Barack+Obama+vs+Mitt+Romney+-+Dylan+Immel+and+Cameron+Ilkenhans

=2012 Presidential Election = The 2012 Presidential Election will take place on November 6th, 2012. The major candidates are **Barack Obama** of the Democratic Party, and **Mitt Romney** of the Republican Party.

=Barack Obama by Dylan Immel = == President Barack Obama is the Democratic Presidential candidate running for a second term. His private residence is in Chicago, Illinois. Obama was born in Honolulu, Hawaii. He graduated law school and worked as a civil rights attorney in Chicago, and then taught constitutional law at University of Chicago Law School for twelve years. He was a member of the Illinois Senate from the 13th District for seven years, and served as a U.S. Senator for Illinois for three years. He became the first African American to hold the Presidential office, and is running for a second term. His official site is here.

Obama wants to eliminate tax breaks for companies that outsource jobs overseas, and provide incentives for companies that create jobs in America instead. He wants to make tax cuts for the middle class permanent, and double exports and create one million manufacturing jobs. Obama will expand the health reform tax credit to cover 50% of small businesses' health care costs by 2014. He will use half the savings from ending foreign wars to pay the debt and the other half to strengthen our home infrastructure. He will invest in education, research, and technology to stimulate the growth of the economy. He will ensure that millionaires aren't paying less taxes than the middle class, and they will pay the same rate as under President Clinton. “All of the above” strategy to develop every available source of American made energy, including oil, gas, coal, wind, solar, biofuels, nuclear, and taking steps to protect our climate.Obama has set a goal to half our foreign oil dependency by 2020, and our dependence on foreign oil is already at a twenty year low. He wants to double the fuel economy of cars and light trucks to 54.5 miles/gallon by 2025, which will reduce oil consumption by 2.2 million barrels a day and save consumers $8,000 a year on gas. Obama has set a goal to cut tuition growth in half over the next decade and plans to increase student aid and work with states and colleges to keep tuition growth down. Education is a top priority for him. Obama is committed to standing up to Republican attempts to cut Social Security and Medicare benefits, and will defend against privatization. Obamacare will save people with Medicare hundreds of dollars on prescription drugs.
 * On the Issues **
 * Jobs & the Economy **
 * Taxes & the Budget **
 * Energy **
 * Education **
 * Seniors **

Barack Obama’s governmental philosophy is something like this: <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">He wants all Americans to have a job, and restore economic security to the middle class. He is driven by basic defining American values, like that the nation is prosperous when everyone does their part, and plays by the same rules. When everyone works together. People need to help each other. Obama is liberal.
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Philosophy **

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Obama is favored by Democrats and liberals, and Republicans and conservatives generally oppose him.
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Base of Support and Source of Opposition **


 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Recent Quotes **

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Protect the middle-class by making everyone, including millionaires, pay their fair share.” - Barack Obama

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“The middle class pays the price for tax cuts for the wealthy.” - Mitt Romney

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“As long as I’m President, we will not walk away from the promise of clean energy." - Barack Obama

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“We all like wind and solar but you can’t drive a car with a windmill on it." - Mitt Romney

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“...a higher education can’t be a luxury—it’s an economic imperative that every American should be able to afford.” - Barack Obama

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Shop around, get a good price… And don’t expect the government to forgive the debt that you take on.” - Mitt Romney

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">1. He is left-handed <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">2. He can bench press an impressive 200 pounds <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">3. He enjoys Scrabble and poker
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Little Known Facts About the President **

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">media type="youtube" key="ekltAFvycSk" height="315" width="560"
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Democratic National Convention Acceptance Speech **

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Obama Vows Aid Quickly as Storm Takes On Political Weight Poll: Obama enjoys 17-point edge on Romney among voters under 30 Why Barack Obama deserves re-election
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Recent Articles **

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The most recent Gallup polls are projecting Obama to win the Electoral vote at 246 to 207. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">More information is available here.
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Gallup Poll Information **

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Many polls, analysts, etc. are saying that the chances of winning for either candidate are fairly even, though Obama seems to have a slight lead overall. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Obama vs Romney in "Swing States" <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Associated Press Analysis
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 24px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Analysis of Obama’s Chance to Win the Election **

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= Mitt Romney by Cameron Ilkenhans = <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">**Photograph of Candidate**: <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">**Current governmental or other position activities:** Governor of Massachusetts <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">**Political Party:** Republican <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">**Home state:** Michigan <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">**Brief Biography:** Born in Detroit, Romney, as a presidential candidate, has two degrees from Harvard. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">**His or her positions on five key issues:** Energy independence, Skills to succeed, Trade that works for America, Cut the deficit, and Champion small businesses <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">**Base of support and source of opposition:** His base of support is people who vote for Romney, people that campaign for Romney, people that donate money to the campaign, people who share the same interests as Romney. His source of opposition is the Democrats and any other party that isn't Republican. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">**Three little known or interesting facts about the candidate**: Romney helped put out a neighbors house fire, Romney helped find a missing girl, Romney also helped the Nixon family recover from two of their son's being involved in a car accident <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">**Links to the candidates Web site, Facebook page and Twitter account:** [] <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">**Available information about current polling with respect to this candidate:** Recent poll predictions, from three days ago, show that Mitt romney would be a bit behind Obama. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">**Analysis by political observers about the candidate’s chance to win the seat in 2012:** Mitt Romney has a 27.1% chance to win, according to: []
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Overall philosophy of government and placement on the political spectrum: **<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Romney wants to help the economy grow and work hard to make sure that America will not go further into debt.
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Recent quotations from the candidate from a speech or interview, and quotations about them from a politician or commentator who disagrees with their take on the issues: " **America is not better off than it was $1.8 trillion dollars ago." America cannot continue to lead the family of nations around the world if we suffer the collapse of the family here at home."
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">A video of the candidate giving a speech or doing an interview :** []
 * <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Links to at least three recent articles about the candidate :** [], [], []