Everything you need to know about the OBAMA v ROMMEY debate

US Election: Rommey and Obama

BARAK OBAMA

Full name: Barack Hussein Obama

Profession: Lawyer, politician, author

Political Party: Democratic

Place of Birth: Honolulu, Hawaii

Children: Malia Ann born on July 4, 1998 and Natasha  also known as Sasha born on June 10, 2001.

Spouse: Michelle Obama

Website: http://www.barackobama.com

Religion: Christian - United Church of Christ

Residence: Washington, D.C.

Running mate: Joseph "Joe" Biden

Date of Birth: August 4,1961

Books Authored: Dreams from My Father: A story of Race and Inheritance; and The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts of Reclaiming the American Dream.

Alma Mater: Occidental College, Columbia University (BA), Harvard Law School (JD).

Position on Healthcare: Signed the 2010 healthcare overhaul bill. Calls for patient protections like allowing coverage for pre-existing conditions, not letting insurers cancel policies when patients get sick, and requiring individuals to buy health insurance or pay a fine.

Views on the Economy:       

Repeal Bush tax cuts for households earning more than $250,000. Lower taxes on manufacturing industry. Stimulus spending and tax cuts to grow the economy (short term). Cut spending and raise taxes on wealthy to reduce deficit (long term).

Views on Immigration: Supports path to legalization for illegal immigrants that includes learning English & paying fines; toughen penalties for hiring illegal immigrants; voted for fence along Mexican border. Issued exec order to not deport certain undocumented immigrants.

Views on Iraq: Opposed invasion from the beginning; opposed troop increase; ended military operations in Iraq(on previously negotiated Bush timeline). Made no effort to keep promise to exit in 2009. Troops moved to Afghanistan and Iranian border.

Views on Iran: Engage in direct diplomacy; tighten economic sanctions with international cooperation; military option not off the table. Failed to deliver on 2008 campaign promise to meet with the Iranian president without preconditions.

Views on Global Warming and Environment: Supports a mandatory cap-and-trade system to reduce carbon emissions. Delayed decision on northern leg of Keystone XL pipeline due to environmental concerns.

Views on Indefinite detention: Publicly opposed but debate on Congressional floor revealed that his Administration asked for language excluding American citizens be removed.

Views on Military Intervention: Publicly opposed wars and intervention but has recently admitted to expanding Afghan conflict into Pakistan. Says Congressional approval not required if UN gives approval.

Views on Gay rights: Supports same-sex marriage; pushed Congress to repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell, allowing gays to serve openly in the military.

Views on Abortion:   Supports Roe v. Wade. He criticized Supreme Court decision that upheld ban on partial-birth abortions.

Views on Tax: Individual taxes - Let Bush-era tax cuts expire for households where income is more than $250,000. A "Buffett rule" where individuals with incomes more than $1 million are required to pay a 30% minimum tax rate regardless of the source of their income. Corporate taxes - Tax credits for manufacturing firms. "Eliminate tax breaks for companies that ship jobs overseas"

MITT ROMMEY  

 Full name: Willard Mitt Romney

Profession: Businessman, politician, author

Political Party: Democratic

Place of Birth: Detroit, Michigan

Children: Tagg born 1970, Matt born 1971, Josh born 1975, Ben born 1978, Craig born 1981.

Spouse: Ann Romne

Website: http://www.mittromney.com

Religion: Christian (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints a.k.a. Mormon)

Residence: Belmont, Massachusetts.

Running mate: Joseph "Joe" Biden.

Date of Birth: March 12, 1947.

Books Authored: No Apology: The Case for American Greatness; and Turnaround: Crisis, Leadership, and the Olympic Games

Alma Mater: Stanford University, Brigham Young University (BA), Harvard University, MBA, JD.

Views on the Economy:       

Make Bush tax cuts permanent. To lower corporate tax rate across the board to 25%. Cut taxes and regulations to encourage business. Cut "non-security discretionary government spending by 5% to reduce deficit.

Position on Healthcare: Created similar legislation in Mass. but believes it's not appropriate for all of USA and wants to repeal. Proposes encouraging individuals to purchase their own health insurance rather than via employers, and allowing insurance across state lines.

Views on Immigration: Would make English the official language of the US and "turn off the magnets like tuition breaks or other breaks that draw people into this country illegally".

Views on Iraq: Romney says that keeping the U.S. in Iraq is the best option for minimizing casualties and maintaining a democratic government in Iraq.

Views on Iran: Military option not off the table.

Views on Global Warming and Environment: Opposes cap and trade legislation. Supports Keystone XL pipeline. Exporting carbon emissions to China hurts US and planet. (Aug 2007), Humans contribute to world getting warmer. (Nov 2011), $20 billion package for energy research & new car technology

Views on Indefinite detention: Would have signed NDAA as is.

Views on Military Intervention: Consult with lawyers on legality but believes President has the right to do what he believes makes the country safer.

Views on Gay rights: Opposes same-sex marriage; supports legal unions; supports Don't Ask, Don't Tell but favours gays serving openly in the military (Govwatch 1994), supported ENDA to ban anti-gay employer discrimination

Views on Abortion:   Opposes Roe v. Wade; believes states should be allowed to ban abortions. 1994: Supported abortion rights but personally opposed, No punishment for women who have partial birth abortions, change of heart in 2005 when preparing to run for President.

Views on Taxes - Individual taxes. Maintain current marginal tax rates; make the Bush tax cuts permanent He is proposing a 20% across-the-board cuts in marginal tax rates while the policy PDF file summary indicates he wants to maintain marginal tax rates at current levels. Eliminate estate (inheritance) tax. Eliminate taxes on interest, dividends, and capital gains for individuals with incomes below $200,00. Cut the corporate tax rate to 25%

Women's Rights - Romney Oct 1994 Help women through glass ceiling by requiring annual reporting. 

Lastly...

Global Popularity

When Barack Obama was sworn in as President in 2009, he was immensely popular abroad. American popularity had waned during the Bush presidency but with Obama's election attitudes had begun to change. Expecting a major shift in foreign policy, the Nobel Peace Prize committee even chose Obama as the winner of the prize in 2009. However, his popularity abroad has decreased significantly since then. 
 
Mitt Romney made some blunders on his foreign tour just ahead of the London Olympics when he made remarks about the under-preparedness of the city for the Olympics. This did not go over very well in the U.K. His fared better during his visit to Israel, whose Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has had a tenuous relationship with Obama. 

First Debate

The first presidential debate is on Wednesday, October 3, 2012, 6:00pm–7:30pm PT (9pm Eastern) at the University of Denver.
The US elections takes place November 2012.