Who is who in the US Presidential election?

Special dossier

The
Democratic and the Republican parties dominate US politics to such an
extent that the whole world is acquainted with them, their candidates
and most of those who failed to win the nomination. What divides the big
two?

Democratic Party:

President Barack Obama
Vice President Joe Biden

The sitting president is defending his record and, given that the
economy is still struggling to recover, promising that things will get
better. Pluses: killing Osama bin Laden, withdrawing from Iraq.
Minuses: the shaky state of Afghanistan, some demoralised supporters but, above all, 12 million unemployed.

Republican Party:

Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney
Congressman Paul Ryan

The Republican candidate is criticising Obama from the right but seems
unsure just how far right. Pluses: Obama’s 12 million unemployed,
promises to cut taxes, highly motivated right-wing activists who
mobilise the vote. Minuses: Flip-flops, gaffes, highly motivated
right-wing activists who frighten floating voters.

Although it’s hard to believe from most election coverage, the Obama/Romney tickets are not the only ones.

Over 150 people have declared themselves candidates to be the US
president. That doesn’t mean they will get on the ballot paper anywhere.
Candidates have to win enough backing to be placed on the ballot paper
state by state or, failing that, the right to have voters write their
names on it.

Green candidate Jill Stein and her running mate, Cheri Honkala, were arrested on 17 October
while protesting that they were excluded from the prime-time TV debates
and that media coverage pre-judged the result by excluding any
third-party candidates.
After that the four third-party candidates who have won the right to stand in the highest number of states took part in a debate that gave them a little of the media attention they craved.

Libertarian Party:

Gary Johnson
Former Superior Court Judge Jim Gray

When governor of New Mexico Johnson vetoed almost half the bills the
state legislature passed, mainly to keep state spending down. In power
he would scrap the Internal Revenue Service and income tax. He would
also slash defence spending and legalise marijuana and gay marriage. On
the ballot in 48 states. 

Green Party:

Dr. Jill Stein
Cheri Honkala

Stein ran against Romney for Massachussetts governor, winning 3.49 per
cent of the vote. Wants a Green New Deal, that creates jobs in
environmentally friendly small industries, amnesty for undocumented
immigrants, a ban on home foreclosures, less defence spending and
universal health-care coverage. On the ballot in 38 states. 

Constitution Party:

Former Congressman Virgil Goode
Jim Clymer

Goode, a former Congressman for both the Democrats and the Republicans,
joined his current party in 2010. Wants to deploy troops and fences to
stop immigrants crossing the Mexican border, scrap Obama’s health-care
programme and pull troops out of Afghanistan. Opposes free trade deals
and would replace income tax and estate tax with a sales transaction
tax. On the ballot in 26 states.

Justice Party/Independence Party of Connecticut/Natural Law Party of Michigan:          

Former Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson
Luiz Rodriguez
 Former Salt Lake City mayor Anderson set up the Justice Party in
2010. Quit the Democratic Party, claiming it was too like the
Republicans. Wanted to impeach former president George W Bush for
starting the Iraq war and prosecute alleged torturers under his
administration. Supports green policies, a tax on financial transactions
and a single-payer health-care system.
On the ballot in 15 states.

Other candidates who have won the right to appear on the ballot in more than one state are: 

America‘s Party/American Independent Party:

          

Tom Hoefling
J.D. Ellis

Right-wing Christian. Supports capitalism, the right to bear arms. Opposes abortion, gay marriage, federal income tax. 

American Third Position Party:          

Merlin Miller
Harry Bertram

“Neither ‘left’ nor ‘right’,” according to their platform, but racist.

Objectivist Party:       

Tom Stevens
Alden Link

Wants to balance budgets “sooner rather than later”, end illegal immigration and reduce legal immigration.

Party of Socialism and Liberation (PSL):         

Peta Lindsay
Yari Osorio

Opposes racism, imperialism. Wants jobs as a constitutional rights, free
health care and education, full rights for immigrants and abortion on
demand. Seize the banks!

Peace & Freedom Party:          

Rosanne Barr
Cindy Sheehan

Another socialist candidate, the former sitcom star is “the only serious
comedian in this campaign”, standing for “health care not health
insurance”, legalising cannabis and ending war. Running mate Cindy
Sheehan became an anti-war campaigner after losing son in Iraq.

Prohibition Party:          

Lowell “Jack” Fellure
Toby Davis

“My Presidential Campaign Platform is the Authorized 1611 King James Bible … It shall never be necessary to change it.”

Reform Party USA:          

Andre Barnett
Ken Cross

Wants tariffs on imports, cuts in corporate tax, reduced health care costs, less foreign policy and fewer illegal immigrants.

Socialist Party USA (SP-USA)/Liberty Union Party:       

Stewart Alexander
Alejandro “Alex” Mendoza

Support Occupy, scrap the Patriot Act. “You cannot simply regulate the
weed of capitalism by chopping off its leaves – you must pull it out by
the root and replace it with something beneficial.”

Socialist Equality Party:    

Jerome “Jerry” White (Michigan)
Phyllis Scherrer (Pennsylvania)

More socialists. Internationalist, anti-imperialist, Trotskyist,
pro-free health care and “social equality”. “Expropriate the banks and
corporations.” 

Socialist Workers Party (SWP):

James Harris
Maura DeLuca

Yet more socialists, internationalists, Trotskyists. “Put millions to work
building what we need.”
For a list of absolutely every candidate and links to their websites, visit http://www.politics1.com/p2012.

Source: RFI English

”The truth might be hard to say, painful to bear or even drastic for the truth sayer but still needed to be said”. ALISON.