by
Kat Barton
Often we hear that there is a clear difference regarding our choices for governing. Yet when candidates start talking and ads start running the choices aren’t as clear. In this blog I’m focusing on the party platforms. This is after all where the policy is. Where a political party puts who they are – and what they value. So if you are undecided or uninterested try to stick with me. And I will make this short and to the point. Today we will tackle the economy.
ECONOMY
Taxes
Republicans
Want to lower taxes and reduce government spending. “Taxes, by their very nature, reduce a citizen’s freedom,” is a quote from the official Republican Platform.
Republican’s believe that lower taxes and less regulation equals more jobs.
Democrats
Want tax cuts for the middle class (extending the Bush Tax cuts) and want to let the tax cuts expire for those who are the wealthiest. They also want to close loopholes and deductions for the largest corporations. Democrats emphasize a fair share approach on taxes and “built to last and built from the middle out.”
Democrats believe a fair shot, education and a strong middle class equals more jobs.
Balancing the Budget
Republicans
Cut spending and do major structural reforms, and long-term government downsizing are the key components of the plan to reduce the deficit. We must “restructure the twentieth century entitlement state” is clearly stated on the Republican platform.
Democrats
Pay-as-you-go budget rules of the 1990s and a balanced plan to reduce deficits by over $4 trillion over the next decade. The platform states “still making the investments we need in education, research, infrastructure, and clean energy, the President has asked for the wealthiest taxpayers to pay their fair share.”
So there it is in a nutshell. To view more information visit the official pages of the parties at http://www.democrats.org/democratic-national-platform and http://www.gop.com/2012-republican-platform_home/.
Your vote does matter! Make sure to register; your deadline to register is October 30th by person, and October 23rd postmarked by mail. Be there November 6th at you local voting station to cast your vote! To help promote the 2012 election, WCSU students in the Writing, Linguistics and Creative Process Department's Advertising, Copywriting and Promotions class created a Twitter page. Also check out their blogs at www.danbury.patch.com. Get educated on whom to vote for by visiting our Facebook page.
