Rare News Desk
One year after the 2012 presidential election, voters around the country have grown increasingly frustrated by the government. From NSA to HealthCare.gov, and drones to the shutdown, people are not very happy. Rare went out and asked people who did NOT vote for Mitt Romney in the 2012 election, just how they thought the country is faring, and what they wish for the future.
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Eric Timms: Silver Spring, Md.
Who did you vote for in 2012? I voted for Barack Obama. I was very supportive of what he was doing and, at that point, I thought he had done a good job under very difficult circumstances.
Do you think President Obama has done a good job in the last year?: I find the whole NSA thing very disconcerting and upsetting. Drones are also something that I was aware of a year ago, but find much more disheartening today.
Antarah Crawley: Washington, D.C.
Do you think President Obama has done a good job in the last year?: In comparison to Mitt Romney, yes. [President] Obama has done as good as he could with Congress breathing down his neck. There has been a lot of opposition to some of the things he has tried to put forth; he has a lot of obligations to his campaign contributors.
Rhys McCaig: Melbourne, Australia
Who did you vote for last year and why?: I didn’t vote, unfortunately; I am not a citizen, I am a permanent resident. If I were a citizen, I would have voted for Barack Obama.
What are you looking for in a candidate in 2016?: I would look for a candidate that is looking in the interest of the nation. In 2016, I hope to be able to vote so this is a very important question. I’m looking for someone who is interested in solving real problems and being less political about all their decisions. Someone who is more inclusive toward everyone, regardless if they are poor or rich, or based on their sexual orientation. I’m looking for someone who can look at the nation as a whole.
Robert Jacobs: Washington, D.C.
Who did you vote for last year and why?: I didn’t vote. I felt that the choices were pretty lacking in their range. When it comes to foreign policy, I thought that Mitt Romney and Barack Obama were pretty wetted to the same policies that we have had for the same 50 years. On the domestic side, I think they both were aware of the social safety net. I got tired of choosing the lesser of two evils.
Zack Powell: Wichita, Ks.
Do you think President Obama has done a good job in the last year?: Overall, yes; it has certainly been rougher than we thought it would be. Given all the resistance in the house, I am still happy overall. As a gay citizen, I appreciate that he is supportive of marriage equality and he supports our rights. I feel like someone is representing me.
What are you looking for in a candidate in 2016?: Someone who could better negotiate with Congress and the Senate. It would be nice to have someone who could navigate between the two parties better.
Max Brown: Cleveland, Ohio
Do you think Obama has done a good job in the last year?: I would give him a solid B. I would give him an A on the financial side. He inherited the worst fiscal structure since the Great Depression. I think it was phenomenal how he was able to turn that around. I think that will be remembered as the cornerstone of his administration.
What are you looking for in a candidate in 2016?: I would like someone who is a little bit more innovative, a little bit more of a risk taker. Someone who had a greater ability to drive things through Congress, even though it isn’t the president’s fault; Congress just hates the guy.
Bernie McGrath: Jersey City, N.J.
If the election was tomorrow would you vote the same way as 2012?: I would still vote for Gov. Gary Johnson. President Obama has proven to be more-or-less the wiretapping warmonger that a lot of us Independent’s thought he was. And never in a million years would I vote for Gov. Romney. I’ll never understand how decreasing revenue and increasing spending was supposed to cut the deficit.
What are you looking for in a candidate in 2016: At this point, I’d be happy with anyone but an extremest. Extremest tea-party members might satisfy their constituency, but would never win the nomination. It might just political savvy on their part, but a lot of the promising candidates for me in 2016 are moderates.
Charles Rhodes: Alexandria, Va.
Do you think Obama has done a good job in the last year?: No, I don’t think he has done very well. I don’t think he is following up on what he said he would follow up on. I don’t think he is capable of getting the [political] backing that we all thought he would have.
Lawrence Miller: Fairfax, Va.
What are you looking for in a candidate in 2016?: I’m looking for someone who can get the economy going. We have had high unemployment rates for too long, and that needs to change.
Related articles
- Mitt Romney: “We recognized what was at stake” (rare.go-vip.net)
- Did Mitt Romney pass on Chris Christie because of his weight? (rare.go-vip.net)
- Mitt Romney Says Obama’s Second Term Is ‘Rotting’ Away (huffingtonpost.com)
