Certain to be Obama’s challenger next year.
Written By: Eric Smith, Staff Writer
Next year’s election will send sparks across the country. With the current Republican field contending for President Obama’s job, no contender is going as hard as Mitt Romney.
Next year, voters will decide if Obama deserves a second term or not. With a disappointing economy hovering over Obama, Romney seems to have the upper hand with his private sector experience.
Romney advocates for lower corporate taxes and lower taxes for all Americans. He wants the current tax rate for all income brackets permanent. For those making $250,000 or less, he wants to eliminate the interests, dividends, and capital gains taxes in order to put more money in everyone’s pockets. He opposes the death tax, because it does not make sense to be taxed when deceased.
Sophomore David Thomas likes Mitt Romney as a person and his vision for America. “He is the candidate I would vote for,” says Thomas. He thought that Romney as a vice presidential pick would have helped John McCain in 2008. “Sarah Palin made a mockery by attracting attention.” Thomas’ main concerns are small business and taxes. He hopes Romney has a plan to reduce the mountainous debt and the high unemployment rate because both have increased since President Bush left office in 2009.
On his first day of office, Romney will repeal and replace “Obamacare” because he believes it limits choice for health insurance options. He supports universal health care and wants to grant state rights on running their healthcare marketplaces (also known as “exchanges”).
Romney supports competition among states in order to lower costs. He will allow consumers to buy insurance across state lines. He is often criticized by the more conservative candidates on this issue because he signed a law similar to Obama’s as Governor of Massachusetts dubbed “Romneycare.”
As part of reducing federal spending, Romney supports overhauling Medicare by allowing beneficiaries to enroll in private plans. With power given to the states, he supports designating funds from Medicaid to lower income Americans and the uninsured.
Romney supports a country with a strong military. He intends on making the U.S. an even stronger military power in the world by pouring even more resources into the Defense Department.
With the perception of Iran becoming more of a nuclear threat, he has left the military option open in order to secure the U.S. and its allies, leading to diplomacy. His final centerpiece of foreign policy is defeating the extremists who plot new attacks on the U.S. in Pakistan and Bali. Romney supports military pressure and action when needed.
On Sept. 17, frustrated Americans established the “Occupy Wall Street” movement. Mitt Romney thinks the demonstrations are “dangerous class warfare.” He voiced his disapproval of “Occupy Wall Street”. Contrary to this statement about class warfare, in a town hall meeting, he thought the movement was appropriate because of the wealth inequality that has been in the country for decades.
Thomas has three of the Republican candidates in mind as a possible winner of next year’s nomination.
“I feel that it will be a toss-up between Herman Cain, Rick Perry, and Mitt Romney,” said Thomas. He prefers Mitt Romney as the nominee. In the general election, Thomas does not mind voting for any of the three candidates, no matter who is nominated.
Mitt Romney’s religion has also come under fire. His Mormon faith has placed question on his faith.
Senior Justin Ferrell does not consider a candidate’s religion when voting. “Whoever does a great job running the country, I do not care what their religion is,” said Ferrell. “Mormons are Christians also known as the Latter Day Saints. Mitt Romney only focuses on being a being a commander in chief.”
