Every contender has their plusses and minuses. This is a quick breakdown of the assets and liabilities of every current candidate. In some cases the positives far outweigh the negatives so please consider every candidate very carefully before casting your vote for President of the United States of America. Enjoy.......

By: Tony Altit

Stewart Alexis Alexander

59 Years old
Democrat (running on the Socialist and Peace and Freedom tickets)
Former radio talk show host
Currently the State Chairperson for the Socialist Party of California
Formerly ran as a VP in 2008 on the Socialist Party ticket

Pros; strong background in listening to the electorate and engaging in an informed exchange of ideas, charming enough to have the backing of two political parties.

Cons; has strong ties to well funded special interest groups (with very deep pockets) that are also known as ‘unions’, very likely to put the needs of unions ahead of other causes and concerns, one of the two parties supporting Mr. Alexander is the Socialist Party.

Assessment

Stewart Alexander is the issues candidate for union members. Mr. Alexander is also remarkably similar politically to Barack Obama whom he considers a failure, and that raises an interesting point; for voters that are are pro-union and anti-capitalism Mr. Alexander may not be their only choice. The current President has worked very hard for unions and has publicly criticized Wall Street. Mr. Alexander needs to do something to differentiate himself politically from the current President if he intends to gain broader liberal support for his candidacy.

What to Watch For

Because of his politics, Mr. Alexander attracts very little support from corporate contributors and from individuals who have 401K retirement plans which rely on a thriving free enterprise system in order to generate retirement income. Keep your eyes open and see if Stewart Alexander can actually get his name among the choices in your local voting booth.

Roger V. Gary

64 Years old
Libertarian
Former Chair of the Libertarian Party of Texas and Director of the San Antonio River Authority
Currently has a seat on the Texas Railroad Commission

Pros; wants to reduce the scope and authority of the Federal government in order to return more power to the Sates and to the American people, opposes government bailouts for businesses.

Cons; Mr. Gary’s libertarian foreign policy views don’t acknowledge the complexity of our synchronous and symbiotic global economy. Many American jobs rely on global commerce and uncertain trade agreements with unstable foreign governments require a firm hand.

Assessment

Roger Gary is having a hard time getting the word out that he is running. Mr. Gary’s political views are very similar to the public positions that Republican contender Ron Paul takes; that makes it more difficult for Mr. Gary to stand apart and gain some attention for his candidacy.

What to Watch For

Unless a candidate gets national attention and shows strong numbers in national polls they don’t get invited to debates or onto popular talking head shows. Keep your eyes and ears open to see if Mr. Gary gets his name onto your local ballot.

Newton Leroy "Newt" Gingrich

68 Years old
Republican
Former Speaker of the House of Representatives
Currently serves on the Board of Governors of the National Space Society

Pros; Newt Gingrich is creative, straight forward, and an effective politician. Under Newt Gingrich’s leadership in the U.S. House of Representatives the Federal Government operated on a balanced budget for 4 years. The federal budget hasn’t been balanced since Mr. Gingrich left Congress thirteen years ago.

Cons; bus loads of personal baggage that includes an affair, a couple of divorces and the big one; Gingrich is the only Speaker of the House in U.S. history that was disciplined for ethics violations even though eighty-three of the eighty-four charges were dropped. When it was all said and done the entire committee couldn’t agree on whether or not a law had ever been violated.

Assessment

Probably the smartest candidate in the field, Newt Gingrich may also have the best skill-set to defeat Barack Obama and undo what he has done. His only weak spot may be a personal history of exercising bad judgment. On any normal day America could use a thinker and a visionary in the Oval Office. On the very worst of days America needs a respected leader with sound judgment at the helm (and that doesn’t help Mr. Gingrich).

What to Watch For

When it comes to understanding and implementing policy, plus playing hardball politics in Washington; Newt Gingrich offers priceless expertise. Expect the contrast between the proven effectiveness of Newt Gingrich and the proven ineffectiveness of Barack Obama to make it easier for voters to decide to vote for a conservative in 2012 (if Newt Gingrich gets the Republican nomination).

Gary Earl Johnson

58 Years old
Libertarian
Former Governor of New Mexico
Currently not disclosed

Pros; Gary Johnson's accomplishments as the Governor of New Mexico include; a balanced budget, zero tax increases in six years, a comprehensive road construction program, two new private penitentiaries, changed Medicaid to managed care, vetoed a record number of bills, and reduced the size of New Mexico’s government. Promises to do the same for America and has the track record to back him up.

Cons; not a strong debater and a questionable campaigner on the national level, Mr. Johnson was excluded from numerous Republican debates because of his polling numbers.

Assessment

Gary Johnson is seeking the nomination of the Libertarian Party because he couldn't get much traction for his campaign as a Republican, which is surprising because he has accomplished much more than most of his competitors. Gary Johnson would be an ideal choice for the Libertarian Party because he has a higher rating than Texas Congressman Ron Paul in the ACLU "Liberty Watch" ratings.

What to Look For

Because Mr. Johnson is an accomplished leader and has proven he can balance a budget; he can be expected to find a following among Libertarians. If Gary Johnson gets the Libertarian Party nomination; he will be on the ballot in all 50 States.

Fred S. Karger

61 Years Old
Republican (running on an independent ticket)
Formerly a senior political consultant for Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, and George H.W. Bush
Currently a gay rights activist

Pros; Fred Karger is politically savvy and well organized, he was the first official candidate for President in 2012, kicking off his campaign on March 23rd, 2011.

Cons; an advocate for tobacco which some people may consider one of America’s top killers, Mr. Karger has never held any public office or had to be directly accountable to the American people.

Assessment

Mr. Karger may be too politically imaginative for his own good. For example, Fred Karger has proposed reducing the voting age so that 16 and 17 year olds can vote. Because minors are not legally responsible for their decisions and actions (their parents are) permitting minors to vote would invalidate election results by default.

What to Look For

Expect Mr. Karger to promote gay, lesbian, and transgender issues. Keep your eyes and ears open for Mr.  Karger to use his political campaign as a fund raising channel for a variety of LGBT rights organizations. If Fred Karger intends to become a real contender he will have to provide more details about where he stands on today's hottest issues.

Anthony Robert “Andy” Martin-Trigona

66 Years old
Republican
Formerly an Adjunct Professor of Law at the City University of New York
Currently a Public Interest Attorney

Pros; Andy Martin could be called the transparency candidate. Mr. Martin has been a thorn in the side of the Obama administration for demanding the transparency that was promised by President Obama during the election of 2008.

Cons; Mr. Martin has previously run for political office as a Democrat, Republican and Independent and has never been elected to serve. Mr. Martin attempted to run for public office as a member of the Reform Party of Illinois but didn’t qualify. Perhaps Stewart Alexander could offer to let Mr. Martin run for one of his two political parties if this run as a Republican doesn’t work out.

Assessment

The 2012 election could provide Mr. Martin with a national stage to demand more transparency from the Obama administration.

What to Look For

Expect Andy Martin to continue to stand up for what he believes to be true.

James "Jimmy" McMillan III

64 Years old
Republican
Founder of Rent Is Too Damn High Party
Former U.S. soldier who earned 3 Bronze Stars in Vietnam
Currently an R&B musician

Pros; wants to reduce the amount that renters pay to remain in their homes, knows how to stand apart from the other Republican Presidential candidates.

Cons; although Mr. McMillan has run for public office he has never held a public position and doesn’t have any applicable leadership experience.

Assessment

Using his candidacy as a platform for his position on the cost of renting property.

What to Look For

Keep your eyes open to see if Mr. McMillan’s name appears on your local ballot.

Thomas “Tom” Miller

46 Years old
Republican
Formerly a flight attendant for an undisclosed corporation
Current activities have not been disclosed

Pros; Tom Miller is running for President as a traditional common sense conservative and seems determined not to be a traditional candidate. Mr. Miller could be a breath of fresh air.

Cons; Not yet a breath of fresh air, Tom Miller is a very private man who is the least transparent Republican candidate. We haven’t seen a legitimate resume; don’t know what he has accomplished, what leadership positions he has held, what boards or committees he has served on, and what political campaigns he has worked for in the past.

Assessment

Mr. Miller wants to start at the very top of American politics by taking an outside the box approach to campaigning on inside the box ideas, and all while being secretive about his responsibilities and achievements. Tom Miller’s opaque approach to seeking public office could turn out to be the perfect formula for political failure.

What to Look For

Because Mr. Miller is playing by his own rhetorical rules and charting his own rhetorical course don’t look for him to build a large following any time soon. Keep your eyes and ears open for a legitimate “About the Candidate” page on his Website that will reveal once and for all who he actually is, what he has stood up for in the past, what he’s already accomplished, and what he’s currently accomplishing right now (and written without rhetoric, please).

Barack “Barry” Soetoro Hussein Obama II

50 Years old
Democrat
Formerly the Junior U.S. Senator from Illinois
Currently the 44th President of the United States of America and Commander-in-Chief

Pros; Barack Obama authorized the "surgical raid" that ended the life of Osama bin Laden, kept his promise to pull all U.S. troops out of Iraq, inspired millions of people the World over by becoming the first black U.S. President, and appointed two women to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Cons; considers the U.S. Constitution a nuisance and in his own words “a flawed document.” Pushed for and signed the biggest spending bills in U.S. history and now overseas the biggest budget deficit of any U.S. President. Misleads America by blaming Republicans every time the Democratic controlled Senate rejects his policies. Most Americans favor the repeal of Mr. Obama’s healthcare law which may be ruled unconstitutional before the end of 2012.

Assessment

Mr. Obama was sworn into office at one of the worst moments in American history and outgoing President Bush didn’t leave him much to work with. Although Mr. Obama inherited a Democratic controlled Senate and House of Representatives he’s had very few political accomplishments in Washington. Perhaps someone should explain to Mr. Obama that speaking publicly isn’t an achievement. Currently an over exposed media darling, many Americans would prefer Mr. Obama stopped making speeches, stopped spending money, and waited until he retires to spend so much time golfing, traveling, and throwing lavish parties.

What to Watch For

Because no advisor on Earth is brilliant enough to design a successful reelection campaign around such a thin record; Mr. Obama may be relying on misdirection to help him win a second term. Here’s what to lookout for; when speaking publicly, Mr. Obama accused a conservative audience of booing a gay U.S. Marine. There is no evidence that the audience was booing the soldier. There is ample evidence the conservative audience was booing the soldier’s liberal politics. That shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone because the setting was a Republican debate. Keep your eyes and ears open for more political spin in the form of misleading accusations from Barack Obama.

Ronald Ernest "Ron" Paul

76 Years old
Republican
Formerly a private practice physician
Currently a U.S. Representative from Texas (14th District)

Pros; wants to reduce the size and scope of government in order to give more power and freedom to the American people and reenergize the U.S. economy.

views fail to recognize the complexity of our synchronous and symbiotic global economy. For example; many of the countries that receive the most foreign aid have nuclear weapons and unstable governments. Reducing American involvement may not be prudent or realistic.

Cons; Mr. Paul’s libertarian foreign policy vlews fail to recognize the complexity of our synchronous and symbiotic global economy. For example; many of the countries that receive the most foreign aid have nuclear weapons and unstable governments. Reducing American involvement may not be prudent or realistic.

Assessment

Ron Paul is the issues candidate for Libertarians. Mr. Paul’s desire to return America to the gold standard ignores the widely regarded wisdom to diversify financial risks as much as possible. Every Dollar is currently backed by the entire U.S. economy (which is as diverse as it gets). Ron Paul’s call to audit the Federal Reserve might sound like a good idea except it contradicts his belief that government should stick to governing and not interfere in the business of private corporations.

What to Look For

The politicians that scream the loudest about the Chinese government manipulating their currency become the quietest once elected to high office because the U.S. government has been one of the greatest currency manipulators in the global economy for a long time (to America’s advantage). If Ron Paul becomes our next President don’t expect any major changes in U.S. economic policy.

Carl E. Person

74 Years old
Libertarian
Formerly a legal innovator who was instrumental in creating the paralegal field
Currently an independent Attorney

Pros; Carl Person has a very strong business background and has successfully run an individual law practice for over 40 years. Knows from first hand experience how difficult the federal government can make operating a successful small business.

Cons; one of the most innovative and intelligent Presidential candidates has never held public office and has no track record as a public official.

Assessment

Carl Person created the first private and for profit court system and basically invented the paralegal and paralegal services. Mr. Person has demonstrated the ability to solve problems with smart solutions that can save money, empower individuals, and get results.

What to Look For

Keep your eyes and ears open for fresh ideas to come out of the Person 2012 campaign. Because Mr. Person is a proven trendsetter he may have an intrinsic advantage over the other libertarian candidates who take similar positions on foreign policy, the Federal Reserve, and U.S. currency.

Charles Elson "Buddy" Roemer III

68 Years old
Republican
Former Governor of Louisiana
Currently President and CEO of Business First Bank

Pros; a big believer in positive thinking, Buddy Roemer wants to give America something to be positive about. He plans to change the tax code to make it less of a burden on businesses of all sizes and make it easier for businesses to create jobs.

Cons; in June 2005, Governor Roemer underwent triple bypass heart surgery.

Assessment

Buddy Roemer is one of the most successful governors in Louisiana history, unemployment in his State dropped to nearly half of what it was when he took office, he took on the government unions, brought accountability to the education system, and even though he inherited a large deficit, Louisiana’s budget was balanced every year under Buddy Roemer.

What to Look For

While other candidates are peaking early and then slipping in the polls keep your eyes and ears open for Buddy Roemer to come on strong when it counts; during the early primaries.

Willard Mitt Romney

64 Years old
Republican
Formerly the Governor of Massachusetts
Currently Retired

Pros; Mitt Romney is a strong debater, an impressive campaigner, and a skilled fund raiser. He has assembled an effective and out front Presidential campaign for 2012. He clearly takes being a candidate very seriously. Mr. Romney's success as a capitalist provides a striking contrast the failing socialism of Barack Obama.

Cons; although Mitt Romney may be the ultimate candidate, he may not be the ultimate politician. His ability to flip-flop is formidable. For example; Mr. Romney was for government run healthcare for all Americans before he was against it. He also seems to believe that raising fees is the ultimate budget solution. While the Governor of Massachusetts, Mr. Romney eagerly increased fees on gasoline, gun licenses, marriage licenses, and driver’s licenses which had a disproportionate impact on people with lower incomes. Low incomes may be something Mr. Romney is still learning more about.

Assessment

Mitt Romney has the best on the ground organization, the best fund raising arm, and the best skill set to come across well on camera and on stage. He creates the impression of a strong, decisive leader except its pretty clear that a number of his opponents have been somewhat more successful at creating jobs and running their States. Mitt Romney may appear to be the ultimate candidate but other candidates have proven themselves to be better leaders and have produced better results.

What to Look For

Expect Mitt Romney to take his campaign all the way to the Republican National Convention. Keep your eyes and ears open for some smart new initiatives from the Romney organization.

Richard John "Rick" Santorum

53 Years old
Republican
Formerly the Junior U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania
Currently a member of the Ethics and Public Policy Center

Pros; Rick Santorum has a strong record for going after corruption and demanding the highest moral standards. Mr. Santorum does a great job of calling out the other candidates on their political ethics during the Republican debates, and clearly promotes Compassionate Conservatism.

Cons; Rick Santorum’s brand of morally principled conservatism might come across as self-righteous to some and inspire strong opposition in others; in 2006 Mr. Santorum was defeated 59% to 41% by Democratic candidate Bob Casey, Jr. (the loss was the largest margin of defeat for an incumbent U.S. Senator since 1980).

Assessment

When Mr. Santorum was a freshman Senator he became a member of the Republican Gang of Seven which helped uncover a scandal at the House Bank. His background suggests that he can throw out the garbage in Washington D.C. and put America on course with the U.S. Constitution again.

What to Look For

Expect Rick Santorum to keep holding the other candidates accountable and to rise in the polls when he starts holding President Obama accountable; violation of the Constitution by violation of the Constitution, and issue by issue.

Randall Almira Terry

52 Years old
Democrat
Formerly a pro-life activist
Currently a pro-life activist

Pros; passionate and focused, Randall Terry plans to take his Presidential campaign all the way to the Democratic National Convention and offer his party an alternative to four more years of misery.

Cons; Mr. Terry’s prevailing passion for pro-life politics may be too one dimensional for his candidacy to be a credible threat for the Democratic Party nomination.

Assessment

No U.S. President has won reelection in a floundering economy that struggles with very high unemployment and reduced consumer spending power. That should make it easy for other Democrats, especially a Democratic outsider to run against Barack Obama. Randall Terry takes many political positions that are significantly different from Mr. Obama’s and that should be working in his favor; except, Mr. Terry’s positions on a number of issues may make him come across as a little out of touch with the Democratic Party base.

What to Look For

Expect Mr. Terry to use his Presidential candidacy to promote his pro-life views and lose or promote his full spectrum of views to become a serious contender. If managed properly, the Terry 2012 campaign can leverage the legitimate underdog mantle and upstage a failed President. If you doubt that, keep this in mind; the only other Democrat to offer an alternative to Mr. Obama is Stewart Alexander whose running on two alternative tickets and his politics are almost indistinguishable from Barack Obama’s; that makes Randall Terry the stand out Democrat in this race.

R. Lee Wrights

53 Years old
Libertarian
Formerly the editor of the Choice Channel for the International Society for Individual Liberty. Currently the Founder and Editor of LibertyForAll.net

Pros; a lifelong Libertarian R. Lee Wrights is a champion of freedom and wants America to return to a Constitutional government.

Cons; ironically, the mainstream media is largely ignoring the only journalist in the race.

Assessment

R. Lee Wrights hasn’t yet garnered the attention that Republican candidate Ron Paul has but don’t count him out too soon. Mr. Wrights knows how to communicate a clear and consistent message; he just needs to figure out how to mount a bold and aggressive boot-strap campaign.

What to Look For

Look for Mr. Wrights to make an attempt to differentiate his campaign from the other Libertarian Presidential candidates with some bold initiatives in order to capture the imagination of the American electorate.

Vernon E. “Vern” Wuensche

65 Years old
Republican
Formerly the Founder of Texans for Efficiency in Government, Inc.
Currently President and Co-founder of Woodmark Kitchen and Bath, Inc.

Pros; Vern Wuensche has executive experience, believes the average American can make a big difference in U.S. politics, is not a flip-flopper (his lifelong political views remain unchanged), and he could turn out to be an influential judicial reformer.

Cons; would like for Americans to pay a national consumption tax, may not have the political connections, fund raising skills, or campaign organization that can take his candidacy to the next level.

Assessment

Vern Wuensche has everything it takes to be a contender as a candidate; he’s a leader and a Washington outsider who understands that laws don’t make America better, people do. The only significant thing that's missing is a high powered organization like Mitt Romney’s. His views on taxes could hurt him with conservative voters who would oppose a new tax.

What to Look For

Look for Mr. Wuensche to spend more time team building and less time campaigning early on. If he can build a solid campaign organization by January 2012, Vern Wuensche could leap out of obscurity and make a lasting impression on American politics.

I hope you enjoyed it, t'll next time,

Tony Altit.