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Election Preview 2012
RUMBLE 2012 Obama In this insert: Pages 8-9 Page 10
Learn where you can vote, and about the candidates. What is the big deal about Colorado anyway?
Romney STEVEN JOSEPHSON | THE MIRROR
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Election Preview 2012
8 The Mirror
The Mirror 9
Vote 2012
Where:
Polling places
What:
The Mirror’s editorial staff weighs in
Johnson Romney
cies are much stronger than Romney’s; we believe our children deserve to live in a world where environmental issues are a priority.
Obama
President/Vice President: Barack Obama and Joe Biden
How:
1
Useful websites
www.justvotecolorado.org This website was created in 2004 and is a non-partisan project designed to provide the voters of Colorado with the information they need during an election year. It places an emphasis on educating the voter first, on the issues, how they can register and how to check their registration status. www.sos.state.co.us/pubs/elections This website is hosted by the Secretary of State Scott Gessler and offers numerous links. It takes each county of Colorado and explains the resources available to those respective residents. It includes procedures and intrusions for mail ballots and early voting.
2
www.co.weld.co.us This last website was designed to serve Weld County and its residents. For those students registered in Weld County, this is a great resource. For those who aren’t, it also offers great information about polling places and information specific to students that plan to cast their vote on election day in Weld County.
3
Some of our staff believe social and equality issues really do stand out. All should have the right to choose whom they marry. Women should be able to make their own decisions about their bodies. Additionally, women are obviously deserving of equal pay for equal work. Obama’s universal healthcare plan will lower the cost of premiums and take it out of the dangerous private sector. It will also provide healthcare for those with pre-existing conditions who otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford it. His environmental poli-
Gardner
Congressional District 4: Brandon Shaffer Brandon embodies a candidate that knows the issues of Weld, and the surrounding counties, better than any candidate for the position. Cory Garnder let egotistical Republican-orchestrated gridlock prevent the farmers of Weld County get the relief they need during this summer’s severe drought. When he joined a cause that prevented the House of Representatives to vote on the 2012 Farm Bill, a
Yes
Amendment S: Yes
Abstain
Shaffer
No
bill supported by Democrats and Republicans alike, Gardner showed his true colors as a candidate completely out of touch with his constituents and one that embodies the position of a partisan representative.
Carlson Abstain
Young
District 50 Representatives: Young
State Dave
Dave Young comes from an impressive background in education and is the incumbent for this position. He recognizes the issues that matter most, while Skip Carlson embodies the characteristics of a partisan candidate that would only bring frustration to the state house.
It opens up the opportunity for employers to have a bigger pool of candidates to interview for the respective position. Because the governor has been elected by the people, he should have the ability to appoint one percent of the state personnel.
No
on marijuana anyway, so why not tax the product and re-invest in the schools and education system of Colorado. It would also be a step forward to decriminalizing the industry and allowing the law enforcement of the state to focus their resources in other areas.
No
Yes
Amendment 65: Yes Yes
Amendment 64: Yes People spend money
It is a necessary step to try to reduce the influence big money has in politics. It takes the first step for states to reform campaign finance. Also, by limiting spending of money during a campaign, it can allow an
even playing field for candidates.
Abstain Yes
Weld County School District 6 Ballot Issue 3A: Yes As students, we believe education is always a good investment no matter the level of education. By investing in these schools early, the chance that students will want to pursue higher education will increase. Editor’s note: The Mirror’s endorsements were compiled by the seven-member staff of its editorial board. The graphs represent how we voted and the following paragraphs explain why. It should also be noted some members abstained from casting a vote for the ballot issue and select amendments and races.
High Scores:
5 Reasons to vote for... Still trying to figure out who’s the man for 2012? The Mirror asked on-campus supporters of both candidates to give five good reasons to vote for their candidate.
Barack Obama
Mitt Romney
. President Obama has doubled funding for Pell Grants and prevented student loan rates from doubling.
1
. President Obama is the first sitting president to support marriage equality and repealed “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” to ensure that gays and lesbians are afforded the same right to serve their country without having to hide who they are.
2
. The first bill signed by President Obama was the Lilly Ledbetter Act, assuring women the right to challenge their employer to receive equal pay for equal work.
3
. New fuel efficiency standards have been implemented by President Obama which will double vehicles’ fuel economy by 2025. This ensures saving money at the pump, importing less oil and breathing cleaner air.
4
. President Obama signed the Credit CARD Act, which ended the credit card industries’ most abusive practices, and banned exploitative tactics targeting young students on college campuses.
5
Information Democrats.
provided
by
College
1
M itt Romney’s plan for a stronger middle class will create 12 million new jobs and deliver rising incomes.
2
As governor of Massachusetts, Romney cut taxes 19 times. When he is president, Mitt Romney will not raise taxes on anyone, and he’ll deliver tax cuts for the middle class.
3
Romney will ensure Americans can keep their insurance and protect Medicare by repealing Obamacare and replacing it with health care reform that provides better care at lower costs.
4
Mitt Romney will follow a true all-of-the-above energy policy that will make North America energy independent by the end of this decade.
5
Under President Obama, Iran is closer to a nuclear weapons capability than ever before, our relations with Israel have been downgraded, the “reset” with Russia has failed to generate more cooperation, and our military is threatened with $1 trillion in devastating budget cuts. Romney will restore America’s confidence in our cause, clarity in our purpose and resolve in our might.
Information provided by Students for Romney.
Election Preview 2012
10 The Mirror
Week of Monday, Nov. 5, 2012
Scores & Stats
Colorado has a unique role in the 2012 election STAFF REPORT news@uncmirror.com
STEVEN JOSEPHSON | THE MIRROR
Both candidates have placed Colorado high on their travel lists.
Colorado, more so recently, has adopted the unique nature of being a swing state. Since it became a state 1876, Colorado has been gradually climbing the ladder of electoral votes and become a target in both presidential candidates’ sights. Since the United States is a democracy, it presents us with the unique opportunity of
voting on the man or women to represent the nation. That’s where the Electoral College comes into play. It offers states a certain number of electoral votes based on state characteristics including density population. This allows the election to not just be determined by the popular vote and allows smaller states with smaller populations a louder voice in
the election process. Colorado has nine electoral votes, which may not seem like many compared to other swing states. For example, Ohio has 18, Virginia has 13 and Florida has 29. What makes Colorado such a high political target is its unpredictability this election cycle. Given its wide range of demographics that live in the state, both a very large urban population
in Denver or a very rural population in areas like Weld County. In the last 10 presidential elections, Colorado has only voted for a Democrat twice; first in 1992 for Bill Clinton and in 2009 for Barack Obama. Even more importantly, Colorado has voted for the candidate that won the election eight out of the last 10 elections.