Kelly Trom
ktrom@mustangdaily.net
A comparison showing Barack Obama’s and Mitt Romney’s stances and policies on important issues of the upcoming election.
War
Obama: Obama demonstrated early opposition to the Iraqi war, which helped his campaign four years ago. In 2010, he ended the U.S. combat mission in Iraq. He increased the number of troops in Afghanistan before drawing a plan to have all American troops out by 2014. In regards to Syria, he said, “Syrians are going to have to determine their own future.” Even though Obama is committed to the idea that President Assad should step down, he does not support getting militarily involved.
Romney: Initially supported American involvement in Iraq, but then criticized the mismanagement of Iraq after the U.S. troops were sent. He supports a 2014 end to U.S. troops’ presence in Afghanistan. He supports increasing the armed forces, including the number of troops and warships which would add approximately $100 billion to the 2016 Pentagon budget. Romney stated he wants the United States to take a leadership role in Syria, not necessarily militarily. He criticized Obama for letting the United Nations and Russia take control.
Abortion and Birth Control
Obama: He supports women’s abortion rights. He signed the Affordable Care Act, which mandated that all employer health care plans provide “preventative services for women.” These preventative services were then determined to be birth control pills, prescription contraceptive devices, Plan B, sterilization procedures and all FDA-approved forms of contraception.
Romney: Although he previously supported abortion rights in his campaign for governor of Massachusetts in 2002, Romney switched his position to anti-abortion in 2005. During the Republican primaries he said he would end federal aid to Planned Parenthood.
Economy
Obama: Time in office marked with high unemployment rate, more than 8 percent for three years and seven months of his term. He responded to the recession that started in George W. Bush’s term with an $800 billion stimulus plan. Obama continued Wall Street and auto industry bailouts. Now he is proposing to lower taxes for manufacturing industry that produces within the United States in an effort to stop companies from outsourcing jobs.
Romney: He proposes to keep George W. Bush’s tax cuts for households earning more than $250,000. He also favors reducing regulation and taxes to encourage business. Romney plans to cut government spending by $500 billion per year and to replace jobless benefits with an unemployment savings account.
Education
Obama: He did not support Bush’s No Child Left Behind Act and has approved waivers to free states from some of the requirements of the law if they redesign how they assess teachers. He implemented the Race to the Top initiative which supported performance-based standards, charter schools, privatization of education and computerization. Under his administration, the number of Pell Grants to low-income students has increased, supporting around 10 million students, as opposed to the 6 million when he took office. Obama also nationalized student loans with almost all loans coming directly from the government.
Romney: He supported the accountability standards of the No Child Left Behind Act, but also believes federal government should have less of a role in education than Obama’s Race to the Top initiative. He would look again at the waivers Obama made to No Child Left Behind. Romney pledged to reverse Obama’s government student loan policy and let private lenders back into the process.
Gay Rights
Obama: In 2008, he supported extension of legal rights and benefits to same-sex couples in civil unions. This year, Obama stated his support for same-sex marriage in an interview with ABC’s Robin Roberts. He repealed the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy.
Romney: He is opposed to legal recognition of same-sex marriage and believes the matter should be decided with a constitutional amendment and not by state governments. Romney believes states should decide what rights should be given to those in civil unions. He stated he would not restore the ban on openly gay members of the military.
Terrorism
Obama: He approved the U.S. Navy SEAL raid in Pakistan that killed Osama Bin Laden. He also issued an executive order that the U.S. would no longer use harsh interrogation techniques, only those non-abusive techniques approved in the Army Field Manual. He extended the detention of suspects at Guantanamo Bay, despite promises to close the prison.
Romney: His advisors have urged him to replace Obama’s order with “enhanced interrogation techniques against high-value detainees that are safe, legal and effective.” In a news conference in Charleston, S. C., he said, “we’ll use enhanced interrogation techniques which go beyond those that are in the military handbook right now.”
Immigration
Obama: While the Democrats failed to get the DREAM Act to pass, Obama signed a directive allowing children brought in the country without the legal citizenship process to avoid deportation if they graduate from high school or join the military.
Romney: He supports a high-tech fence between the U.S. and Mexican border and opposes giving education benefits to illegal immigrants. He is in support of offering legal status to immigrants serving in the army. He is also in support of an employer-verification system that will allow employers to be sure the people they hire are eligible to work.
Gun Control
Obama: In the 2008 election, he voiced his support to close loopholes that allow gun purchases without background checks at gun shows. However, this hasn’t happened to date. He also signed laws allowing concealed guns in national parks and in checked bags on Amtrak trains.
Romney: As governor in 2004, he signed an assault weapons ban in Massachusetts. He is now a member of the National Rifle Association. After the shooting in Colorado, Romney stated that he was for stricter enforcement of existing gun laws.