Herman Cain

Platform:  Cain proposes a 9-9-9 plan: nine percent personal income tax, nine percent sales tax, and nine percent corporate income tax.   He believes that the government doesn’t create jobs: businesses do.

Comments:

Leah Siegel (’14): “The thought of, you know, electing someone who is so pro-business scares me.”

Rick Perry

Platform:  Perry points to his work as governor of Texas as evidence that he can balance a budget.   He believes in reducing the influence of federal government and has promised Americans that, if elected, he will “make Washington inconsequential in your lives.”

Comments:

Lindsay Fairchild (’13): “I agree with many of his fiscal policies and how he’s been able to keep the Texas budget generally pretty balanced and, kind of along those lines, promoting business both big and small within the state. However, I disagree with him on many of his social issues, especially abortion and gay marriage.”

Mitt Romney:

Platform:  Although he introduced a health care plan as governor of Massachusetts that inspired Obama’s plan, Romney claims that his plan was intended for the state level and not a national model.   He wants to cap government spending as a percentage of GDP.

Comments:

Joe Sims (’14): “I don’t mind his Mormon religion and I think way too much is being made of it.”

Newt Gingrich:

Platform:  Gingrich believes the Federal Reserve should be audited.   He would like to shrink the federal Department of Education and is against the super-committee that has been formed to cut the deficit.   He is against cutting defense spending and would repeal Obama’s health care plan.

Comments:

Shane Young (’13): “I  think  Gingrich  embodies  much  of  what  is  wrong  with  Neo-Con  philosophy.  They  claim  to  want  to  promote  democracy  around  the  world  at  any  cost,  but  in  doing  so  they  trample  over the  rights  of  many  of  the  individuals  they  claim  they  are  protecting.”

Michele Bachmann:

Platform:  Michele Bachmann proposed the Lightbulb Freedom of Choice Act.   She is against cap and trade, promises to only serve one term as President, and believes separation of church and state in the Constitution has been misinterpreted.   She claims the HPV vaccinations have dangerous side effects.

Comments:

Mehera Nori (’12): “I definitely want to send Michele an atlas.   I wonder if she’d accept it.   I mean, maybe I should send her five: she doesn’t know where Libya is. It’s in Africa!”

Barack Obama:

Platform:  Obama signed the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” passed the Affordable Health Care Act, and proposed the American Jobs Act.   Under his administration, Gaddafi was overthrown in Libya and Osama Bin Laden was killed; more than 100,000 troops from Iraq have come home and the rest will follow by the end of this year.   He has struggled with Americans’ frustration with his handling of the financial crisis.

Comments:

Lauren Maher (’14): “We need to keep trying people and trying people.   You had a chance; you haven’t done as much as you said; let’s try someone else.   If they don’t do it, they don’t need a second term either.”