Obama's Reasoning On Why He Should Be Re-Elected

Issue that will make or break his re-election campaign: 
the ECONOMY.

Many people call it the Great Recession. 

Hammered by Republicans who say that he is steering the country in the wrong direction and that his policies haven't worked, Obama made a series of reforms to crack down on Wall Street practices and instituted programs to help small-business owners and consumers. 

His stimulus plan, which temporarily helped boost the economy, has failed to significantly drop the record-high unemployment rate of 9.1%. 

Obama, who came into office facing the fiscal crisis, says economic recovery will need years to fully kick in. That's why, his campaign says, he needs to be re-elected.

Ways of Communication

To reach out to their potential voters, candidates use various ways through the media.

• Radio
• Television
• Speeches
• Bill boards
• Internet
• Newspapers
• Cable news network
• Travel logistics

Candidates who are on a budget can use creativity and a software program to make an advertisement and hope it goes viral.

Candidates can send emails everyday to their supporters and potential supporters.

Candidate websites are also a way for people to find out more about them.

To the younger generation, Facebook or Myspace pages can provide valuable information and links to the candidate's page.

Hooray for the internet ~ !

Abortion and Same-Sex Marriage

Abortion

Obama
- Supports women's reproductive rights and women's right to choose.
- Opposed a Supreme Court Ruling that supported abortion ban and the prohibition of funding to groups that supported abortions.
- Drew criticism by signing an order of banning the use of federal funds to pay for abortions except for the cases of rape, incest, and if the woman's life was in danger.
- Also was criticized by succumbing to the Catholic church and making a compromise that provided contraception to insurance companies rather than birth control.

Romney
- Personally opposed abortion, but as a governor, he would be pro-choice.
- Massachusetts became a "pro-life" state
- Believes abortion should be decided by the states.
- Refused to sign an anti-abortion pledge made by Susan B Anthony organization.
- Does not require churches to give away contraception.

Same Sex Marriage

Obama
-In favor

Romney
- Believes marriage is " between one man and one woman"
- Supports domestic partnership

Foreign Policy

Obama
- Foreign Policy seen as negotiating and working with other nations.
- Finishing 2 wars, taking out US troops from Iraq, and setting a date in 2014 to pull out most of the troops in Afghanistan.
- Osama bin Laden raid has strained US relations with Pakistan.
- Raid broke sovereign borders, and killed Pakistani civilians.
- Liberation movements in Egypt, Syria, and Libya has made the policy work with nations to pressure dictators step down.
- Criticized for not supporting Israel enough in Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Romney
- Criticized Obama for the policies he says are weakening the nation and its international standing as well as the view of the US using good force to spread influence in the world.
- Wants to bring an "American Century" where the US "leads a free world and frees the world from leads."
- Although, some of his views are similar to that of Obama's. Main difference is visibility.
- Advocates sanctions, coalitions-building and other diplomatic moves.
- Works with allies to arm the Syrian rebels but did not want US military involvement.

Education

Obama
- Education reform that builds on the No Child Left Behind Law
- Changing requirements that states feel are too "heavy"
- "Race to the Top" program awarded states more than $4.3 billion by creating plans to improve teacher quality and student results.
- "Race to the Top" program to replace No Child Left Behind.

Romney
- "A Chance for Every Child" emphasizes school choice, accountability, and qualified teachers.
- "A Chance for Every Child" gives low-income parents and special needs students to choose where to go to school.
- Educational equity balanced with government restraint.

Immigration

Obama
- Criticized for not mentioning immigration reform during his first 2 years when Democrats ruled over the house and senate.
- Halted the deportation of immigrants under 30 who either graduated high school or served in the military.
- The halt of the deportation was said to allow to "focus our resources wisely while giving a degree of relief and hope to talented, driven, patriotic young people."

Romney
- Said he would do more than Obama did in his first term.
- Wants to secure borders (ex building a border fence).
- Create a way to citizenship for those who served in the military or for children who came with their parents.

Health Care

Obama:
- Able to pass the Affordable Health Care Act (Obamacare) in 2010.
- Obamacare wants a sweeping set of reforms aimed to help more Americans get health insurance.
- Supreme Court ruled Obama care as constitutional, a tax.

Romney:
-Wants to repeal the Affordable Health Care law.
- As a governor, signed a health care bill into a law that penalized citizens in the state for not having health insurance.
- Plan was limited to the state, meant to provide every citizen with health insurance.