Presidential Debate 2012 Obama and Mitt Romney Clash Over Fiscal Policy and Health Reform: The U.S. president, Barack Obama, and the Republican candidate, Mitt Romney, have clashed on Wednesday in dense discussion of economics that has focused on fiscal policy and health care reform. This is the first of three that remain face to face before the presidential elections on November 6.
Candidates promise to not raise taxes on the middle class and widen their differences on health
Obama has opened discussions with block electoral fiscal policy, accusing Romney of wanting lower taxes on the upper classes and upload them to the middle classes. “The governor said that if we cut taxes, especially for the rich, and remove regulations, we will be much better,” he noted.
The Democratic candidate has explained that “it is possible” to get Romney balance the deficit, as intended, reducing taxes on the upper classes and increasing military spending, as announced, “unless you do loading on the middle classes. ” “It’s arithmetic,” he said.
“I have a different opinion,” he underlined. “I believe in a new patriotism that says that when the U.S. does better when the middle classes do better,” he argued. Thus, explained that his proposal is “reform the tax code to help companies to invest” and “use the money that has been saved by ending the war in Iraq and Afghanistan to be running out” to “reduce the deficit so balanced and sizeable investment. ”
Romney, for his part, has denied the allegations of the Democratic candidate. “I have a plan to cut taxes massively and therefore government revenue,” he asserted. “In fact, my number one principle is that there can be tax cuts that increase the deficit,” he stated.
The former governor explained that his goal is “to reduce the taxes they are paying the income.” “And I can not do this by reducing the taxes paid by upper classes,” he added, although he qualified: “we have to cut taxes for big businesses and individuals.”
In response, Obama said: “I think the problem is that we have different definitions of what is a small business. Governor For a group of millionaires and billionaires who are small businessmen like Donald Trump. But I know that Donald Trump not defined himself as a small businessman. ”
BALANCED BUDGET
Meanwhile, the Republican candidate has accused Obama of not doing “anything” in these four years to solve the problem of the budget deficit. “I am concerned that we are going down the path of failure, as the president continues to believe that the solution is more taxes, more regulation, more government spending,” he stated.
“I honestly believe that it is moral to my generation continue spending far more than it takes in, knowing that the burden is going to happen to the next generation and they will be paying interest and premiums all their lives,” stressed .
In response, Obama has blamed much of the deficit to the policies of the George W. Bush, referring specifically to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the economic and financial crisis.
ECONOMIC GROWTH
Both candidates have presented their plans to boost economic growth, is aware that one of the things that worries the U.S., with an unemployment rate of 8.4 percent, which, although it has declined, is still very high for the North American country.
In this regard, Romney has taken a dramatic effect promising to create 12 million jobs, four of them in the energy sector, and explained that this is possible thanks to his “great experience” in the private sector. “I have 25 years in the business world,” he recalled.
Specifically, has exposed a five-point plan “to achieve greater energy independence, a balanced budget, not so dependent on China, improve training, enhance the skills of people and work with small and medium enterprises.”
In turn, Obama has held that both agree on the need to achieve greater energy independence, but it stressed that “we must invest in the energy of the future, clean energy,” also stressed the importance of education but reiterated that to achieve these goals “are needed revenue.”
Health Reform
The main point of contention between the two candidates has been health care reform – popularly known as’ Obama Care’ – which was one of the main promises of the Democrats in the presidential election campaign of 2008, which is at stake in court.
Romney has announced that the repeal comes as the White House because it involves spending “unnecessary” for the pockets of Americans, even though throughout the campaign has insisted that, if he won, keep some points .
“The answer is that the federal government take over the health system and tell a doctor and a patient what treatment to follow. That is the wrong way to do it. The private market and individual responsibility have always worked better “he argued.
The former governor has considered that the best system is the one established in the state of Massachusetts during his tenure, though, Obama has tolled that there are so many differences between the two. “We use the same advisers and they say it’s the same plan,” he revealed.
In addition, the president has accused Romney of wanting to install a “voucher system” that will take your health coverage to millions of people, especially seniors, “after taking many years working very hard.”
LOCK IN WASHINGTON
After dealing with all these issues, the presidential candidates have run out of time to address the role of the federal government, so they have had to summarize their proposals in just a couple of minutes, we have known little, under legislative blockade imposed differences between Republicans and Democrats in Congress.
Romney has promised that nothing else reach the White House will sit with the leaders of both political parties in the Senate and House of Representatives to unlock the conflict. “What is needed is real leadership from Washington for people to work together,” he considered.
While Obama has stated that “no good to sit and talk to each other, it’s about knowing what you want to do, have a plan, and to say no when necessary, also to your party political “. “And the governor has shown no desire to say no to the most extreme factions of his political party,” he criticized.
In addition, he noted that, if re-elected, will collect “any idea”, both Republicans and Democrats, “always going for the country.” “Thus we have reduced the deficit, as we cut taxes, as exports have increased, as we have done with (the former leader of Al Qaeda, Osama) bin Laden and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan,” he stressed.