The Reno Gazette-Journal has endorsed Mitt Romney for president:
Nevada was the state hit hardest by the great recession, and four years later, the state continues to lag well behind the others as the U.S. economy shows signs of slow improvement. Its unemployment rate remains worst in the nation; the foreclosure rate, while no longer No. 1, is still among the worst; and the tourism industry continues to struggle. And because of that, public services have been decimated and our schools, in particular, are failing to meet the needs of a state determined to diversify its economy.
However, while he had to contend with a Republican Party that was determined to deny him a second term at any cost, Obama cannot avoid the consequences of poor decisions and misplaced priorities.
Foremost among them was his early focus on an overreaching health-care reform plan that wasted 12 very valuable months of his and Congress’ time and cost him precious political capital. The manner in which the legislation was drafted violated Obama’s pledge to govern openly, and its passage — leveraged through a supermajority — served to further galvanize the partisan divide in Congress. Fear of the impact of that reform and the costs associated with it continue to play a major role in preventing businesses from hiring new employees at a time when nearly everyone agrees that jobs must be the president’s foremost goal.
A vote to re-elect Obama promises four more years of the same. In the two debates between the two candidates so far (a third, on foreign affairs, is scheduled for Monday), the president has shown little understanding of how his failures are affecting the nation, and he hasn’t offered any tangible proposals to change course.
The Gazette-Journal endorsed Barack Obama in 2008.
