The 2012 presidential election is coming up. To see which candidate the student body would elect, The Kirkwood Call is holding a school-wide election. Once you’re done voting, give your ballot back to your homeroom teacher to be tallied. If you want to know more about any of the candidates, just read below; The Kirkwood Call has written about each.
Candidate: Barack Obama
Vice President: Joe Biden
Party: Democratic
About Obama: Obama, current US president, has made headlines for his healthcare plan. This plan makes it possible for people to have healthcare at lower than normal costs, and although some questioned if the law is constitutional, it was upheld in the “National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius” Supreme Court case. He was an Illinois senator from 2005 to 2008.
Democratic party platform:
1. Obama wants to bring jobs back to the United States by eliminating tax breaks for companies that employ overseas. He wants to create incentives for companies to create jobs for Americans. One of his main goals is to maintain America’s status as a dominant global power.
2. Obama wants to partner with the states to raise standards in the classroom through his Race to the Top initiative, which rewards schools for innovation and growth.
3. He also seeks to increase oil production at home to lower America’s need for foreign oil.
4. Obama has publicly announced his support for same sex couples’ right to get married. He believes a woman’s health care decisions are between her and her doctor, making him pro-choice.
Obama will be on Missouri’s ballot.
Information courtesy of http://www.barackobama.com/
Candidate: Jill Stein
Vice President: Cheri Honkala
Party: Green Party
About Stein: Stein is a physician and teacher of internal medicine. She is an environmental health advocate and has testified before numerous legislative panels and local and state government bodies about environmental causes. She represented the Green Party in 2004 when she ran for state representative and in 2006 when she ran for Massachusetts secretary of state.
Green party platform: The central platform of the Green Party for this presidential election is called the ‘New Green Deal.’ It has four main parts:
1. ‘The Economic Bill of Rights’ plans to create 25 million jobs, immediately halt all foreclosures and evictions and provide support for those families and give students the right to tuition-free public education from preschool to college.
2. ‘A Green Transition’ plans to invest in green (environmentally healthy) businesses and keep wealth created by local labor circulating in the community. It also promises to prioritize green research and provide green jobs.
3. ‘Real Financial Reform’ plans to break up oversized banks and nationalize the private bank-dominated Federal Reserve Banks.
4. ‘A Functioning Democracy’ plans to repeal the Patriot Act, end the war on immigrants, reduce military spending by 50 percent, close U.S. military bases around the world and create a new round of nuclear disarmament initiatives.
Stein and Honkala also plan to legalize medical marijuana and same sex marriage nationwide if elected.
Stein and Honkala are officially on the ballot in 37 states, but they will not appear on the ballot in Missouri. To vote for them, all voters must write their names on the ballot instead.
Information courtesy of http://www.jillstein.org/
Candidate: Virgil Goode
Vice President: Jim Clymer
Party: Constitution
About Goode: Goode believes in limiting US interaction with foreign powers. He opposed the United Nations having control over the United States’ armed forces and believes foreign aid often does more harm than good. Goode supports the idea of abolishing the Department of Education, saying that education should be left to the states or parents. He has a 17 percent rating by the National Education Association, indicating he is anti-public education. This means he voted 83 percent of the time in favor of legislation that would hurt the public school system.
Constitutional party platform:
1. Goode believes in emphasis on the Constitution which will create a smaller and cheaper government. Goode wants to secure US borders and stop all immigration into the country. He also does not want to grant amnesty to illegal immigrants. He believes U.S. sovereignty is the number one priority. He believes we should not be united with Canada or Mexico.
2. Goode believes in repealing trigger lock laws, repealing the ban on semi-automatic firearms and taking away penalties for owning a firearm without registering it.
3. Goode opposes gay marriage. Goode also wants to end Obamacare. Goode is pro-life and would end any funding for places that offer abortion if he were to be elected in the upcoming election.
Goode will be on the ballot in Missouri.
Information is courtesy of http://www.goodeforpresident2012.com/
Candidate: Gary Johnson
Vice President: Jim Gray
Party: Libertarian
About Johnson: Johnson served as New Mexico governor from 1995-2003. He is well-known for his record of 750 vetoes in his time as governor. He believes decisions should be made based on cost-benefit analysis that affect the country’s economy.
Libertarian party platform: This platform includes about eight components:
1.Individuals should be free to make choices for themselves and accept responsibility for the consequences of the choices they make. They strive to protect the rights of every individual by opposing government censorship and supporting protection from unreasonable searches.
2.Libertarians believe the only role of government in the economy is to protect property rights and trade. They support sensible use of the country’s natural resources. Libertarians oppose all government pricing on energy or production. They want to repeal the income tax and favor free-market banking.
3.They believe education is a parental responsibility and government should not interfere with financial aid.
4.Libertarians believe the government should recognize the level of health care that individuals want and meet those needs.
5.Libertarians do believe that retirement planning is the individual’s responsibility and the government should no longer sponsor Social Security.
6. They support a defense for national and domestic security.
7.They believe parents and guardians have the right to raise their children based upon individual beliefs.
8.The party thinks that whenever any form of government intrudes upon individual liberty, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it.
Johnson will be on Missouri’s ballot.
Information courtesy of http://www.garyjohnson2012.com/front
Candidate: Mitt Romney
Vice President: Paul Ryan
Party: Republican
About Romney: Romney is a former businessman and past Massachusetts governor. As governor, he decreased the unemployment rate of Massachusetts from 5.6 percent to 4.7 percent.
Republican party platform: The Republican platform uses the slogan “Believe in America.” It addresses seven main issues, five of which are addressed here.
1.Republicans believe the current policies have made Americans dependent on the government. They reject the use of taxes to redistribute incomes or fund unnecessary programs. Romney’s plan includes lowering tax rates to boost entrepreneurship, job creation and investment.
2.The Republican Party does not support same-sex marriage. They also strongly believe in the sanctity of human life from conception. Republicans believe every policy needs to respect Americans and their religious freedom.
3.Republicans support the traditional conservation of our country’s natural resources because they recognize the farmers and producers that supply America with its basic needs. Their goal is to promote development of all forms of energy and ensure America remains competitive in the global marketplace.
4.The Republican Party states their goal is to achieve less spending in Washington and protect the constitutional rights of citizens.
5.The Republican Party also support the service of men and women in our armed forces with a mission of finding peace through strength based on freedom and the will to defend it.
Romney will be on the ballot in Missouri.
Information courtesy of http://www.mittromney.com/
