The INFORMED VOTER

1. The INFORMED VOTER Presented by LCCC’s chapter of PHI THETA KAPPA

2. Political PartyTENETS

3. Democratic Party Background • Thomas Jefferson founded Democratic-Republican Party in 1793 • Andrew Jackson split his own coalition from the main party in a bid for the White House and the current party Americans know as Democratic evolved.

4. Tenants • Beliefs are outlined and protected by the Constitution. • Democrats are those Americans who believe in government by the people. • Democrats believe in rights of life, liberty, dignity, security, equal opportunity, justice, privacy, and private property. All of these should be accomplishable without impediments by other citizens or government institutions. • I.E. Democrats cherish individual freedom. • Along with individual freedom, an individual also must act responsibly for the nation and the whole of society.

5. Tenants • Societies must have laws that the majority of the people support and accept. • Dissenting minorities are protected and have the right to have an opinion different than the majority. • The people rule and thus, the people rule elect government. • Government should respect and protect individual rights as well as individual freedoms. • Civil liberties must be guaranteed for ALL citizens by the government. • Government must work for the common good.

6. Republican Party Background • Early 1850’s- these anti-slavery activists found commonality with rugged individuals looking to settle in western lands, free of government charges. • 1856- Republicans became a national party by nominating John C. Fremont for President. • 1860- elected Abraham Lincoln, the Republicans firmly established themselves as a major political party.

7. Tenets • Limited Government always subservient to electorate. • Believe in Civil Rights and are against the threat of majority rule. • Believe in Justice as Jus FidusLibertatum(Law Is a Safeguard of Freedom) • Religious freedom. • Political Integrity or the right to criticize, or protest freely and independently.

8. Moral obligation to a standard code of conduct. • Responsibility of public officials to act as responsible overseers to our economic actions. • Competence as leaders in order to avoid the “easy way out” options and do what is best. • Be stewards of the environment and take a responsible route in dealing with the choices that may impact our planet’s ecology. • “We are Republicans because we believe in Balance between guns and butter…”

9. Largest 3rd Parties These parties arise in response to a social dilemma, or as a product of a schism of a major party, for variant ideological beliefs. Libertarian Party: • Founded in 1971, the Libertarian party is the third largest political party in America. • Believe the federal government should play a minimal role in the day-to-day affairs of the people. • Believe that the only appropriate role of government is to protect the citizens from acts of physical force or fraud. • Limit itself to a police, court, prison system and military. • Support free market economy and are dedicated to protection of civil liberties and individual freedom

10. Constitution Party: • 1992 & 1999- American Taxpayer Party Howard Phillips was presidential candidate. • National convention in 1999- party officially changed its name to the "Constitution Party" and again chose Howard Phillips as presidential candidate for 2000. • Strict interpretation of Constitution. Reform Party: • Birthed by Ross Perot and his presidential campaign. • As its name implies, Reform Party members are dedicated to reforming the American political system. • Support candidates they feel will "re-establish trust" in government by displaying high ethical standards coupled with fiscal responsibility and accountability.

11. Green Party • Started extremely small in January, 1984. Branched off from first meeting and eventually gained a sizable following. • The American Green Party's platform is based on the following 10 Key Values: • Ecological wisdom • Community-based economics • Grassroots democracy • Decentralization • Gender equality • Personal and social responsibility • Respect for diversity • Nonviolence • Global responsibility • Future focus

12. Barack Obamavs.Mitt Romney 5 key issues Economy Education Environment Foreign Policy Health Care

13. Issue: ECONOMY

14. Obama’s Plan • Tax policy • Individual taxes • Make Bush-era tax rates permanent for everyone except those making more than $200,000 ($250,000 if married). • For families earning more than that, he would raise the top two tax brackets to 36 percent and 39.6 percent. • Corporate Taxes • Tax credit for companies that bring jobs back to the United States • The president would lower the top corporate rate to 28 percent from 35 percent

15. Obama’s Plan • Regulatory Policy • Remove unnecessary regulatory and reporting saving an anticipated $4 billion over the next five years. • Simplify and to improve hazard warnings for workers saving employers over $2.5 billion over the next five years • Eliminate regulation of the railroad industry, saving up to $340 million in the near future • The Internal Revenue Service will eliminate 55 million hours in annual paperwork by consolidating reporting requirements and streamlining various tax forms

16. Obama’s Plan • Cutting Waste • Eliminating Duplication, Cutting Waste, and Saving Money • Cracking Down on Waste, Fraud, and Abuse • Leveraging Technology to Save Money and Deliver Results • Making Government More Open and Responsive

17. Romney’s Plan • Tax Policy • Individual Taxes • Maintain marginal rates at current levels • Further reduce taxes on savings and investment • Eliminate the death tax • Long-term goal: pursue a flatter, fairer, simpler structure • Corporate Taxes • Lower the corporate income tax rate to 25 percent • Transition to a “territorial” tax system

18. Romney’s Plan • Regulatory Policy • Repeal and replace Obamacare and Dodd-Frank . • Review and eliminate Obama-era regulations • Cap new regulatory costs at zero dollars • Require Congress to approve all major regulations • Reform legal liability system

19. Romney’s Plan • Fiscal Policy • Cut federal spending and cap it at 20 percent of GDP • Reduce the Federal Workforce • Work to cut the current size of the federal workforce by 10 percent, saving money • Undertake Fundamental Restructuring • Pursue a Balanced Budget Amendment

20. Romney’s Plan • Fiscal Policy • Enact Entitlement Reform • Social Security • Raise the eligibility age • Change the way benefits are indexed to inflation for high-income retirees • Will not raise the payroll tax • Will not expand the base of income to which the tax is applied • Medicare • Keep the system solvent • Introduce market-based dynamics • Medicaid • Romney will push for the conversion of Medicaid to a block grant administered by the states • Saves the federal government over $200 billion over 10 years • Provides states with the flexibility to develop innovative and effective approaches best suited to their needs

21. Issue: Education

22. Obama’s Plan Rewarding responsible students • Prevent federal student loan interest rates from doubling for more than 7 million students • Cap federal student loan repayments at 10% of income. • Establish the American Opportunity Tax Credit • Double funding for Pell Grants so more Americans can afford college

23. Keeping good teachers in the classroom • Support the jobs of thousands of educators and call for incentives to keep the best ones in the classroom Using local solutions to improve schools • Set a goal to cut tuition growth in half over the next decade, working with states and colleges • Give states the flexibility to create their own ambitious plans for reform

24. Providing pathways to good jobs • Invest 2 billion dollars in community colleges to provide education and career-training programs • Propose forging new partnerships between community colleges and employers Partnering with states to raise standards • Implement the Race to the Top initiative Ensuring a good future for our veterans • Veterans and service members can get a college education and find work when they return from service • Expand the post-9/11 G.I. Bill

25. Romney’s Plan Promoting Choice and Innovation • Allow low income and special needs students to choose which school to attend by making Title I and IDEA funds portable. • Provide incentives for states to increase choices for parents and develop quality alternatives. • Build on the success of effective Charter and Digital schools. • Expand the DC Opportunity Scholarship Program to serve as a model for the nation.

26. Ensuring High Standards Responsibility for Results • Reform No Child Left Behind by emphasizing transparency and responsibility for results. Recruiting and Rewarding Great Teachers • Attract and reward great teachers through increased flexibility and block grants. • Eliminate unnecessary certification requirements that discourage new teachers. Higher Ed: A New Vision of Affordable and Applicable Learning • Strengthen and simplify the Financial Aid system. • Welcome private sector participation instead of pushing it away. • Replace burdensome regulation with innovation and competition.

27. Issue: ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT

28. Obama’s Plan • Use all our resources including: oil, gas, wind, solar, nuclear, bio-fuels, and more. • Investments made thus far doubled wind and solar energy in this country and created more jobs. • Continue the development of technologies that allow us to have to put less oil and gas into our cars, buildings, plants, etc. • Launch a program that brought together the nation’s best scientists and engineers and entrepreneurs to figure out how to power car’s by natural gas, which we do not have to import and may be exporting soon.

29. Investments made in development of gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel made from the plant substance algae. • End taxpayer giveaways to an industry and use that money to reduce our deficit and double-down on a clean energy industry. • Replace up to 17 percent of the oil we import for transportation with this fuel that we can grow right here in the United States, which would give us greater energy security, meaning lower costs, more jobs, and a stronger economy.

30. Romney’s Plan • Empower states to control onshore energy development which will give power to states to control all energy forms excluding “off-limit” lands. • Open offshore areas for energy development; including the coasts of Virginia and the Carolinas. • Pursue a North American Energy Partnership by crossing borders and establishing pipelines and other infrastructures with Mexico and Canada.

31. Ensure accurate assessment of energy resources and seeing true extent of resources. • Restore transparency and fairness to permitting and regulation, by pursuing measured reforms of our environmental laws and regulations. • Facilitate private-sector-led development of new energy technologies, through jobs in research and development. • Eliminate barriers preventing new energy technologies from succeeding

32. Issue: FOREIGN POLICY

33. Obama’s Plan • SYRIA: • Call for Assad to step down • Provide non-lethal aid to rebels • Support other countries providing arms • IRAN: • Tighten sanctions • Pursue negotiations • Prevent from nuclear armament

34. Obama’s Plan • AFGHANISTAN: • Hand over responsibility in 2014 • Allow small number of troops • CHINA: • Filed complaints w/WTO • Increase military presence in Asia

35. Romney’s Plan • SYRIA: • Call for more support for rebels • Support rebels who share US values • Provide arms to rebels • IRAN: • Tighten sanctions • Skeptical on negotiations • Prevent from nuclear armament

36. Romney’s Plan • AFGHANISTAN: • Hand over responsibility in 2014 • Heed US commanders’ advice • CHINA: • Labeled China “currency manipulator” • Increase military presence in Asia

37. Issue: HEALTH CARE

38. Obama’s Plan • Expand access to free preventive services like flu shots, diabetes screenings, and mammograms • Provide rebates for consumers who were over-charged by their insurance companies • Put an end to lifetime caps on coverage, so that families have the security of knowing that their insurance will cover them when they need it most • Make Medicare more efficient, adding eight years to the life of the current Medicare Trust Fund • People with Medicare who fell into the “donut hole” have saved an average of $600 this year on prescription drugs

39. Believes a woman’s health care choices are personal decisions, best made with her doctor—without interference from politicians • Fight back against Republican attempts to defund Planned Parenthood • End the health insurance practice of charging women more than men for the same coverage • Make sure health insurance companies cover recommended preventive care like birth control, mammograms, and other cancer screenings • Improve Medicare—helping seniors save on prescription drugs and get access to free preventive care like annual wellness visits and cancer screenings

40. Romney’s Plan Restore State Leadership and Flexibility • Block grant Medicaid and other payments to states • Limit federal standards and requirements on both private insurance and Medicaid coverage • Ensure flexibility to help the uninsured, including public-private partnerships, exchanges, and subsidies • Ensure flexibility to help the chronically ill, including high-risk pools, reinsurance, and risk adjustment • Offer innovation grants to explore non-litigation alternatives to dispute resolution

41. Promote Free Markets and Fair Competition • Cap non-economic damages in medical malpractice lawsuits • Empower individuals and small businesses to form purchasing pools • Prevent discrimination against individuals with pre-existing conditions who maintain continuous coverage • Facilitate IT interoperability

42. Empower Consumer Choice • End tax discrimination against the individual purchase of insurance • Allow consumers to purchase insurance across state lines • Unshackle HSAs by allowing funds to be used for insurance premiums • Promote "co-insurance" products • Promote alternatives to "fee for service" • Encourage "Consumer Reports"-type ratings of alternative insurance plans

43. You have been informed… Now go vote!