The Daily Orange political columnists focus on keys to success for either Obama, Romney as New York primary draws near

Businessman and former Gov. Mitt Romney is poised to take the New York Republican primary, but national polls indicate a close national race between Romney and Obama.

We will have a heated presidential contest of stark ideological contrast and one that will determine the future of our nation because of this.

Notwithstanding other points of polarization, the upcoming presidential election will be a referendum on returning free market capitalism to the United States. Obama has espoused rhetoric against the free market and the top 1 percent of income earners throughout his four years in office.

On Election Day, he will be challenged by Mitt Romney, a member of the 1 percent and advocate of free market capitalism. So this election will be a choice between further government expansion into the private sector or restructuring government policy with a laissez-faire approach.

Obama seeks to justify envy toward our most productive people only because great wealth was the product of their productivity. He tells us that if the creative, successful and established people give everyone just a little bit, we could all succeed. He says the profit motive often obstructs progress.

Yet, what truly obstructs progress is selective government backing. When the government blocks construction of a pipeline that would supply a fuel we all demand, instead subsidizing an energy industry that cannot support itself, we all lose.

To refer to Ayn Rand: When we must obtain permission from men who produce nothing to produce, we will know our society is doomed.

Michael Stikkel is a sophomore computer engineering major. His column appears online weekly. He can be reached at mcstikke@syr.edu.  

Published on April 22, 2012 at 12:00 pm