Guest Post by Michael Henry, political enthusiast and freelance writer (More on Michael at the end of this post)
As a political junkie sitting here at a quaint local coffee shop, I cannot help but focus my attention on the upcoming presidential election. The fall election between incumbent President Barack Obama and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney promises to be a tightly contested battle. RealClearPolitics, which takes the average of major, reputable polls, reveals that the nation seems to be evenly divided. Obama’s current approval rating, as taken from the aggregate of these polls, stands at 47.7 percent. His disapproval rating stands at 48.8 percent. However, Obama still seems to be matching up evenly with or better than Romney, according to RealClearPolitics. The RCP average reveals that Obama currently leads Romney among all voters by a margin of 1.2 percent: 45.9 percent for Obama and 44.7 percent for Romney.
So, who’s going to come out victorious and serve as the next President of the United States? Even though he is currently trailing slightly in the polls, Romney will defeat Obama in the 2012 presidential election. Let’s take a look at the factors that will fuel a Romney victory in the fall election.
It’s The Economy, Stupid
"It’s the economy, stupid" is a highly popular campaign slogan coined by James Carville, who served as a political adviser for Bill Clinton’s successful run to the White House in 1992. The 2012 election will be a referendum on Obama’s economic policies, which have been disastrous. Obama signed into law an $800 billion stimulus bill during the beginning of his presidency that promised to keep the unemployment rate below 8 percent. Today, the unemployment rate stands at a staggeringly high 8.2 percent. Obama’s signature health-care law, the Affordable Care Act, will add an additional $340 billion to the deficit, according to a study discussed extensively in the Washington Post. American companies are sitting on record stockpiles of cash but are hesitant to hire because of Obama’s policies, which are largely centered on increasing taxes and regulations. Americans are beginning to realize that Obama’s economic policies have not benefited the economy.
Unlike Obama, Romney has experience working in the private sector. Romney was one of the founders of Bain Capital, a Boston-based private equity firm. Romney’s firm was involved in the success start-up of Staples, Inc. As a result of his track record in turning around businesses, Romney was asked to rescue the floundering 2002 Winter Olympics held in Salt Lake City, Utah. Romney did a masterful job ensuring that the 2002 games were a success, which helped save the reputation of the entire country.
2008 Was a Long Time Ago
In 2008, Obama’s campaign revolved around promises of delivering "hope" and "change" to the United States. However, interestingly enough, these terms have not been thrown around by the Obama re-election team in 2012. Obama captured the youth vote in 2008 because of his optimism and promises of job creation. However, these kids, who have come of age under Obama, don’t have jobs today. You can expect them to either stay home or vote for Romney in the 2012 election. This will destroy Obama’s chances of capturing the White House for a second term.
Romney’s VP Selection
You can expect Romney to make a strategic vice presidential selection that will help him win the White House. I expect him to pick either Florida Senator Marco Rubio or South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley. Either would bring youth and charisma to the ticket and help Romney win over conservatives who still remain hesitant about his record. Americans will prefer Rubio or Haley to current Vice President Joe Bidden, who appears to be dull and washed out.
Look for former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney to defeat incumbent President Barack Obama in the fall presidential election. Americans will realize that his strong financial expertise is very much needed in the White House during these challenging economic times. Obama’s time as President is rapidly expiring. It’s time for me to get that second cup of coffee so I can start predicting key senatorial and gubernatorial races.
Michael Henry is a political enthusiast, freelance writer for keyinsurancequotes.com Michael is excitedly following all the major developments pertaining to the 2012 election.