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28 agosto Rock the VoteAs we approach election day in the United States, the political machines around the country are ramping up their campaigns. The Democratic and Republican Parties have both deemed this election as one of the most important of this generation. Of course, every election cycle is "the most important," as there are always key issues to be addressed.
This year is no different. There are a great many issues of significant importance. And true to form, various groups define their cause as the defining issue of the year, and believe votes should be cast based upon that single issue. They'll usually tell you how you should vote, as well. They are correct about one thing. You should vote. But your vote should be based on your own research and evaluation of the issues. Because their is a lot of spin going on out there, and getting to the whole truth is difficult, if not impossible. Your best bet is to read a lot of news, form your own opinions based on that news and your personal philosophy, and vote accordingly.
Here is a list of some of the topics that should have some impact on your vote:
Fiscal accountability - both parties claim to be for fiscal responsibility. Both have shown that the drumbeat of fiscal responsibility is generally beat by the opposition party. Republicans spent decades fighting the rampant growth of government they saw while Democrats controlled Congress. Now that Republicans have been in control for a decade, we see a bit of role reversal. Democrats are now calling out for fiscal control as Republicans generate much of the same pork they vehemently opposed in the past.
Taxation - both parties also claim to support tax cuts. The key difference is the beneficiary of those benefits. On one side are calls to transfer money from the wealthy to the poor. Many in this country pay no taxes, and therefore see no refund. Some receive "refunds," even though no taxes were paid (also known as transfer payments). The other side of the argument is to give tax breaks across the board. Those who pay some taxes receive a small break. Those who pay more taxes receive bigger breaks. Some refer to that as an equitable reduction in taxes. Others call it a tax break for the wealthy. Either way, tax policy should be a part of your decision making process.
Immigration - the issue of immigration has become a recurring theme in American politics. When the last general amnesty was granted 20 years ago, our elected officials claimed illegal immigration would no longer be a problem. Apparently, they were correct. It was no problem for people to enter the country illegally. And we now face the consequences of our immigration policy over the last 20 years. Basically, neither party is willing to address this issue. Both claim to have the solution. One thing is certain, immigration is a major topic in this election cycle. There are several takes on the subject, which can help you formulate a voting plan. First is the general amnesty plan, which nobody openly admits to supporting. Many, however, do favor granting amnesty to all who are currently here illegally. Another idea being floated around is the layered amnesty concept. Those here for many years pay a fine and receive citizenship. Those here for several years have to leave and are then allowed to immediately re-enter the country and seek citizenship. Those here less than 5 years have to leave and try to re-enter through normal avenues. (As an editorial, I would point out that "normal" for these people is to sneak across the border and be here illegally). Another option is to actually secure our borders and then enforce those laws already in place. Stop the flood of illegal immigration, and then deport anyone found to be here illegally. How you feel on the immigration issue will, to some degree, dictate your choices in the election.
The war in Iraq - separate from the war on Islamic terrorists, the war in Iraq is a hot-button topic. While debate rages about the actual events leading up to the war, a far better question for this election cycle is the actual prosecution of the war. The intelligence used to enter the war has been debated for the past several years. It is, at this point, largely moot. We are engaged with the enemy, and the conflict was entered with the support of Congress (debate surrounding the garnering of that support notwithstanding). Now, our leadership must determine the best course of action for securing long-term stability in the region, identify the circumstances under which American forces can begin to draw down, and ensure that our sacrifices in this conflict were not made in vain. Discussion of the history of the war is as counterproductive as continuing to debate whether President Bush or former Vice President Al Gore won the 2000 elections. Our energies are best directed at identifying who can better lead the United States in assisting the new Iraqi government to final victory over the aggressors in Iraq.
The war on Islamic terrorists - while some will take offense at the addition of the adjective "Islamic," it is important to remember where the "war on terror" is directed. While there are homegrown terrorists such as Timothy McVeigh, we are not truly at war with them. There are terrorists operating in the war on drugs. We aren't really at war with them. And there are enemies in many other struggles who use terror as a tool. We aren't engaged in a war on them. We are in a war against those who have hijacked the Islamic religion and declared war on the United States. This war began decades ago. Iranian extremists were fighting the war when they took Americans hostage during the administration of President Jimmy Carter. The conflict continued under President Reagan when they bombed the Marine barracks in Beirut, Leganon. President Bush (first) had to deal with Saddam Hussein's campaign to expand Iraq. President Clinton was plagued by Islamic terrorists as seen in numerous attacks in the 1990's. The Khobar Towers bombing, the USS Cole, embassies around the world, the first WTC bombing, etc. ad nauseum. And President Bush had only been in office a short time when the final "declaration of war" was made with the WTC attacks of September 11, 2001. We continue to fight this enemy, and will continue to fight for some time. The Cold War continued for more than 50 years, and some contend it hasn't even ended. To believe the war on Islamic terrorists will end in five or six years is foolish and shortsighted. That said, we must vote for those we believe will promote the best policies for addressing the issue.
Integrity and vision - something often overlooked, this should be a key factor in your decision making process. Elected officials should do more than speak out of one side of their mouth. They should live the principals they claim to support. All too often, our representatives make claims they believe to be most politically expedient. In other words, they say what they believe you want to hear. Their votes will have nothing to do with what they say, as they have already been elected. Come the next election cycle, they will again "re-mold" themselves into the package for which you are likely to vote. Rather than listening to what they say, find out how the vote and what laws the write. It is all public record. You may find that the person for whom you voted doesn't actually vote the way you believe they do. It might sway your opinion.
Most importantly, vote. Our government was founded as a representative government, which means it represents those who vote. If you stay home on election day, it isn't actually your government. It only belongs to those who vote. But before you vote, learn. An uneducated voter who pulls levers based on what they have been told to do isn't a voter, they're a puppet. Like Pinocchio, we need to cut the strings of those who would control us, and vote for those who will best represent you.
In this post, I have attempted to suppress any bias I hold (and I do have them). While I am more than willing to share why I believe people should vote a certain way, this is aimed at getting people to think for themselves. If you have any specific questions about the various issues, please let me know. ComentariosPara agregar un comentario, inicia sesión con tu cuenta de Windows Live ID (si utilizas Hotmail, Messenger o Xbox LIVE, ya tienes una cuenta de Windows Live ID). Iniciar sesión ¿No tienes una cuenta de Windows Live ID? Regístrate Vínculos de referenciaLa dirección URL del vínculo de referencia de esta entrada es: http://runningpol.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!3726955B6B963347!1039.trak Weblogs que hacen referencia a esta entrada
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