In their own words
an issues-based voter guide to the 2012
presidential candidates
barack obama
Mitt Romney
abortion
“I’m firmly pro-life. I will support justices who believe
in following the Constitution and not legislating
from the bench. And I believe in the sanctity of life
from the very beginning until the very end.”1
“I’d like to see Roe v. Wade overturned.”2
“Today marks the 38th anniversary of Roe v. Wade....
I am committed to protecting this constitutional
right. I also remain committed to policies, initiatives,
and programs that help prevent unintended
pregnancies.”3
marriage
“Same-sex couples should be able to get married.”5
“I oppose same-sex marriage.”4
Conscience protection
“I will guarantee America’s first liberty: the freedom
of religion.” 6 “This [healthcare regulation in
Obamacare] is a violation of conscience. We must
have a president who is willing to protect America’s
first right: our right to worship God according to
the dictates of our own conscience.”7
“The Administration strongly objects to sections 536
and 537 [protecting the religious conscience rights
of military chaplains so that they cannot be forced
to perform same-sex marriages in the military]
because those provisions adopt unnecessary and
ill-advised policies that would inhibit the ability
of same-sex couples to marry.”8 (The Obama
Administration also reaffirms that healthcare
insurers must conform to the coverage required
in the federal health care law, even if they hold
religious beliefs to the contrary.)9
Health Care/obamacare
“We must rein in the skyrocketing cost of healthcare
by repealing and replacing Obamacare”10 and
“assure that the marketplace allows for individuals
to have policies that cover their family up to whatever
age they might like. I also want individuals to be
able to buy insurance, health insurance, on their
own as opposed to only being able to get it on a
tax advantage basis through their company.”11
“We couldn’t keep traveling down the same road.
For the sake of our families, our businesses and
the fiscal future of this country, we had to change
course. And that’s why, in this very room, I signed
the Affordable Care Act into law.”12
1 http://www.lifenews.com/2011/06/14/republican-candidates-proudly-wear-pro-life-label-at-debate
2 http://www.prochoiceamerica.org/assets/download-files/gov-romney-r-ma-profile.pdf
3 http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/01/22/statement-president-roe-v-wade-anniversary
4 http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1106/07/pmt.01.html
5 http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2012/05/10/obama-supports-same-sex-marriage
6 http://www.npr.org/2012/08/30/160357612/transcript-mitt-romneys-acceptance-speech
7 http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/election-2012/post/romney-wading-into-religious-issues/2012/02/06/gIQAVqLRvQ_blog.html
8 http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/omb/legislative/sap/112/saphr4310r_20120515.pdf
9 http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/21/health/policy/administration-rules-insurers-must-cover-contraceptives.html?pagewanted=all
10 http://www.npr.org/2012/08/30/160357612/transcript-mitt-romneys-acceptance-speech
11 http://www.nbcuni.com/corporate/newsroom/meet-the-press-clips-transcript-sunday-september-9/
12 http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/remarks-president-affordable-care-act-and-new-patients-bill-rights
© 2012 wallbuilders. download at www.wallbuilders.com/2012voterguide (attributions: Romney photo by gage skidmore, Obama photo by change.gov)
barack obama
Mitt Romney
Education/school choice
“When it comes to the school your child will attend,
every parent should have a choice, and every child
should have a chance.”13
“The ideal of a public education has always been
at the heart of the American promise. It’s why we
are committed to fixing and improving our public
schools rather than abandoning them and passing
out vouchers.”14
Second amendment
“My view is that we have the second amendment
right to bear arms....I do not believe in new laws
restricting gun ownership and gun use.”15
“I believe that the Constitution confers an individual
right to bear arms. But just because you have an
individual right does not mean that the state or local
government can’t constrain the exercise of that right.”16
Energy/Keystone
“North America will be energy independent by
taking full advantage of our oil and coal and gas
and nuclear and renewables.”17 The Keystone
Pipeline will happen “if I have to build it myself.”18
“[The] Secretary of State recommended that the
application be denied [for the Keystone Pipeline].
...And I agree.”19 “[Drilling is] not a strategy to
solve our energy crisis. We can’t just drill our way
to lower gas prices.”20
economy/Taxes
“I will not raise taxes on the middle class....We
will cut the deficit and put America on track to a
balanced budget....That means reducing taxes on
business, not raising them. It means simplifying
and modernizing the regulations that hurt small
business the most.”21 “I do want to bring taxes
down for middle income people. In particular, I
want middle income Americans not to have to pay
taxes on interest and dividends and capital gains.”22
“Now, I’ve cut taxes for those who need it, middleclass families, small businesses.”23 (But statistics
from President Obama’s U. S. Treasury Department
show just the opposite).24
Israel and a Palestinian state
“We stand with the Israeli people. We link arms with
them. If we disagree with them, like this president
has time and time again, we don’t do it in public
like he’s done it, we do it in private. And we let
the Israeli leadership describe what they believe
the right course is going forward.”25 “I look at the
Palestinians not wanting to see peace anyway, for
political purposes, committed to the destruction
and elimination of Israel.”26
“The United States believes that negotiations should
result in two states, with permanent Palestinian
borders with Israel, Jordan, and Egypt, and
permanent Israeli borders with Palestine. The
borders of Israel and Palestine should be based
on the 1967 lines.”27
13 http://www.npr.org/2012/08/30/160357612/transcript-mitt-romneys-acceptance-speech
14 http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,516295,00.html#ixzz26yh6qbFK
15 http://www.cfr.org/us-election-2012/republican-debate-transcript-south-carolina-january-2012/p27077
16 http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/16/us/politics/16text-debate.html?pagewanted=print
17 http://www.npr.org/2012/08/30/160357612/transcript-mitt-romneys-acceptance-speech
18 http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7411632n
19 http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/01/18/statement-president-keystone-xl-pipeline
20 http://www.whitehouse.gov/photos-and-video/video/2012/02/23/president-obama-university-miami#transcript
21 http://www.npr.org/2012/08/30/160357612/transcript-mitt-romneys-acceptance-speech
22 http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/48959273/ns/meet_the_press-transcripts/#.UFs1-oY2gpA
23 http://www.npr.org/2012/09/06/160713941/transcript-president-obamas-convention-speech
24 http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2012/07/obama-s-taxmageddon-tax-increase-would-hurt-job-creation
25 http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/full-transcript-abc-news-iowa-republican-debate/story?id=15134849#.UFeB-IY2gpA
26 http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2012/09/romney-no-way-there-will-be-israeli-palestinian-peace-2/
27 http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/obama-speech-backlash-call-reinstate-1967-mideast-borders/story?id=13639200#.UFsSy4Y2gpA