Candidates vie for Republican nomination: Part 1

Web Editor’s Note: This is Part One of a two part series. To read the second article in this series, click here.

Election season has kicked off strong with ten Republican candidates seeking the GOP nomination against President Barack Obama, who will be running for re-election. Election Day will take place on Nov. 6, 2012. True to American politics, the mud-slinging, name-calling and controversies are already in full swing. Although it may be the more exciting part of the election season for some people, the issues cannot take a backseat. The following are five of the ten candidates. Look at next week’s edition for the other five.

Jon Huntsman

Former Governor of Utah & Ambassador to China

ECONOMY

Huntsman supports simplifying the current tax code. He wants to eliminate the Alternative Minimum Tax, reduce the Corporate Tax Rate from 35 to 25 percent, and eliminate deductions in favor of a “zero plan.” Huntsman wants to make the U.S. more energy dependent by promoting drilling at home.

HEALTHCARE

Huntsman wants to repeal Obama’s healthcare plan.

FOREIGN POLICY

According to Huntsman’s campaign site, he supports building up a stronger U.S., taking care of local allies and maintaining a modern defense system before focusing on foreign policy. His foreign policy includes managing strategic power relations such as China.

Buddy Roemer

Former Governor of Louisiana

ECONOMY

Roemer proposes eliminating all energy subsidies, encouraging American businesses to “buy American,” and modifying the eligibility age of Social Security and Medicare to cut costs. He also wants to eliminate tax loopholes for corporations, the Alternative Minimum Tax, and most deductions in favor of a flat tax.

HEALTHCARE

Roemer wants to repeal Obama’s healthcare plan but keep insurance coverage with pre-existing conditions. He also proposes providing incentives to insurance providers who reduce costs.

FOREIGN POLICY

“America cannot…be the world’s policeman,” according to Roemer’s campaign site. He supports reducing dependency on foreign oil in order to not cloud interests. He also wants to repatriate the production of military equipment

IMMIGRATION

Roemer proposes to adjust immigration quotas based on the needs of the U.S. workforce. He also wants to enforce current immigration legislation, but provide a way for illegal immigrants to go back to their home country and apply for legal citizenship.

Newt Gingrich

Former Speaker of the House of Representatives during the Clinton administration

ECONOMY

Gingrich promotes cutting taxes, including: eliminating the capital gains tax, reducing the corporate income tax, ending the death tax. He also proposes a move towards an optional flat tax of 15 percent and returning to “Reagan-era monetary policies that stopped runaway inflation.”

HEALTHCARE

In Gingrich’s “Patient Power Plan,” he proposes to create more choices in Medicare, give states more freedom to customize Medicaid plans, and move from a paper-based to an electronic billing system to eliminate healthcare fraud.

FOREIGN POLICY

Gingrich advocates incentivizing math and science education to ensure that the Armed Forces have the greatest technology. He also wants to secure borders against terrorists and move away from dependency on foreign oil.