HOT TOPICS

**How Did Passage of Proposition 14 Change the Way We Vote?**
Presidential & V.P.: Unchanged	Statewide Partisan Races: Big Changes
Nomination: Varies by party. Republican Example: The hotly contested race between Ron Paul and Mitt Romney means Republican (only) voters do have a say on June 5: The CA GOP awards the winning candidate in each congressional district, three (3) delegates to the national convention. The eventual presidential nominee names his running mate. Libertarian Example: The June vote has no effect: the California Libertarians already sent delegates to their national convention; Gary Johnson and Judge Gray were selected by the delegates. Democratic Example: The Democrats, like the GOP, have a formula for assigning delegates based on the June 5 vote; they do allow "no party preference" voters to vote, however, only one candidate is on the ballot.	Nomination: Voters now choose directly. On June 5, voters, without regard to party, will vote, and all but the top two vote-getters for each office will be eliminated. Local & Nonpartisan Races These races are unaffected. Impact on Campaigning: As you can see, your November ballot will have a variety of candidates for president, variously chosen by half a dozen parties, and representing different views. However, after June 5, for statewide races, only the viewpoints of two candidates will be debated, in some cases both from the same party, and there will be only two options for each office on your November ballot.

**Foreign Policy - War & Peace**
Barack Obama	Mitt Romney	Ron Paul
POLICY GOAL
Strengthen America's leadership with a strong military, staying true to our values & ideals. (Source)	Secure America's enduring interests and ideals and "an American Century." (link to site) Quote: [In response to a question about military spending] “We want to draw [Afghanistan & Pakistan] toward modernity.” Author: No Apology: Believe in America	Promote peace and prosperity through free trade; bring the troops home to protect us, not start wars. Author: A Foreign Policy of Freedom: Peace, Commerce, and Honest Friendship
FOREIGN POLICY EXPERIENCE
President of the USA. Senator, 1/2 term. Member, Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.	Salt Lake Organizing Committee, Olympic Winter Games	As Air Force/Air National Guard flight surgeon was stationed in Ethiopia, Iran, Pakistan, South Korea, and Turkey (1963 – 1968). Congress Member, 12 terms. Member, House Foreign Affairs Committee. Speech before the House laying out his foreign-policy predictions: View video.
PLAN
Continue foreign nation–building using force, threats of force, additional sanctions against, and aid. (Source)	Continue foreign nation-building using force, threats of force, additional sanctions against, and aid. To review our transition to the Afghan military by holding discussions with our commanders in the field. (Source) Iran: “Implement a Fifth Round of Tougher Sanctions” Syria: Pursue a strategy of isolating and pressuring the Assad regime to increase the likelihood of a peaceful transition to a legitimate government. Iraq: Use the broad array of our foreign–policy tools—diplomatic, economic, and military—to establish a lasting relationship with Iraq. (Source) Begin reversing Obama-era cuts to national missile defense and prioritize the full deployment of a multilayered national ballistic missile defense system. (Source)	Practice the “golden rule” in foreign policy, & stop paying for defense of Japan, Germany, & others.
ACTIONS
With Congress, imposed sanctions on Iran. Launched air strikes on Libyan air defenses. Raised troop levels in Afghanistan. Signed agreement to stay in Afghanistan until 2024. (Source)	N/A	In Congress, voted to target Osama Bin Laden. Opposed sanctions as “an act of war.” Pushed Congress to debate, and declare or reject, wars.
Sanctions and how they work: Sanctions against Yemen, Somalia, and U.S. citizens; propping up dictators; democracy (view video).

Economic Priorities
Barack Obama	Mitt Romney	Ron Paul
POLICY GOAL
Use politicians, bureaucrats, & the Federal Reserve Bank to control the economy.	Use politicians, bureaucrats, & the Federal Reserve Bank to control the economy.	Remove politics from the economy; return control to the people. End government inflation.
ECONOMICS EXPERIENCE
President of the U.S.A. Senator, 1/2 term.	Management Consultant to Monsanto and others. Founded Bain Capital (investments/leveraged buyouts). President and CEO of the Salt Lake Organizing Committee, Olympic Winter Games. Governor of Massachusetts.	Congressional Committees: Banking Financial Services; Ranking Member, Domestic and International Monetary Policy, Trade, and Technology; Vice-Chair of Oversight and Investigations; Joint Economic Committee. Small business owner: medical practice publishing company retail coin shop Author: End the Fed
PLAN
Take aggressive steps to force improvement. Run deficits. Social Security, Medicare cuts. Tax breaks for wind turbines & advanced car batteries.	Cut non-security discretionary spending 5%. Run deficits. Reduce arts subsidies. Privatize Amtrak. Raise retirement age.	Save $1 trillion federal spending, year one. Use it to reduce taxes, fund social programs, and investment. Balance budget by year 3.
ACTIONS
Signed stimulus plan; bailed out automakers. Proposed more federal debt. Cut Medicare.	Supported $700 billion bank bailout. Suggests Social Security and Medicare cuts.	Obtained audit of Fed. Reserve Bank; exposed payments to foreign banks. Opposed bailouts & stimulus. Voted against CARS. * Voted against TARP. † Predicted the Housing bubble in a speech opposing the bill that created it. (Source video, Video)
* CARS - Car Allowance Rebate System (“Cash for Clunkers”): It claimed federal authority to spend $3 billion of public funds for car rebates to benefit new car buyers. † TARP - Troubled Asset Relief Program: It claimed federal authority to give money to banks at taxpayer expense.†

Civil Rights
Barack Obama	Mitt Romney	Ron Paul
Some of your rights on which the presidential candidates have either attacked or defended, and have sworn an oath of office to uphold: From the Bill of Rights: Amendment I – to freedom of speech, peaceable assembly, petition the government for redress; Amendment II – to keep and bear arms; Amendment IV - to be secure against unreasonable searches and seizures, to warrants only with probable cause; Amendment V – to due process, no double jeopardy, no self-incrimination, no eminent domain without just compensation; Amendment VI - to a speedy and public (criminal) trial, by impartial jury from the crime's location, to know the charges, to confront witnesses, to the assistance of counsel for defense; Amendment VII – to (civil) trial by jury; Amendment VIII - no excessive bail, no cruel or unusual punishment; Amendment IX – to keep all rights, even if not specifically listed; Amendment X - to keep all powers not delegated to the federal government, for the states or individuals See more at Wikipedia. Learn about recent erosions of our Bill of Rights, through the NDAA, Patriot Act, others. Video of Ben Swann: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, including Obama's orders to kill a teenager at a barbecue. Meet the newly appointed Death Czar, here.
U.S.A. PATRIOT Act - The Uniting (and) Strengthening America (by) Providing Appropriate Tools Required (to) Intercept (and) Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001: Claims authority to violate constitutional prohibitions against unreasonable search and seizure (e.g., searches without a warrant issued by a judge), to expand intrusion into banking records and telephone communications, to prohibit speech through issuance of “National Security Letters,” to hold people without trial, charges, or representation before a judge, indefinitely, based on “suspicion.
Joined this attack. Voted in favor of the act. Signed an extension into law.	Joined this attack. Campaigned in favor of the Patriot Act. Quote: “The PATRIOT Act is a useful tool.”	Campaigned against and voted against this attack on civil rights. Quote: Called it “The Repeal the Fourth Amendment” Act. Quote: “The PATRIOT Act is unpatriotic because it undermines our liberty.... We can still provide security without sacrificing our bill of rights.”
N.D.A.A. – National Defense Authorization Act 2012: Claims to affirm authority for indefinite detention of suspects without trial, charges, or representation before a judge, by the military. Imposes sanctions against Iran. Recently blocked by a judge as unconstitutional. Read two news reports (from May 16, 2012) on the court decision, here: Bloomberg, Huffington Post. View video on the problems with N.D.A.A., here.
Barack Obama	Mitt Romney	Ron Paul
Joined this attack. Signed it into law. Reportedly asked for additional powers. View video.	Joined this attack. Campaigned in favor of the N.D.A.A. Quote: “Yes, I would have signed the N.D.A.A. [as written].” Opposes torture, but supports “limited enhanced interrogation techniques.”	Campaigned against and voted against this attack on civil rights.
HR–347: “Federal Restricted Buildings and Grounds Improvement Act of 2011.” - Criminalizes demonstrations with signs or speech in the proximity of any person getting Secret Service protection, no matter where they are, and whether or not you know they're there. From Reason hit & run. From the ACLU. Video Report. From Slate.
Barack Obama	Mitt Romney	Ron Paul
Joined the attack. Signed the bill. Uses Secret Service protection.	Uses Secret Service protection.	Defended freedom of speech via opposition to HR–347 (one of 3 votes against to 399 in favor). Quote: “We don't have free speech so we can talk about the weather.”
Marriage: The governments of various states began to require a marriage licenses after the Civil War. Prior to that, marriage was a private matter. “In the 1920s, they were used by 38 states to prohibit whites from marrying blacks, mulattos, Japanese, Chinese, Indians, Mongolians, Malays or Filipinos without a state approved license. At least 32 nations have established significant prohibitions on same-sex marriage.” – From Wikipedia
Barack Obama	Mitt Romney	Ron Paul
Declared the Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutional and announced the administration will no longer defend it in court. (Source)	Quote: “As president, Mitt will not only appoint an Attorney General who will defend the Defense of Marriage Act—a bipartisan law passed by Congress and signed by President Clinton—but he will also champion a Federal Marriage Amendment to the Constitution defining marriage as between one man and one woman.” From his campaign web site.	*From his book, Liberty Defined:* “In a free society…all voluntary and consensual agreements would be recognized.... There should essentially be no limits to the voluntary definition of marriage.” “Everyone can have his or her own definition of what marriage means, and if an agreement or contract is reached by the participants, it would qualify as a civil contract if desired.... Why not tolerate everyone’s definition as long as neither side uses force to impose its views on the other? Problem solved!”
Consumer Issues: Under various federal “laws” such as those used in the so-called “war on drugs” and on other federal prohibitions on consumption of food, drugs, beverages, and other things (e.g., on raw milk, light bulbs), the federal government is in conflict with California law, even though consumer rights are reserved to the states and to the People.
Barack Obama	Mitt Romney	Ron Paul
Wants to keep marijuana illegal, crack down on drug cartels, spend more money on drug programs, reduce demand, and change public attitudes along the lines of the anti-smoking, pro-seat belts, and anti-drinking programs (video). Discussion of the Obama administration's raids on dispensaries in California (video).	Quote: In answer to a medical marijuana patient who asked whether Romney would arrest him and his doctors, “I'm not in favor of medical marijuana.” As governor, enacted mandatory healthcare. Proposed a national mandate.	Quote: “I would absolutely never use the federal government to enforce the law against anybody using marijuana.” “It's not my job to run your life.”
Video Comparisons: Romney vs. Obama – Marriage Romney vs. Paul – The Constitution and War Romney vs. Paul – The U.S.A. PATRIOT Act Romney vs. Paul – The N.D.A.A. of 2012 Romney vs. Obama – The N.D.A.A. of 2012 Romney vs. Paul – on Marijuana

Who Donates? Top 5 Contributor Sources
Barack Obama	Mitt Romney	Ron Paul
Individuals working for these employers:
Microsoft DLA Piper University of California Sidley Austin LLP Google	Goldman Sachs JPMorgan Chase Bank of America Morgan Stanley Credit Suisse	U.S. Army U.S. Navy U.S. Air Force Google U.S. Department of Defense
Individuals in these fields:
Retired Lawyers & Law Firms Education Securities & Investment Business Services	Retired Securities & Investment Lawyers & Law Firms Real Estate Miscellaneous Finance	Retired Miscellaneous Business Health Professionals Computers–Internet Other
Source for the donor information above is Open Secrets.

You can share this Voter Guide in two ways:

1. E-mail a shorter, “print” version to everyone you know in California who:
• is unsure about how Proposition 14 affects their voting this year;
• needs to know who is still in the race and who has dropped out;
• wants to know whether their vote still counts;
• wants a quick comparison of the main candidates for president who haven’t been officially nominated, yet.

Small version of file (in .GIF format) (Page 1 here, and Page 2 here), small enough to embed in or attach to an e-mail message.

2. You can print and hand out or mail this .PDF flyer:

Pages 1 & 2 in .PDF format (medium quality, about 4MB in size)