The four remaining GOP candidates have vowed to remain in the race until the end. While some people have the time to watch every debate, AND sort through all the facts, most of us do not. What does each candidate represent? What do they stand for? And why are two of them so much more popular than the other two?
So far, we have seen and heard much of Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney, the two frontrunners in the GOP primaries. But how much have we heard about them? Newt Gingrich, while having the fiery passion and energy of a presidential candidate, has been involved in insider trading scandals and has been known to ‘flip-flop’ often on his opinions, as well as having cheated on two previous wives. Mitt Romney, while having a very presidential demeanor and certainly having the funding to go all the way, has been deeply involved in very delicate and controversial subjects, such as Bain Capital and ‘Romneycare’ (who many claim to be the predecessor to Obamacare). He has also been known to adapt his message on a state-to-state bassis to corral more votes.
Two candidates we HAVEN’T heard much about, or have heard only one side of, are Rick Santorum and Ron Paul. Rick Santorum has been usually consistent in his political views, and has a very solid private life. He is very reputable, though he hasn’t had much time to prove it. He is less experienced than Gingrich or Paul, but so far has proven himself a fairly competent politician. And, as proven in the previous election, inexperience doesn’t necessarily exclude him from candidacy. Unfortunately, for some reason, he has garnered very few votes, often coming in last in primaries.
Ron Paul is history’s example of what happens when the media dislikes your message. What have those who don’t closely follow the elections heard about Ron Paul? They’ve heard accusations of his racism, heard that his ideas are crackpot and out-of-date, and heard that he is completely crazy and unelectable. Ron Paul has been consistent in his political views for over 40 years, never flip-flopping his opinion because of time, location, or for the sake of polls. He, in 1980, predicted that our economy would crash if we continued our current method of spending and advancement of government. Yet he was largely ignored. In 2001, he predicted that war, along with the housing market bubble, would decimate our economy in only a few years. And he was ignored still. His private life is completely free of scandal or controversy, a rare occurence these days in politics.
Now that we have given attention to each candidate personally, these are where they stand on several important issues. Remember- This is a BROAD OVERVIEW. These are not the entirety of each candidates stance on the issues, merely a small bit of insight.
The Economy
Gingrich– has proposed a broad overhaul of federal government by implementing new tax cuts, reforming entitlement programs, eliminating some government agencies, and repealing regulatory legislation that targets the free market. To reduce taxes, Gingrich proposes making permanent the temporary across-the-board tax cuts passed by George W. Bush in 2001 and 2003; reducing the corporate income tax from 35 to 12.5 percent; eliminating the capital gains tax; and implementing an optional, individual flat tax rate of 15 percent.
Romney– recently unveiled a fifty-nine point economic plan that includes cutting corporate tax rates, reducing government spending, eliminating free market regulations, and curbing the power of labor unions. He also outlined ten actions he would take — by submitting five bills to Congress and issuing five executive orders –to foster economic growth and create jobs on his first day in the White House. In total, the five bills would propose reducing the corporate tax rate from 35 to 25 percent; exploring for new energy reserves; consolidating federal retraining programs and putting them under the purview of the states; and cutting non-security discretionary spending by 5 percent.
Santorum– the former senator from Pennsylvania introduced in November 2011 a 31-point jobs plan called “Made in America: Empowering American Families, Building Economic Freedom”. Santorum’s proposals largely focus on simplifying the tax code at the personal and corporate level. He calls for cutting personal income taxes by having only two rates, at 10 percent and 28 percent; eliminating the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) and the death tax; lowering the capital gains and dividend tax rates to 12 percent; and eliminating marriage tax penalties throughout the federal tax code. At the same time, Santorum calls for reducing the corporate income tax rate by half to 17.5 percent, and eliminating the tax on corporate income earned abroad.
Ron Paul– a self-proclaimed libertarian, he has repeatedly called for limited government, low taxes, free markets, and a monetary policy based on a commodity-backed currency. In October 2011, Paul outlined an economic that focuses primarily on cutting the federal budget and reducing the size of the federal government. His strategy includes cutting $1 trillion from the federal budget in his first term, in part by eliminating the Energy, Education, Housing and Urban Development, Commerce, and Interior — a move that he says would cut around $179 billion from the budget. At a January 8 GOP debate , Paul said cuts would also come from “attacking overseas spending.” Paul would also cut funding to remaining federal departments, including the Food and Drug Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Department of Defense. Paul has said his plan would produce a budget surplus by 2015. In terms of taxes, Paul supports an amendment to the constitution that will abolish the income and death taxes; he has said he will “turn off the lights” at the Internal Revenue Service. Paul’s tax proposals also call for cutting the corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 15 percent, while eliminating the estate and capital gains taxes.
Immigration
Gingrich– advocates the tough enforcement of immigration laws on the books, combined with a “humane” stance toward illegal immigrants who have been in the United States for years. In a November 2011 debate , Gingrich came out strongly in support of a path to amnesty for illegal immigrants who have been living in the United States for decades and advocated a “Red Card Solution,” which separates legalization from citizenship . Following the debate, he said he would block federal funds to any city that “declared itself a sanctuary” for illegal immigrants, and he voiced support for a South Carolina immigration law that requires police officers to check the immigration status of those they detain . In a January debate in Florida , Gingrich said that he would make it easier to deport people but he also said legal immigration should be fixed “in terms of visas so people can come and go easily — more easily than doing it illegally.”
Romney– strong proponent of a fence along the entire length of the United States’ border with Mexico. In the 2012 campaign, he has spoken out against allowing illegal immigrants to “cut in line” in the path to legal citizenship, stating in a November 2011 debate that the United States needs to turn off “the magnets of amnesty, in-state tuition for illegal aliens, [and] employers that knowingly hire people that have come here illegally.”At a January debate in Jacksonville, Romney said he is “pro-immigrant” and that he wanted people to come to United States legally. In 2004, as governor of Massachusetts, Romney vetoed a bill that would allow illegal immigrants to pay in-state tuition rates.
Santorum– a staunch advocate of a border fence. “Until we build that border, we should neither have storm troopers come in and throw people out of the country nor should we provide amnesty,” he said in a September 2011 CNN debate . As a Pennsylvania senator, Santorum voted against allowing illegal immigrants to participate in Social Security, giving guest workers a path to citizenship, and granting benefits to illegal immigrants . He also spoke about the need for employer enforcement, including an E-verify system, in a January 2012 debate . “We need to have not only employers sanctioned,” he said, but also people who are working here illegally, need to be deported.
Ron Paul – views immigration issues through the lens of civil liberties, arguing that allowing illegal immigrants to reap the benefits of those who are here legally is “a penalty against the American people.” His website supports border security, arguing for U.S. troops abroad to be stationed at the Mexico border. He stops short of advocating a fence, noting in a September debate that it “may well be used against us [to] keep us in,” as a way to control the population. For similar reasons, he opposes national ID cards. He does not believe in granting amnesty to illegal immigrants already in the United States and is staunchly opposed to extending welfare benefits to those here illegally, because it unduly burdens state and local governments . Paul also does not support the 14th amendment, and he would like to abolish birthright citizenship.
Energy
Gingrich– presents a six-point energy plan, calling for removing “bureaucratic and legal obstacles” to oil and natural gas development; financing clean energy research with oil and gas royalties; removing the ban on shale oil development in the West; and eliminating the EPA. Gingrich calls for replacing the EPA with an “Environmental Solutions Agency” that would use incentives and cooperation “to achieve better environmental outcomes while considering the impact of federal environmental policies on job creation and the cost of energy.” In 2007, Gingrich published the book, A Contract With the Earth , which advocates an entrepreneurial, free-market approach to protecting the environment.
Romney – focuses on significant regulatory reform, increased domestic production, and research and development. Romney proposes a new regulatory framework for the EPA that would “preserve environmental gains without paralyzing industry.” This, his plan says, would include streamlining air rules for coal plants and reforming regulations for the nuclear industry. Romney supports ethanol subsidies, saying in May 2011 in Iowa, “ethanol is an important part of our energy solution for this country.” Romney also has been critical of the Obama administration’s green jobs strategy. He says the traditional energy sector–oil, gas, coal, and nuclear–has “remarkable job-creating potential.”
Santorum– said the country needs “an all-of-the-above that uses oil, natural gas, coal, and nuclear energy to power our economy and empower the American worker.” He advocates ending roadblocks to oil exploration and stopping new natural gas regulations. “We will open up energy in America , whether it’s ANWR, whether it’s coal mining, whether it’s drilling, we will have a free market of energy production,” he said in a speech in November 2011. “And we will lead the world and we will have stable, long-term energy prices.”
Ron Paul– his energy policy will be focused on “free market” energy solutions . He says federal “regulations, corporate subsidies, and excessive taxation have distorted the market and resulted in government bureaucrats picking winners and losers,” and have increased energy prices. He would repeal laws and regulations that impede energy production and would lower taxes on energy production. Paul has said that reducing U.S. dependence on foreign oil will simplify U.S. foreign policy and improve the “anemic economy at home.” He opposes energy subsidies, which he views as a government handout, but he supports tax credits. Paul opposes ethanol mandates, which he says often turn out to be “corporate welfare for big agriculture.”
Gay Rights
Gingrich– opposes domestic partnership benefits for same-sex couples. He wants a constitutional amendment to protect the traditional family, but believes same-sex couples should have some sort of legal right to leave their estates to their loved one or visit them in the hospital. He believes homosexuality is a sin, and they should not be able to adopt children, but should be allowed to teach.
Romney– against the idea of letting gay/lesbians serve actively in the US military, and doesn’t supporting overturning Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. He has openly opposed same-sex marriage, stating that it’s the family that forms the foundation of America, and it needs to be protected rather than redefined. He proposes a Constitutional Amendment to prohibit same-sex marriage. He expresses opposition for civil unions as well, wanting marriage to be limited to a man and a woman. He opposed the Supreme Court on the matter, stating same-sex marriage would “destroy the culture of America”, as well as “irreparably damage the education system”. He understands, but disagrees with, same-sex couples wanting to adopt.
Santorum– on gay marriage, he suggests it is so important for children to have both a father and mother that an imprisoned father was preferable to a same-sex parent. He opposes absolutely any bills giving same-sex couples rights or benefits of any kind.
Paul– Ron Paul believes that, while he personally is against same-sex marriage, it should not be his decision, but the states. He believes that same-sex marriage should be decided at a state level, and there should be NO federal law hindering that. He also believes that gay couples should have every singly right given to straight couples. That includes adoption, military service, and job availability. His reasoning is simple; historically, the federal government has stayed out of marriage. And, according to the Constitution, every person, no matter sexual preference or other difference, is to be given the same liberties and rights.
These are, of course, just a few of the issues of debate in the upcoming election. The real question we must ask ourselves is: Why are two candidates being ignored, while the two less morally and politically dependable candidates are soaring? The answer is simple. Newt Gingrich is a name that has been at the forefront many times before. He was a former Speaker of the House, and a politician for many years. This gives him recognizability. People, statistically, would often rather vote for someone the have heard of the someone they haven’t. He also has a fiery passion that connects with some voters. Mitt Romney has a very presidential air about him. Believe it or not, it has been found that how a candidate looks and acts has a lot more to do with how many votes he gets than his political views. Additionally, people tend to have an easier time believing lies if they’re served “with a smile and confidence”.
Rick Santorum is overlooked largely because he is relatively young and people have never heard of him. He has no recognizability, opposite of Gingrich. While his odds of soaring are very low in this election, Rick Santorum has a great chance of becoming president in the years to come, as he slowly gains more prestige and recognition.
That leaves Ron Paul. Why isn’t Ron Paul, the most honest man in Washington, doing well in the polls? Several reasons contribute to his low poll numbers. One- he is a libertarian. Many people wrongly associate libertarianism with liberalism. Two- the media has purposefully attempted to ignore him or disrepect him whenever possible, even excluding him from one debate. Three- While he has almost as many supporters as Romney or Gingrich in total, many of his votes come from Democrats (not allowed to vote in Republican primaries/caucuses) or independents (depending on the state, cannot vote in primaries). Four- When the media does recognize his presence, it is always to denounce or degrade him. He has been accused of racism, been called crazy and insane, and been laughed off even when he performs well. As we saw with the smear campaign on Sarah Palin in 2008 (whether you liked her or not, she was viciously attacked by the media, and it worked wonders to decimate McCain’s electability), the media controls how an election goes, and they are largely determined to disallow Ron Paul to become victorious.
The political viewpoints (I omitted which candidates flip-flopped or how often) of each candidate in the GOP race have all been shown, as well as why Santorum and Paul are having trouble garnering support despite being very respectable candidates. From here, the option is yours to further inquire about the candidates political opinions, and whom to vote for this election.
Sources:
http://ontheissues.org/Ron_Paul.htm
http://www.ronpaul2012.com/the-issues/
http://mittromney.com/
http://www.newt.org/
http://www.ricksantorum.com/issues