I have created this presentation for an English exam in my last year at the Immanuel Kant high school in Leinfelden, Germany. It is about the 2012 presidential election in the United States and its electoral system. I got 14 out of 15 credits for this presentation and after it I conducted a spontaneous survey among the 15 students on who they would vote for if they were Americans. 13 out of 15 voted for Barack Obama, the remaining two for Mitt Romney.

1. The Electoral System of the USA
The 2012 Presidential Election
Barack Obama vs. Mitt Romney

2. topics
• The political parties
• Congress
• The Presidential Election
• The latest polls
• my sources

3. The major political parties

4. The Democratic Party
• Founded in 1828
• Considered to be liberal
• Political aims:
• Social and economic programs by government
• Higher taxation of the rich
• Environmental engagement
• Voters: women, academics, minority groups,
working class, organized labor
• W. Wilson, F. Roosevelt, J. Kennedy

5. The Republican Party
the “Grand Old Party”
• Founded in 1854
• Considered to be conservative
• Political aims:
• Tax reduction
• Encouragement of private enterprise
• Minimal governmental intervention: sovereignty of states
• Voters: wealthy, business, middle class
• A. Lincoln, R. Reagan, G. W. Bush

6. II. Congress

7. source: www.kminot.com

8. U.S. House of Representatives
• 435 elected members, 6 delegates
• 2-year term
• Passes federal legislation
• Exclusive powers:
• Initiation of revenue bills
• Impeachment of officials
• Election of President (if the EC is tied)

9. United States House of Representatives seat distribution

10. United States House of Representatives seat distribution
240 Republicans - 190 Democrats

11. U.S. Senate
• 100 senators, 2 from each state
• 6-year term
• Re-election of a third after two years
• Collegial atmosphere
• Law proposals
• Exclusive powers
• Approval of international treaties
• Court during impeachment procedure
• Confirmation of high officials
• Checks the President and the judicial branch

12. United States Senate seat distribution
53 Democrats - 47 Republicans

13. source: www.kminot.com

14. The major candidates

15. The Primaries
• Calendar: January to June 2012
• Primary: candidates on ballot
• Caucus: public discussions in villages

16. The Republican Primaries
• Primaries:
• Mitt Romney: 42 states
• Rick Santorum: 11 states
• Newt Gingrich: 2 states
• Ron Paul: 1 state
• Republican National Convention:
• Mitt Romney: 2.061 delegates
• Ron Paul: 190 delegates
• Rick Santorum: 9 delegates

17. The Democratic Primaries
• Democratic National Convention:
• Barack Obama: 5415 delegates (100%)
• Joe Biden (Acclamation)

18. elect
President January 20th
House of majority
Representatives January 3, 2013
no majority
Electoral College
December 17th
meet in
Electorates
elect
November 6th
eligible voters

19. Electoral College
• 538 electorates
• Electoral College on December 17

20. The 57th Presidential Election
• Tuesday November 6th, 2012
• Elections on the same day
• U.S. House of Representatives
• U.S. Senate class 1
• 11 gubernatorial elections (DE, IN, MO, MT, NC, ND, NH,
UT,VT, WA, WV)
• Several state legislature elections
• Electoral College on December 17th

21. Elegible candidates
• Major candidates
• Barack Obama and Joe Biden (Democratic Party)
• Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan (Republican Party)
• Third party candidates
• Gary Johnson and Jim Gray (Libertarian Party)
• Jill Stein and Cheri Honkala (Green Party)
• Virgil Goode and Jim Clymer (Constitution Party)
• Rocky Anderson and Luis Rodriguez (Justice Party)

22. Barack Obama
• Born on August 4th, 1961
• 1983: graduation from Columbia University
• 1991: Juris Doctor at Harvard University
• 1992: marriage with Michelle Robinson
• 1992: University of Chicago Law School
• 1997-2004: Senator in Illinois
• 2005-2008: Senator in the U.S. Senate
• 2008-2012 President of the United States

23. Mitt Romney
• Born on March 12, 1947
• 1966: 30 months in France as missionary
• 1969: marriage with Ann Davies
• 1971: BA at Brigham Young University
• 1975: joint JDMBA from Harvard University
• 1984: co-foundation of Bain Capital
• 2002: chief organizer of Winter Olympics
• 2003-2007 Governor of Massachusetts

24. The President’s plan
• Cheap education
• More manufacturing jobs
• Energy independence
• Better health care system
• Reducing deficit
• Cut superfluous spending
• Higher taxes for the wealthy
• Ending war in Afghanistan

25. The Governor’s plan
• Energy independence
• Fair international trade (e.g. with China)
• Easier access to education
• Reducing the deficit
• Support of small businesses
• Tax reduction for all Americans

26. The latest polls
source: www.realclearpolitics.com

27. Colorado: Obama 50% - Romney 48%
Florida: Obama 48% - Romney 47%
Iowa: Obama 50% - Romney 44%
Nevada: Obama 47% - Romney 45%
New Hampshire: Obama 49% - Romney 47%
Ohio: Obama 50% - Romney 47%
Virginia: Obama 49% - Romney 47%
Wisconsin: Obama 49% - Romney 46%
source: www.cnn.com

28. source: www.cnn.com

29. Germans elect Obama
If the Germans had to elect
3%
the next U.S. President a
17%
majority of 80% would vote
for Barack Obama. About 50%
of the 1600 Germans think
the election is important for
Germany as well.
Obama
80% undecided
Romney
source: FASZ 04.11.2012

30. My sources
• www.senate.gov
• www.house.gov
• www.wikipedia.com
• www.cnn.com/election/2012
• www.barackobama.com
• www.mittromney.com

31. created by:
Valentin Schraub
for an exam presentation at
high school, 12th grade
Immanuel-Kant-Gymnasium
Leinfelden-Echterdingen
Germany
November 5, 2012