2012 Presidential Election
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Which candidate should be US president in 2012?
2012 Presidential Election
ProCon.org has researched the US presidential candidates and their views on 55 issues including abortion, bailouts, education, medical marijuana, and taxes. Read our simple, nonpartisan, pro-con presentations and decide for yourself: "Which candidate should be US president in 2012?"

Over the coming months, we plan to add more issues, research projects, and candidates based upon our criteria for inclusion.



Summary Chart
Quiz: Find Your Match
days to Election Day,
Nov. 6, 2012


2012 Presidential Candidates - Bios and Views
Democrat
Republican
3rd Party / Independent

Barack Obama

Barack Obama

Ron Paul

Ron Paul

Mitt Romney

Mitt Romney

Virgil Goode

Virgil Goode

Gary Johnson

Gary Johnson

Buddy Roemer

Buddy Roemer

INACTIVE CANDIDATES:
(alpha order)

Bachmann (R)

Cain (R)

Gingrich (R)

Huntsman (R)

Perry (R)

Santorum (R)

Pros & Cons by Category
Abortion
  1. Legal option
  2. Parental consent

China
  3. Threat to US?

Credit Cards
  4. Credit cards

Criminal Justice
  5. Felon voting
  6. Nonviolent drug users

Cuba
  7. Embargo against Cuba

Death Penalty
  8. Legal option

Economy
  9. Bailouts for financial corporations
  10. Bailouts for GM and Chrysler
  11. Debt limit
  12. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac
  13. Labor unions
  14. NAFTA
  15. Oil company subsidies
  16. Outsourcing jobs

Education
  17. Abstinence only
  18. No Child Left Behind
  19. Standardized tests
  20. Teacher tenure

Energy
  21. Keystone XL pipeline
  22. New nuclear plants
  23. Oil drilling and gas prices

Environment
  24. ANWR drilling
  25. Global climate change
  26. Clean Air Act and CO2 regulation

Gun Control
  27. Concealed handguns
  28. Federal regulations

Health Care
  29. Federal reforms
  30. Right to health care

Immigration
  31. Access to social services
  32. E-verify system
  33. Federal vs. state/local enforcement
  34. Fence/wall along US-Mexico border
  35. Net impact on economy

Iran
  36. Military force against Iran

Iraq War
  37. Is America safer?
  38. US attack

Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
  39. Palestinian statehood

Marriage
  40. Gay marriage
  41. Infidelity and politicians

Medical Marijuana
  42. Federal raids
  43. Legalization

National Service
  44. Draft and national service

Occupy Wall Street
  45. Occupy Wall Street

Religion
  46. Teaching creationism in schools

Social Security
  47. Privatizing

Stem Cells
  48. Fedral research funding

Taxes
  49. Lower taxes = more jobs?
  50. Tax increase
  51. Taxing the wealthy

Tea Party
  52. Tea Party

US Constitution
  53. Alteration

War on Terror
  54. Waterboarding

World Trade Center
  55. "Ground Zero Mosque"

ProCon.org Notices (archived after 30 days)

5/25/2012 - Barack Obama: Document History from Birth to Harvard (1961-1991) - Our new resource shows Obama’s birth certificates, birth announcements, school registration forms, and interviews with his classmates from elementary school in Indonesia through law school at Harvard.

5/24/2012 – NEW ProCon.org Website!Is golf a sport? – Our 43rd website explores the pros and cons in the debate over whether golf is a sport. Proponents argue that golf meets the definition of "sport" found in the dictionary, requires physical exertion and coordination, and is recognized as a sport by sporting goods companies, athletic associations, fans, and the media. Opponents argue that golf better meets the definition of "game" than "sport," does not require rigorous physical activity, and can be played professionally by people who are overweight, injured, or non-athletic.

5/17/2012 - Virgil Goode, the Constitution Party's official nominee for US president and a former congressman from Virginia, now has his biography and pro and con positions on 55 issues available at ProCon.org.

5/17/2012 - Should state and local law enforcement be empowered to enforce federal immigration laws? Obama is Con.  Paul, Romney, Goode, and Johnson are Pro.

5/17/2012 - Should the Clean Air Act be amended to exclude carbon dioxide (CO2) from regulation? Obama is Con. Paul and Romney are Pro. Goode is Not Clearly Pro or Con.

5/17/2012 - Will increased domestic oil drilling lower gas prices? Obama is Con.  Paul and Romney are Pro.  Goode and Roemer are Not Clearly Pro or Con.

5/17/2012 - Should the United States build additional nuclear plants? Obama, Paul, and Romney are Pro.  Goode, Johnson, and Roemer are Not Clearly Pro or Con.

5/17/2012 - Should the US federal government have bailed out General Motors and Chrysler? Obama is Pro. Paul, Romney, Goode, and Johnson are Con.

5/17/2012 - 2012 Presidential Candidate Summary Chart – Read the positions of Virgil Goode (Constitution), Gary Johnson (Libertarian), Barack Obama (Democrat), Ron Paul (Republican), Buddy Roemer (Independent), and Mitt Romney’s (Republican) positions on 55 different issues in our side-by-side candidate summary chart.

5/17/2012 - 2012 Presidential Candidates Quiz - Take our compatibility quiz to find out which candidate best matches your views on important issues. We've updated our survey with new questions on bailouts for GM and Chrysler, new nuclear plants, oil drilling and gas prices, the Clean Air Act and CO2 regulation, and federal vs. state/local enforcement of illegal immigration.

4/25/2012 - Candidate Finances - According to the Federal Election Commission, the three remaining Republican candidates (Gingrich, Paul, and Romney) have raised $148,098,413 cumulatively, while Democratic President Barack Obama has raised $196,610,770. See how much money each candidate, including third party and independent candidates, has raised and spent, where the money came from, and how much money each candidate currently has on hand.

Archived Notices (archived after 30 days)


Last updated on 5/25/2012 12:23:17 PM PST


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