president; the first African-American president ever! Before he became president, h e was elected to the Illinois State Senate in 1996, and served from 1997 to 2004. Obama was also a civil rights lawyer, and a teacher. He is married to Michelle Obama, and has two kids and a dog.

__**Where Obama Stands: Key Issues**__ Obama is pro-choice and believes that women should make their own decision on abortion instead of politicians. In office, Obama has tried to improve woman's health and defend against anti-choice legislative attacks.
 * Abortion **

President Obama has called countless times for investment in education. He has stated repeatedly that he thinks everyone should strive to get a college education.
 * Education **

Obama has taken action to restore middle-class security and create an economy built to last. President Obama has a plan to grow the economy from the middle class out, not the top down.
 * Economy **

Obama believes in his system of Obama Care. He believes that every citizen within the entire United States should have access to health care.
 * Health Care **

**Gay Rights** President Obama has recently sided with the idea of gay marriage. He is the first president to announce his support for same sex marriage. He believes gays and lesbians should be treated fairly and equally.

__**Overall Philosophy on Government:**__ Obama's overall philosophy on government is based through ObamaCare. He believes that health care should be available to any legal U.S. resident who cannot obtain "good" healthcare through their employer. Also, the program gives American employers the choice between providing comparable insurance and paying a modest providing comparable insuranse and paying a modest contribution to the ObamaCare Health Care system.

__ **Obama on the Political Spectrum:** __

**Liberal--** Obama ** --Moderate-Conservative **

__**Recent Quotes From Obama:**__ "Change will not come if we wait for some other person o some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek."

"I've got two daughters. I am going to teach them first of all the values and morals. But if they make a mistake, I don't want them punished with a baby."

"Americans...still believe in an America where anythings possible-they just don't think their leaders do."

__**Links:**__ [|Final Presidential Debate] [|Official Obama Site]

Sources: http://www.prochoiceamerica.org/elections/2012/president-obama.html?gclid=CLaT2-XdtbMCFcU-MgodLlQACg