By Logan Ratick ‘13
EE Co-Editor-in-Chief
Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney (Republican), and President Barack Obama (Democrat), fought a close battle on the campaign trail. The November election has commenced, and President Obama will continue to lead for four more years.
When students were polled in the Senior Lounge on September 13th, the results came back that 50% of those students would vote for Obama, while 47% said they would vote for Romney. The other 3% said they would not vote for either candidate.
It is important to take note of the events in this particular election because by the time the next presidential election roles around, the vast majority of Trumbull High students will be old enough to vote!
Both candidates had expressed numerous issues they would like to improve upon, and these issues could have a large effect on the way students will live in the future.
With a large minority population in our country, illegal immigration has been a prevalent issue over the past decade. President Obama ordered a directive in June that immigrants brought illegally to the United States as children will be exempt from deportation and granted work permits if they apply.
Mr. Romney was in favor of a U.S.-Mexico border fence and he opposed education benefits to illegal immigrants. He also is in opposition to offering legal status to illegal immigrants who attend college, but would do so for those who serve in the armed forces.
On abortion and birth control, President Obama supports abortion rights. Health care law requires contraceptives to be available for free for women enrolled in workplace health plans.
Governor Romney opposed abortion rights, after previously supporting them. Romney says state law should guide abortion rights, and that Roe v. Wade “should be reversed by a future Supreme Court ruling.” He had also said that he would end federal aid to Planned Parenthood.
In terms of foreign policy, President Obama opposes a near-term military strike on Iran, but holds that option open if it proves the only way to stop Iran from getting nuclear weapons. Governor Romney had spoken in favor of covert action by the U.S. and regional allies in Syria but “the right course is not military” intervention by the U.S. He associated himself more closely with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and pledged more military assistance to Israel, one of our nation’s biggest allies.
In terms of gay rights, Obama supports legal recognition of same-sex marriage, which is a matter decided by states. He opposed that recognition in his 2008 presidential campaign and in his 2004 Senate campaign, while supporting the extension of legal rights and benefits to same-sex couples in civil unions.
He was able to achieve the repeal of the military ban on openly gay members. He did not achieve repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act, which denies federal acknowledgement of same-sex marriages and affirms the right of states to refuse to recognize such marriages.
Mitt Romney opposed legal recognition of same-sex marriage and says it should be banned with a constitutional amendment, not left to states. “Marriage is not an activity that goes on within the walls of a state,” said Romney. He also opposed civil unions.
Even though students are not eligible to vote in this election, they should be able to determine who would serve the country in a way most fitting to themselves.
“I think President Obama is the better of the two candidates,” said Senior Adam Buckman. “I believe that he has put America on the long road to recovery and with more time he can set our country straight.”
Senior Jake Jordan had a different feeling on the election. “Romney was hands down the better candidate. Obama has not come through with what he has said and he has worsened our economy. I believe that Romney at least had a shot at getting us back to a manageable place.”