Presidential Race | Obama vs. Romney, Who to Vote For President

The 2012 Presidential Match-up

Barack Obama, the Democratic encumbant, versus Mitt Romney, the Republican challenger. The 2012 presidential election season is upon us. Are you still deciding your vote? Our presidential match-up quiz will help you make a decision that reflects your political views.

How this quiz works:

Below, you will find statements relating to 2012 political issues. You are asked to evaluate each one, and decide how much you agree or disagree. Specifically, you will respond with either "Yes, this is good/workable," or "No, this is bad or unworkable." Please note the nuance: a policy may sound good in theory yet be unworkable. You may adjust your answers to signal how strongly you feel about each statement. Statements were chosen to be topical and contrast the two candidates' positions.

Move sliders toward the thumbs up when you believe a statement is a good and workable idea.

Move sliders toward the thumbs down when you think a statement is bad or unworkable.

(If you see select boxes instead of sliders, the quiz will still work.)


1. US troops should remain in Afghanistan until the Taliban is cleared and military commanders say it is time to leave.
2. Federal funding for PBS and public radio should be reduced or eliminated.
3. We need a constitutional amendment defining marriage as between one man and one woman.
4. The Bush-era tax cuts should expire for the two highest tax brackets.
5. The US should not fund overseas aid groups that perform or recommend abortions as part of family planning.
6. For Americans under age 55, Medicare should become a voucher program that will go toward buying private health insurance.
7. Recessions call for austerity: spending cuts are needed to keep deficits low.
8. The government should fund embryonic stem cell research to pursue new medical discoveries.
9. The government bail-out of GM and Chrysler proved to be the right policy.
10. We need more Supreme Court justices in the mold of Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito.
11. The government should work with lenders and borrowers to modify mortgages to avoid foreclosures.
12. We must have a strong government oversight bureau to protect consumers from the abuses of fiancial companies.
13. A 2,600 mile fence with armed guards must be built to combat illegal immigration from Mexico.
14. We should reduce the growth of military spending as a way of controlling the deficit.
15. Fuel economy requirements on passenger cars should be raised, bringing gas mileage to over 50 MPG by 2025.
16. Guantanamo is the best place to deal with suspected terrorists in our custody.
17. Workers unions have too much power. The President should pursue policies that lessen the power of organized labor.
18. A treaty with Russia to reduce the nuclear weapons stockpiles of both Russia and the US is the right policy.
19. The estate tax, a tax on estate values above $5 million after someone dies, should be abolished.
20. Limits and regulations on oil exploration, fracking, and power plant construction should be relaxed and streamlined.
21. For-profit colleges should be cut off from federal student aid and loans if too few graduates can find a job with their degrees.
22. Any regulation on business must not create any new costs on business, as this is a hidden tax Americans pay.
23. Immigrants who entered the US illegally as minors should be able to earn citizenship by completing college or serving in the military.
24. Roe v. Wade should be overturned, and states should decide for themselves the legality of abortion.
25. Enhanced interrogation such as waterboarding is not torture, and should be used to gain valuable intelligence from detainees.
26. All health insurance plans should be required to offer the birth control pill as a free benefit.
27. We need to restrict the influence of wealthy individuals, corporations, and unions in our elections.
28. Congress should pass a new, permanent 20% reduction in income tax rates across the board, and repeal the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT).
29. English should be made the official language of the United States
30. DOMA, the law that prevents the federal government from recognizing gay marriages, is unconstitutional and should be struck down.
31. So-called medical marijuana merely is a gateway drug and must not be legalized.
32. Tax breaks that oil companies benefit from are a type of subsidy that should be repealed.
33. Withdrawing all combat troops from Iraq last year was a risky and foolish move.
34. Keystone pipeline, which would transport Canadian oil to US refineries, should be approved and fast-tracked.
35. Teenage sex-ed courses should teach abstinence only, because teaching about contraceptive use sends the wrong message.
36. Carbon dioxide emissions should be regulated by the EPA because the gas contributes to global warming.
37. Businesses should help the government set the number of visas for foreign workers needed to fill jobs when there are not enough local workers.
38. Millionaires should pay a minimum tax rate of 30% to bring in more federal revenue.
39. Federal student loan payments should not exceed 10% of one's discretionary income, and those living below the poverty line should be excused from making payments.
40. We need to push schools toward English-only education, rather than offer bilingual education.
41. The federal government should give tax breaks to and invest in clean energy (wind, solar, geothermal) companies.
42. Immigrants who came here illegally should have a path to citizenship. Deportation of 12 million people is not an option.
43. Parents should receive vouchers that enable them to choose which school is right for their children.
44. Private banks should administer federal loans for college students, rather than students dealing with the government directly.
45. We must increase military manpower by at least 100,000 troops.
46. Internet service providers (ISPs) should be required to give their customers access to the full web without slowing down or restricting certain sites/services.
47. As a friend of Israel, the US should oppose UN recognition of Palestinian statehood.
48. The health care reform bill should be repealed.

This a GoToQuiz premium featured quiz on politics. You can also explore our user-created political quizzes.

Candidate Biographies

Barack Obama studied political science at Columbia University, and later moved to Chicago to work as a community organizer for low-income residents during the 80s. In 1988, Obama entered Harvard Law School. A year later, he met his future wife Michelle through a summer internship program. Obama would become the first African-American editor of the Harvard Law Review and graduate magna cum laude, before returning to Chicago in 1991. During the 90s, Obama practiced civil rights law and taught at the University of Chicago Law School. In 1996, he won a seat in the Illinois senate, where he served until winning a US senate seat in 2004. In 2008, Obama defeated first Hillary Clinton and then John McCain to win the presidency. He turns 51 this year and has two children, Malia and Sasha. | Obama on the Issues...our page showing the pro-Obama quiz statements and the public response to each.

Mitt Romney, son of Michigan governor George Romney, was an undergrad at Brigham Young University, graduating in 1971. He went on to receive dual graduate degrees at Harvard Law School and Harvard Business School. Romney founded the Wall St. firm Bain Capital, a spin-off from Bain & Company, in 1984. In 1994, he made his first foray into politics with a run for senator of Massachusetts. However, he was defeated by Ted Kennedy. In 1999, Romney took over the floundering Salt Lake City Olympics, rescuing the Games for 2002. Soon after, Romney found electoral success in Massachusetts, winning the governorship. He served one term before running for president unsuccessfully in 2008. Mitt Romney is 65 years old. He and his wife Ann have five children, Tagg, Matt, Josh, Ben and Craig. | Romney on the Issues...our page showing the pro-Romney quiz statements and the public response to each.

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