2008 Presidential Corner: Obama, Romney near front of pack of ’08 contenders (Part 2)

By Nadine Tester
The presidential campaign race for 2008 has a lot of strong candidates, each just as qualified as the next. President George Bush’s term is winding down and both Republican and Democratic hopefuls are proposing a variety of changes. Mitt Romney, a former Massachusetts Republican governor, takes a moderate approach. Instead of a complete overhaul, Romney wants to refine a strategy here and a principle there. Romney has a lot of working ideas, which he outlines in his Strategy for a Stronger America. Found online on his campaign website, this 68-page proposal includes full color pictures and focuses on six of his main proposals for the 2008 election. However, this isn’t a detailed proposal, and even though his plans may be hard to accomplish, they have a solid foundation.

A lot of his ideas are compelling. He wants to end the dependency on foreign oil, and focus instead on researching alternate technologies for energy. He also wants to amend and strengthen foreign ties, especially with Latin America. He feels that we’ve spent too much time abroad and that it’s time to focus on our neighbors instead, compromising over things like drug trafficking and illegal immigration. Romney wants to continue America’s tradition of being a nation of immigrants, but also wants to protect the rights of citizens.

Some of the issues which he goes into further detail about are containing terrorism, including nuclear terrorism. He also wants to add 100,000 more troops, to help strengthen the nation’s defense. When it comes to the federal deficit, Romney promises to review all of the government’s spending and make some cuts.

In addition to this, Romney proposes that taxes be reduced for the middle class. However, this is more of a concept than a game plan. He mentions a lot of topics that students in college are going to have to worry about in the future: he wants medical care to be in the hands of state legislatures, as will plans like social security. He feels that this will encourage innovation. Federal spending at the moment is putting our future financial safety in jeopardy, and Romney wants to ensure us money when we retire.

Romney spends a lot of his time focusing on social issues like gay marriage and abortion, both of which he is strongly against. He feels that the United States cannot stay a powerful country if the family at home is falling apart.

Romney’s main focus is about strength. He wants to build up the military, strengthen the economy, and once again assert the power of America in the world. He cares about the children, the stability of the traditional family and the idea that American citizens come first in our country. Romney has a lot of good ideas and proposals that could really help the U.S. get out of debt and make progress in the future. However, if you read his Strategy for a Stronger America, it lacks specifics. Romney is a strong candidate, but he needs to show what he can really do, not just talk about it.