Explore Pros & Cons of Controversial Issues

2012 Presidential Election

Which candidate should be US president in 2012?

2012 Presidential Election

ProCon.org has researched the US presidential candidates and their views on 75 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?"

ARCHIVED WEBSITE: No new data posted since Jan. 22, 2013. The 2012 Election website received 1,786,030 sessions between Oct. 24, 2011, when the site first launched, through Election Day on Nov. 6, 2012. We kept it active until Jan. 22, 2013, the day after Barack Obama was inaugurated for his second term as President of the United States. The site is now archived - meaning we will no longer make any updates to it. The site will remain accessible on the homepage of ProCon.org. Thanks to all our readers, staff, and volunteers who made the project such a success.

2012 Presidential Election Results

2012 Presidential Candidates - Bios and Views

Democrat

Republican

3rd Party / Independent

Barack Obama
WINNER

Joe Biden

Paul Ryan

FORMER
CANDIDATES:
(alpha order)

Bachmann (R)

Cain (R)

Gingrich (R)

Huntsman (R)

Paul (R)

Perry (R)

Roemer (Ind)

Santorum (R)

Pros & Cons by Category

Abortion

1. Legal option

2. Parental consent

Alcohol

3. Lowering legal drinking age

China

4. Threat to US?

Credit Cards

5. Credit cards

Criminal Justice

6. Felon voting

7. Nonviolent drug users

8. Racial profiling

Cuba

9. Embargo against Cuba

Death Penalty

10. Legal option

Economy

11. Bailouts for financial corporations

12. Bailouts for GM and Chrysler

14. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac

15. Federal Deficit

16. Gold standard

17. Labor unions

19. Oil company subsidies

20. Outsourcing jobs

Education

21. Abstinence only

22. Federal aid for higher education

23. No Child Left Behind

24. School vouchers

25. Standardized tests

26. Teacher tenure

Election Reform

27. Citizens United

28. Photo ID for voting

Energy

29. Alternative energy subsidies

30. Keystone XL pipeline

31. New nuclear plants

32. Oil drilling and gas prices

Environment

33. ANWR drilling

34. Global climate change

35. Clean Air Act and CO2 regulation

Euthanasia & Physician-assisted Suicide

36. Legal option

GMO Food

37. Mandatory labeling

Gun Control

38. Concealed handguns

39. Federal regulations

Health Care

40. Federal reforms

41. Health insurance mandate

42. Medicare vouchers

43. Right to health care

Immigration

44. Access to social services

45. E-verify system

46. Federal vs. state/local enforcement

47. Fence/wall along US-Mexico border

48. Military troops on US-Mexico border

49. Net impact on economy

Iran

50. Military force against Iran

Iraq War

51. Is America safer?

Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

53. Palestinian statehood

Marriage

54. Gay marriage

55. Infidelity and politicians

Medical Marijuana

56. Federal raids

57. Legalization

Military

58. Drone Strikes

59. Military budget

60. National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA)

National Service

61. Draft and national service

Occupy Wall Street

62. Occupy Wall Street

Public Broadcasting

63. Govt. funding for PBS & NPR

Religion

64. Teaching creationism in schools

65. Churches and Taxes

Social Security

66. Privatizing

Stem Cells

67. Federal research funding

Syria

68. Military intervention in Syria

Taxes

69. Lower taxes = more jobs?

70. Tax increase

71. Taxing the wealthy

Tea Party

US Constitution

War on Terror

74. Waterboarding

World Trade Center

75. "Ground Zero Mosque"

Donate to ProCon.org

Teacher Survey

Notices for 2012 Election and Other ProCon.org Information (archived after 30 days)

Archived Notices (archived after 30 days)

Last updated on 11/5/2015 1:56:56 PM PST

Which candidate should be US president in 2012?

2012 Presidential Election

ProCon.org has researched the US presidential candidates and their views on 75 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?"

ARCHIVED WEBSITE: No new data posted since Jan. 22, 2013. The 2012 Election website received 1,786,030 sessions between Oct. 24, 2011, when the site first launched, through Election Day on Nov. 6, 2012. We kept it active until Jan. 22, 2013, the day after Barack Obama was inaugurated for his second term as President of the United States. The site is now archived - meaning we will no longer make any updates to it. The site will remain accessible on the homepage of ProCon.org. Thanks to all our readers, staff, and volunteers who made the project such a success.

2012 Presidential Election Results

2012 Presidential Candidates - Bios and Views

Democrat

Republican

3rd Party / Independent

Barack Obama
WINNER

Joe Biden

Paul Ryan

FORMER
CANDIDATES:
(alpha order)

Bachmann (R)

Cain (R)

Gingrich (R)

Huntsman (R)

Paul (R)

Perry (R)

Roemer (Ind)

Santorum (R)

Pros & Cons by Category

Abortion

1. Legal option

2. Parental consent

Alcohol

3. Lowering legal drinking age

China

4. Threat to US?

Credit Cards

5. Credit cards

Criminal Justice

6. Felon voting

7. Nonviolent drug users

8. Racial profiling

Cuba

9. Embargo against Cuba

Death Penalty

10. Legal option

Economy

11. Bailouts for financial corporations

12. Bailouts for GM and Chrysler

14. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac

15. Federal Deficit

16. Gold standard

17. Labor unions

19. Oil company subsidies

20. Outsourcing jobs

Education

21. Abstinence only

22. Federal aid for higher education

23. No Child Left Behind

24. School vouchers

25. Standardized tests

26. Teacher tenure

Election Reform

27. Citizens United

28. Photo ID for voting

Energy

29. Alternative energy subsidies

30. Keystone XL pipeline

31. New nuclear plants

32. Oil drilling and gas prices

Environment

33. ANWR drilling

34. Global climate change

35. Clean Air Act and CO2 regulation

Euthanasia & Physician-assisted Suicide

36. Legal option

GMO Food

37. Mandatory labeling

Gun Control

38. Concealed handguns

39. Federal regulations

Health Care

40. Federal reforms

41. Health insurance mandate

42. Medicare vouchers

43. Right to health care

Immigration

44. Access to social services

45. E-verify system

46. Federal vs. state/local enforcement

47. Fence/wall along US-Mexico border

48. Military troops on US-Mexico border

49. Net impact on economy

Iran

50. Military force against Iran

Iraq War

51. Is America safer?

Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

53. Palestinian statehood

Marriage

54. Gay marriage

55. Infidelity and politicians

Medical Marijuana

56. Federal raids

57. Legalization

Military

58. Drone Strikes

59. Military budget

60. National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA)

National Service

61. Draft and national service

Occupy Wall Street

62. Occupy Wall Street

Public Broadcasting

63. Govt. funding for PBS & NPR

Religion

64. Teaching creationism in schools

65. Churches and Taxes

Social Security

66. Privatizing

Stem Cells

67. Federal research funding

Syria

68. Military intervention in Syria

Taxes

69. Lower taxes = more jobs?

70. Tax increase

71. Taxing the wealthy

Tea Party

US Constitution

War on Terror

74. Waterboarding

World Trade Center

75. "Ground Zero Mosque"

Donate to ProCon.org

Teacher Survey

Notices for 2012 Election and Other ProCon.org Information (archived after 30 days)

Archived Notices (archived after 30 days)

Last updated on 11/5/2015 1:56:56 PM PST

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