2012
1-27-2012 Latest info..Check it out..
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About Mitt
Mitt was born in Detroit on March 12, 1947. His mother, Lenore, gave up an acting career when she met and married his father, George. Mitt’s father came from humble origins and never graduated from college. He apprenticed as a lath and plaster carpenter and sold aluminum paint before beginning a career that brought him to the head of American Motors and then the governorship of Michigan.
Mitt married his wife, Ann, in 1969. They first met in elementary school when he was a Cub Scout; he remembers tossing pebbles at her when she rode by on a horse. When they met again years later at a friend’s house, he was smitten. Between them, they have five sons and sixteen grandchildren, who are the center of their lives.
Like any family, the Romneys have faced hardship: Ann was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1998, and more recently fought a battle with breast cancer. She credits her husband’s unwavering care and devotion to her for
helping her through these ordeals.
Mitt is not a career politician. He has spent most of his life in the private sector, giving him intimate knowledge of how our economy works. But he has also been an outstanding public servant. In one chapter of his distinguished career, he reversed the decline of a state mired in recession. In another chapter, he salvaged the 2002 Winter Olympic Games from certain disaster.
When Mitt was elected Governor of Massachusetts in 2002, the state was in severe disarray, its budget was out of balance, spending was soaring, and taxpayers were being required to pay more and more in taxes for diminishing services. The state economy was in a tailspin, with businesses cutting back on investment or even closing and unemployment ticking up. Mitt made hard decisions that brought state spending under control. He restructured and consolidated government programs, paring back where necessary and finding efficiencies throughout.
Facing a state legislature dominated by Democrats, Mitt cast more than 800 vetoes as he brought conservative principles to state government. He cut red tape for small businesses, signed into law job-creating incentives, and fought hard to bring new businesses to the state. He eliminated a $3 billion deficit without borrowing or raising taxes. By 2007, at the end of Mitt’s term, the state had accumulated a $2 billion rainy day fund in its coffers. This stringent fiscal discipline provided an essential backdrop for economic recovery. When Mitt came into office, the state was losing jobs every month. When he left office, the economy was generating new jobs by the thousands.
In 1999, the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics was on the verge of collapse. Thanks to his reputation as a superb manager, Mitt was asked to take over. The event had been bogged down in a bid-rigging scandal, sponsors were fleeing, and the budget was bleeding red ink. The attacks of September 11, 2001, just months before the start date, created a security nightmare. Some were contemplating scaling back the competition or even moving it out of the country.
Mitt set to work. In a remarkably short period, he revamped the organization’s leadership, trimmed the budget, and restored public confidence. He oversaw an unprecedented security mobilization to assure the safety of the athletes and millions of international visitors, staging one of the most successful games ever held on U.S. soil.
Mitt’s impressive skills did not come out of nowhere. He began his career in business.
After graduating from Brigham Young University in 1971, he earned dual degrees from Harvard Law and Harvard Business School. After working as a business consultant for several years, Mitt founded the investment firm Bain Capital in 1984. Under his leadership, Bain Capital helped to launch or rebuild hundreds of companies, including household names such as Staples, Domino's Pizza, and The Sports Authority. As Bain Capital was growing in prominence, Mitt returned to his old consulting firm, Bain & Company, as CEO. In a time of financial turmoil at the company, he led a successful turnaround.
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Rick Santorum's Platform:
Former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1990 at the age of 32, and from 1995 to 2007, served in the US Senate. In 2000, he was elected by his peers to the position of Senate Republican Conference Chairman.
Former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1990 at the age of 32, and from 1995 to 2007, served in the US Senate. In 2000, he was elected by his peers to the position of Senate Republican Conference Chairman.
Senator Santorum became one of the most successful government reformers in our history, taking on Washington's powerful special interests from the moment he arrived in our nation's Capitol. Along with John Boehner and Jim Nussle, Senator Santorum was a member of the famous "Gang of Seven" that exposed the Congressional Banking and Congressional Post Office scandals. It was this record of reform that prompted a Washington Post reporter to write in a recent article that "Santorum was a tea party kind of guy before there was a tea party."
He was also an author and floor manager of the landmark Welfare Reform Act which passed in 1996 that has empowered millions of Americans to leave the welfare rolls and enter the workforce.
Senator Santorum wrote and championed legislation that outlawed the heinous procedure known as Partial Birth Abortion as well as the "Born Alive Infants Protection Act," the "Unborn Victims of Violence Act," and the "Combating Autism Act" because he believes each and every individual has value and the most vulnerable in our society need to be protected.
Senator Santorum fought to maintain fiscal sanity in Washington before it was in fashion, fighting for a balanced budget and a line item veto. He bravely proposed reforming entitlements, cutting spending and even developed a "spendometer" that added up the cost of Democrat amendments to spending bills. This record made him one of the most conservative senators in Pennsylvania's history.
He served eight years on the Senate Armed Services Committee where he led the fight before the attacks of September 11th, 2001 to transform our military from a Cold War force to meet today's threats. He was a leader on US-Israeli relations, authoring both the "Syria Accountability Act" and the "Iran Freedom and Support Act" which he successfully fought to pass in spite of initial opposition by President Bush.
An accomplished author, Senator Santorum penned the 2005 New York Times Best SellerIt Takes a Family.
But of all his accomplishments, Rick is most proud of his role as a husband and father. Rick and his wife of 21 years, Karen, are the parents of seven wonderful children: Elizabeth, John, Daniel, Sarah Maria, Peter, Patrick and Isabella.
Champion of Faith & Families
As a husband and father, Rick Santorum knows the importance of protecting and providing for your family. He believes that at the core of the American experience is the family, and that without strong families, we cannot have a strong and vibrant nation.
During his time in elected office, Rick Santorum fought for the preservation of the traditional American family and for the protection of the most vulnerable in our society. Rick was the author of legislation outlawing the heinous act known as partial-birth abortion and he championed the fight to pass the “Born Alive Infant Protection Act” and the “Unborn Victims of Violence Act.” He also authored legislation to advance adult stem cell research, so that ethical research could take place to fight debilitating diseases without the moral implications associated with embryonic stem cell research that destroys human life.
Rick Santorum not only believes but cherishes the ideal of a culture of life. As a member of the United States Senate, Rick fought for the passage of the Individuals with Disability Education Act (IDEA), and the “Combating Autism Act” to fight this devastating disease that is affecting more and more of our nation’s children.
When activist judges took it upon themselves to redefine marriage, and with it the underpinnings of the traditional American family and our First Amendment right to Freedom of Religion, Rick spearheaded the debate in favor of Federal Marriage Amendment in 2004. Rick successfully fought even members of his own Party and had the amendment brought to the Senate floor for public debate in two successive Congresses. Even though he knew he would be labeled a bigot or worse by members of the liberal elite, Rick Santorum understood this issue was far too important to the future of our society not to be debated before the American public.
Rick understands that our freedom to practice our faith is not just under attack through the redefinition of marriage, but in nearly every facet of the popular culture. As a member of the United States Senate, Rick authored the “Workplace Religious Freedom Act” to ensure individuals of all faith could not be discriminated against while on the job Rick also founded the Congressional Working Group on Religious Freedom to ensure that the principle of Freedom of Religion would not be infringed upon.
Since leaving the Senate in 2007, Rick has spent much of his time advancing these same principles in the private and non-profit sector. Rick has helped raise funds to support organizations like the Susan B. Anthony List, Americans United for Life, and the National Organization for Marriage. But of all his jobs, Rick is most proud of his time spent as a husband to his wife Karen and a father to their seven children – including serving as the Little League coach for their two youngest sons.
Defender of the Taxpayer
From the moment he was elected to public office, Rick Santorum worked tirelessly to ensure the hard-earned tax dollars of all Americans were being spent wisely.
Along with John Boehner and Jim Nussle, Rick was a member of the “Gang of Seven” who targeted the waste and fraud of the House Post Office and Bank. This did not make Rick Santorum a popular man in an old boy’s club like the House of Representatives, but Rick knew that the only way to make a positive difference in the lives of his constituents was to challenge the corrupt norms that had seeped into the People’s Body.
Being elected to the upper-chamber of the United States Senate did not slow down Rick’s passion for government reform. Two of the first bills Rick sponsored were the “Balanced Budget Amendment” and the “Line Item Veto,” because Rick knew the importance of reigning in a government drunk on spending.
Rick Santorum knew that reforming Congress was a great start, but our nation’s entitlement programs were the cancer to the long-term fiscal health of our nation. This is why he was one of the lead sponsors of the landmark 1996 Welfare Reform law that has helped more Americans transition from the government welfare rolls to work than any legislation before or since.
In 2005, seeing our Social Security system on the brink of bankruptcy, Rick led the charge to reform the broken entitlement system. Along with South Carolina Senator Jim DeMint, Rick was one of only a handful of legislators who stuck their head out of the foxhole and fought to save the Social Security system for future generations by offering creative reforms focused on empowering the individual.
Rick also fought to ensure that all Americans kept more of their hard-earned tax dollars. He spearheaded the passage of President Bush’s tax cuts in 2001 and 2003, because he believes that reducing the tax burden on businesses and individuals is the key to spurring economic growth.
Since leaving Congress, Rick has been a vocal opponent of the Wall Street bailouts and stimulus programs instituted by both President Bush and Obama. Rick believes that by having our government choose winners and losers, both Administrations are setting America on a course to crony western European capitalism that will lead to a weaker future for our children.
Rick was rewarded for his hard work on behalf of the American taxpayer, consistently being named as a “Friend of the Taxpayer” by the National Taxpayers Union and endorsed by pro-business organizations like the National Federation of Independent Business and the United States Chamber of Commerce during his political campaigns.
Believer in American Exceptionalism
Rick Santorum understands that the events of September 11, 2001 brought to our front door the uncomfortable truth that attacks on our soil are not merely a distant possibility, but a harsh reality.
To combat this threat, Rick refused to back down from those who wish to destroy America. Rick Santorum understands that those who wish to destroy America do so because they hate everything we are – a land of freedom, a land of prosperity, a land of equality. Rick knows that backing down to the Jihadists means that we are only putting our foundational principles at greater risk. As an elected representative, Rick knew that his greatest responsibility was to protect the freedoms we enjoy – and we should not apologize for holding true to these principles.
That is why Rick refuses to call this a War on Terror, because, like Blitzkrieg, terror is a tactic. Rick believes our nation’s leaders must be honest with the American people and call this war what it is, a War with Radical Islam. Rick saw firsthand during the Bush Administration that without clearly defining who we are fighting and why we are fighting, the American people will never understand the great threat posed by our enemies.
Rick did not simply use his position in the United States Senate to fight rhetorical battles, he used every legislative tool at his disposal to combat rogue regimes that wish our nation harm. Rick spent 8 years on the Senate Armed Services Committee, where he fought to strengthen America’s military in the face of the Clinton Administration’s attempt to downsize our fighting capabilities.
In 2003, Rick authored and successfully fought for the passage of the “Syria Accountability Act” to combat the terrorist threat posed by Syria. By 2005, Rick was one of our nation’s first leaders to understand the threat posed by Iran, so he authored and passed the “Iran Freedom and Support Act” in the face Democratic and Bush State Department opposition, which authorized Federal monies to support pro-democracy movements in Iran and keep the tyrannical dictator Mahmoud Ahmadinejad from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
Though the war in Iraq was unpopular in 2006, Rick refused to shy away from his belief that we need to confront our enemies. Though ridiculed by many in the mainstream media as a chicken little for talking about the threat posed by Ahmadinejad and Iran, Rick spent much of his campaign focused on the gathering storm that our enemies pose. In an election that was a referendum on the war, Rick was defeated.
Though he lost at the ballot box, Rick has not stopped fighting for the defense our nation. Since leaving the Senate in 2007, Rick created the “Program to Protect America’s Freedom” at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, where he worked to identify, study, and heighten awareness of the threats posed to America. Through his work, Rick spoke at dozens of university campuses and to thousands of college students about the threats to our nation and how it is critical that the next generation of leaders not back down, but defend our nation.
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Ron Paul candidate platform
High priorities: pro-life, education and home-schooling, government reform
Abortion: Pro-life.
Capital Punishment: Opposes capital punishment.
Education: Paul supports giving educational control back to parents, rather than allowing the federal government to fund the schools. He plans to discontinue the Department of Education and return its functions to the states. His view is that by removing the federal subsidies that inflate costs, schools can be funded by local taxes, and parents and teachers can directly decide how best to allocate the resources. To help parents with the costs of schooling, Paul introduced H.R. 1056, the Family Education Freedom Act, in Congress. The bill would allow parents a tax credit of up to $5,000 (adjustable after 2007 for inflation) per student per year for the cost of attendance at an elementary and/or secondary school, including private, parochial, religious, and home schools. Another bill Paul has sponsored is H.R. 1059, which allows full-time elementary and secondary teachers a $3,000 yearly tax credit. He pledges to ensure that home schooling remains a practical alternative for American families. He plans to advance tax credits through the Family Education Freedom Act, which reduces taxes to make it easier for parents to home school by allowing them to devote more of their own funds to their children’s education.
Energy/Environmental Issues: Paul says federal government has proven itself “untrustworthy” with environmental policy by facilitating polluters, subsidizing logging in the National Forests, and instituting one-size-fits-all approaches that discriminate against those they are intended to help. Says the key to sound environmental policy is respect for private property rights because the strict enforcement of property rights corrects environmental wrongs while increasing the cost of polluting. Paul voted against using federal logging subsidies in national forests, and is a co-sponsor of legislation designed to encourage the development of alternative and sustainable energy. He is a member of the Congressional Green Scissors Coalition, a bipartisan caucus devoted to ending taxpayer subsidies of projects that harm the environment for the benefit of special interests. He believes individuals, businesses, localities, and states must be free to negotiate environmental standards. And, that those who depend on the land for their health and livelihood have the greatest incentive to be environmentally responsible.
Experience: U.S. representative, obstetrician-gynecologist
Gay Marriage: Opposes gay marriage. Supports civil unions.
Health Care: Paul pledges to preserve “health freedom.” Supports making all medical expenses tax-deductible. Pledges to eliminate federal regulations that discourage small businesses from providing coverage and supports giving doctors ability to collectively negotiate with insurance companies to drive down the cost of care. Supports making every American eligible for a Health Savings Account and supports reform of licensure requirements to allow pharmacists and nurses to perform some basic medical functions to improve access to care and lower costs. Introduced the Health Freedom Protection Act, HR 2117, to ensure Americans can receive truthful health information about supplements and natural remedies. Supports the Access to Medical Treatment Act, H.R. 2717, which expands the ability of Americans to use alternative medicine and new treatments. Opposed legislation that increases the FDA‘s legal powers because he feels that the FDA has consistently failed to protect the public from dangerous drugs, genetically modified foods, dangerous pesticides and other chemicals in the food supply. Believes government should not have the power to mandate immunizations or vaccinations.
Immigration: Paul has proposed six point plan to secure America’s borders. (1) Physically secure borders and coastlines. (2) Enforce visa rules. (3) No amnesty. (4) No welfare for illegal aliens. (5) End birthright citizenship, removing incentives for illegal immigrants to come to the U.S. (6) Pass true immigration reform because he thinks the current system is incoherent and unfair. Paul also is a strong advocate for limiting the ability of government to collect and store data regarding citizens’ personal, financial and medical matters. Opposes any effort to establish a national ID card system.
The war in Iraq: Paul opposes the war in Iraq and supports immediate withdrawal of all U.S. troops. Advocates non-intervention in affairs of other nations. Paul believes that U.S. is in a habit of giving foreign aid and intervening on behalf of governments that are not liked, and we become disliked as a result of our involvement.
Social Security: Paul has called the Social Security system “a mess” and supports allowing younger Americans to get out of the system. Supports personal retirement accounts. Has supported legislation to ensure that money paid into the system is only used for Social Security and opposes benefits for anyone who has not paid into the system and for illegal immigrants.
Stem Cell Research: Paul opposes federally funded embryonic stem cell research
Taxes and Budget issues: Paul pledges to immediately work to phase out the Internal Revenue Service and eliminate the federal income tax and most cabinet departments. Supports lowering taxes to create jobs and allow taxpayers to make decisions for themselves. Believes the Federal Reserve fosters runaway debt by increasing the money supply and supports its elimination. Has expressed concern that the American economy is in the hands of foreign governments because their central banks finance America’s spending. He feels that we need to stop private banks, wasteful agencies and lobbyists, corporations on welfare, and governments from collecting foreign aid to dictate the size of our budget.
http://www.ronpaul2008.com/
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Full Name: Newton Leroy Gingrich
Age: 68
Birthplace: Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Party: Republican
Previous Political Experience: House of Representatives for Georgia
Current Job: College Professor, Author, and Politician
Major Platforms: Balance the budget, Cut spending, Increase jobs, Implement an energy plan, Reforming healthcare without Obamacare, Keeping America safe through more transparent national security measures
Republican Newton Leroy Gingrich has been involved in politics since the 1970s. Born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania on June 17, 1943, Gingrich became enthralled with history early in life. Adhering to the adage that history repeats itself, Gingrich studied history in college. Gingrich attended Emory University and graduated with a degree in history and went on to Tulane University to earn a Master's and PhD in Modern European History. Gingrich then taught at West Georgia College Environmental Studies and History classes before leaving for a career in politics.
Gingrich ran for office in 1978 and was elected to the House of Representatives for Georgia, where he served for twenty years. Four of those years, Gingrich was the Speaker of the House. While he was in Congress, the first balanced budget was passed in over twenty years and resulted in $400 billion of debt being repaid. Also, taxes were cut, and welfare was reformed to enable more than sixty percent of recipients to attend school or obtain employment. The military was also strengthened during his tenure in Congress. Although Gingrich left the political arena and pursued writing historical-fiction along with founding bipartisan organizations and joining several conservative think tanks. Gingrich's presidential platform consists of policies to help balance the budget, cut spending, increase jobs, implement an energy plan, reforming healthcare without Obamacare, and keeping America safe through more transparent national security measures.
Newt Gingrich Family History
Newt Gingrich has an interesting family history, both from his parents and his own:
- Although Newt Gingrich knows his birth father, he was adopted by his step-father, Robert Bruce Gingrich, when he was five years old.
- Newt's mother, Kathleen "Kit" Daugherty married Newton Searles McPherson as a teenager, and the marriage quickly fell apart after Newt was born.
- Newt himself has been married three times, which is slightly unusual in the political arena, and many politicians view marriage stability as almost a political requirement and makes marital issues fair game for the media to report on.
- Another interesting fact is that Newt's first marriage was to his high school geometry teacher, who was seven years older than him. This marriage produced two daughters and lasted nearly twenty years.
Newt Gingrich has an extensive family tree that dates back to the 1600s when his ancestors came to America and settled in Pennsylvania. His family history includes members born in Switzerland, Germany and Scotland.
Newt's daughters are both respected professionals. Kathleen Gingrich Lubbers, his oldest daughter, is the president of Gingrich Communications, while her younger sister, Jacqueline "Jackie" Sue Gingrich Cushman, is an author. Jackie married James Edward Cushing, Jr., and they have two children and live in Atlanta, where James owns and operates Cushman Material Handling. James Cushing, Sr. owns Cushman Corporation and is an important real estate developer who originated the idea of developing Atlanta's now popular mid-town area with the mixed use building Colony Square in the 1960s. At the time, the idea of a retail, hotel, business and residential building covering 12 acres at Peachtree and 14th Streets in Atlanta was considered bold.
James Cushing, Jr.'s grandfather was Philip Alston, Jr., a well-known lawyer in Atlanta, who co-founded the Georgia Foundation and was President Jimmy Carter's Ambassador to Australia. The Georgia Foundation, under Philip Alston, raised millions of dollars for the University of Georgia. Philip helped Jimmy Carter get elected by chairing his 1976 Committee for Jimmy Carter. As Ambassador, Philip was involved in testifying to the Senate Banking Committee regarding the scandal surrounding an airline owned by Rupert Murdoch receiving a low-interest government loan. Philip served his country previously in World War II in the U.S. Navy.
Newt grew up in a military household and experienced the horrors of both World Wars by witnessing the aftermath of battles while his adopted father, Robert Bruce Gingrich, was stationed abroad. Robert became a Lieutenant-Colonel in the U.S. Army and was a vet of the Korean War and the Vietnam War. Newt lived on the American military bases at Stuttgart, Germany, and in Orleans, France, before moving back to Fort Benning in Georgia to finish high school in 1960. Newt defeated his good friend for student body president and began further developing his love of politics.
Newt's second marriage to Marianne Ginther was rocky. They were married in 1981, separated in 1987, got back together in 1994 and then divorced in 1999. Newt quickly married Callista Bisek in 2000, and their marriage appears to be solid. Newt's mother is quoted as describing her son as finally finding true love with Callista. Together, Newt and Callista formed a production company that produces documentary films on history and on public policy. Callista also does voice-overs for audio books and speaks for the American Solutions for Winning the Future, an organization focused on tri-partisanship. Callista is also an accomplished photographer, with photos being published by the Washington Post and The New York Times, along with being featured on the couple's websites.
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Rick Perry Dropped out January 2012