The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
  • Hangzhou Asian Games
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
  • Hangzhou Asian Games
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    BTS stars shine brighter as solo artists

  • 3

    N. Korea holds politburo meeting to discuss Kim-Putin summit: KCNA

  • 5

    30 people purchased 8,000 homes: data

  • 7

    Rowoon leaves SF9 to focus on acting career

  • 9

    Korea urged to adopt China exit strategy amid hegemonic war

  • 11

    Netflix's 'Song of the Bandits' blends western action with Korean period series

  • 13

    Foreign ministry asks Japan to investigate case of Korean poisoned with bleach in Tokyo

  • 15

    Lamborghini driver suspect sent to prosecutors over parking dispute in Gangnam

  • 17

    Unfreezing of funds not likely to restore Korea-Iran ties

  • 19

    National Assembly passes motion to arrest DPK chief

  • 2

    '30 Days' promises laughter, unlikely romance

  • 4

    North Korean escapees tell how nuclear tests ruined their health, hometown

  • 6

    ITZY's Lia takes break to put mental health first

  • 8

    USFK soldier, 2 women arrested for drug trafficking

  • 10

    Seventeen to drop 11th EP next month

  • 12

    INTERVIEWPutin uses summit with NK leader to stop Seoul from helping Ukraine: expert

  • 14

    BTS defies K-pop's 'seven-year curse'

  • 16

    BTS member Suga begins mandatory military service

  • 18

    Scientists find green way to turn CO2 into fuel with sunlight

  • 20

    Seoul plans to build Jamsil Sports MICE Complex

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
Fri, September 22, 2023 | 21:37
Today`s Column
Pros and cons of Obama and Romney
Posted : 2012-10-15 16:53
Updated :  
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
By Ann McFeatters

WASHINGTON ― The endgame nears! So does mental exhaustion ― for everyone.

We lurch from debate to debate, poll to poll, leaked video to calamity overseas. One day we decide we'll settle for Obama. The next, we're leaning toward rolling the dice and taking a chance on Romney.

As we ponder how little we know about how GOP candidate Mitt Romney would govern in the White House, or exactly what President Barack Obama would do if we give him another four years, let's take a look at the pros and cons for each man. We'll try to shed the hype and negativity saturating each campaign.

Pros on Romney: He was an effective governor of Massachusetts. Although he vetoed hundreds of bills (most overridden by a Democratic-controlled legislature), he persuaded key Democrats to help him push through landmark legislation to give many more residents of Massachusetts health insurance.

He salvaged the Salt Lake City Olympics and raised enough money to keep the facilities at Park City, Utah, maintained for the training of hundreds of athletes for years to come.

He is by nature a results-oriented businessman and pragmatist who wants to solve problems. And this country has plenty of problems.

Cons on Romney: He disavowed his health-care plan after it became the model for Obama's plan. He wrongly said in the first debate that his plan would cover pre-existing conditions and children up to age 26, as Obama's plan would do. Romney's would not.

The moderate Romney was hidden so long that we really don't know what he thinks about such issues as abortion rights and gay rights and a myriad other controversial social issues. His oafish comments about not bothering about the 47 percent of Americans who don't have to pay federal taxes remain stunning especially for a man who pays only 13 percent in federal taxes.

Romney has yet to offer a serious, well-thought-out plan for jump-starting the economy. Insisting that we can create jobs by lowering taxes on the wealthy, dropping regulations on business, cutting government programs and raising defense spending is not good enough.

Pros of Obama: Despite the GOP playbook and his failure to get everything he promised done, Obama did have some successes in his first term. He saved the auto industry. He prevented another depression. He oversaw the capture and death of Osama bin Laden. He ended combat missions in Iraq. He got legislation passed, not yet fully in effect, to provide more Americans with health insurance.

Despite the bad economy, the unemployment is back where it was when he took office. Not great, of course, and many have stopped actively looking for work, but the rate is no longer a whopping 10 percent. Foreclosures are also at a five-year low although they are taking longer.

On women's issues, Obama signed legislation giving women more time to file suits alleging pay discrimination. He is a firm supporter of a woman's right to choose whether or not she will have an abortion. He ended the despised don't ask, don't tell policy on gays in the military.

Cons of Obama: He promised a new bipartisan era in Washington, which he could not deliver, partly because Tea Party movement activists have been in no mood to compromise. But Obama often seems aloof from the hard work of political compromise.

He asked for a bipartisan report on solving our economic solutions but when Erskine Bowles and Alan Simpson delivered one that many economists said could work, although it wouldn't be popular because it would change Medicare and Social Security formulas and raise taxes, Obama ducked it and never actually proposed a comprehensive plan of his own.

The excitement over Obama is gone. We're sadder and wiser. We know there is no overnight, miracle cure for our economic ills. Life came at us fast.

The race, as was always predicted, will go down to the wire. But there's plenty of time for us to be more thoughtful and fact-motivated than we have been for the past year. Sorry, Big Bird. You're sort of irrelevant.

Scripps Howard columnist Ann McFeatters has covered the White House and national politics since 1986. Email amcfeatters@nationalpress.com.
 
miguel
Top 10 Stories
130 people purchased 8,000 homes: data 30 people purchased 8,000 homes: data
2Scientists find green way to turn CO2 into fuel with sunlightScientists find green way to turn CO2 into fuel with sunlight
3National Assembly passes motion to arrest DPK chiefNational Assembly passes motion to arrest DPK chief
4Gender equality minister nominee in hot seat over remarks on abortion Gender equality minister nominee in hot seat over remarks on abortion
5Seoul invites ambassadors to introduce new halal foods in Korea Seoul invites ambassadors to introduce new halal foods in Korea
6Kim Jong-un's rejection of Russia's food assistance irritates North Korean defectors Kim Jong-un's rejection of Russia's food assistance irritates North Korean defectors
7Rights experts from 17 countries demand release of North Korean escapees in China Rights experts from 17 countries demand release of North Korean escapees in China
8S. Korea condemns Russia, seeks to mend ties with China S. Korea condemns Russia, seeks to mend ties with China
9COVID-19 deaths hit record high in Korea for 2022 COVID-19 deaths hit record high in Korea for 2022
10Honey-dipped cookie to represent 'K-desserts' at global food expo in Germany Honey-dipped cookie to represent 'K-desserts' at global food expo in Germany
Top 5 Entertainment News
1BTS defies K-pop's 'seven-year curse' BTS defies K-pop's 'seven-year curse'
2Aespa's VR concert to hit theaters Oct. 25 Aespa's VR concert to hit theaters Oct. 25
3Gang Dong-won becomes exorcist con artist in 'Dr. Cheon and Lost Talisman' Gang Dong-won becomes exorcist con artist in 'Dr. Cheon and Lost Talisman'
4BLACKPINK's contract renewal still in limbo BLACKPINK's contract renewal still in limbo
5[INTERVIEW] Virtual K-pop group MAVE: is more than just pretty pixels INTERVIEWVirtual K-pop group MAVE: is more than just pretty pixels
DARKROOM
  • Turkey-Syria earthquake

    Turkey-Syria earthquake

  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group