Let me begin by saying, I am glad to see that so many fellow twenty-somethings are passionate about the upcoming election. Facebook-ers and Bloggers alike have been busy commenting on every new twist and turn since the heated primaries were held. And, while I think that this election will result in some of the often touted “change” we all hope for, I still can’t find a candidate that stands for what I, as a registered Independent, want. To give you a brief glimpse at the dilemma I’m faced with, here is my stance (as a citizen, not an expert) on a few issues:
Economic Policy: Yay free trade, Cut Spending, Cut taxes
Foreign Policy: Make love, not war
Energy Policy: INVEST IN NEW SUSTAINABLE TECHNOLOGY
Health Care Policy: I am not a socialist.
Abortion: Pro-choice
Illegal Immigration:
Gay Marriage: Legalize it already!
And so, you see my predicament. Socially, I’m a liberal and fiscally I’m a republican. Will our ridiculously partisan political system ever be able to bridge this gap? Are there more people like me out there?!!!
7 comments:
No, the two party political system will not be able to bridge the gap because there will always be radicals on each side. That's why independent voters are so important...to keep the radicals in check!
So, Obama's repetitive question, "do you want more of the same?" is actually pretty compelling.
...the pendulum always swings, you're voting for which way you'd like it to go next...or continue on the same path.
Yes, I agree that the two party system results in this back and forth pendulum effect. But it seems to me that we waste time and energy swinging back and forth while the reasonable answer always lies in the middle. Too bad.
Still, I am excited about Obama's energy plans (which is perhaps the biggest issue for me, going into the election). So barring any craziness during the debates, I'll be helping the pendulum swing toward change.
It's damned hard picking a candidate... Especially when you want to pick a candidate who might actually win (some might be willing to vote for 3rd party candidates, but I am not generally so inclined...). Even I... as a pretty liberal gay man... have trouble being completely happy with my options sometimes. Obama is clearly the best option for me at this point. Not because I'm a "single issue" voter... He's the closest to my many, many important issues (a.k.a. "sacred cows"): war, energy, economy, education, etc. He does (unsurprisingly) depart slightly when it comes to gay marriage and I can't fault him for it... If he had come out in support of gay marriage from the beginning we'd probably see Hillary Clinton running against John McCain. I am completely happy and impressed that he regularly mentions gays and lesbians in his speeches (even the acceptance speech last Thursday!)!
I guess what I'm saying is that hardly ever that we find candidates who are exactly right-on for what we believe in / stand for / obsess about. Dennis Kucinich is probably the closest to matching with me on policies. Yep...
Some people say it sometimes comes down to voting against the candidate you want to lose! I don't feel that way -- especially with Obama. I think he's inspiring, well-equiped to lead and surrounds himself with people who support and complement him well.
Sorry about the long comment... But this is the stuff I think about all the time... :-)
Sorry... I should have included these other sacred cows: reproductive rights (pro-choice and full-fledged sex ed), equal pay for women and pro-science (which overlaps with education, but we need more funding for research. That's where my paycheck comes from)... there are probably some others I'm forgetting... But being pro-choice is something of a "litmus test" for me. Candidates who are anti-choice pretty much go down in my book as crazy wackos. I like that Obama is openly saying he wants to prevent pregnancies. Seriously, no one is "pro-abortion". We all want to prevent them if possible, but if they are illegal it just puts women at risk... So the best we can do is educate kids (and adults) on how not to get pregnant.
This is one of the real domestic problems with our current administration: They're anti-sex-ed (abstinence only is dumb - it's like putting a kid in a candy store and then saying "don't touch") yet have proven to be anti-birth control and abortion rights. Ridiculous...
Ok... Thanks!
Amen Robby!!! Couldn't have said it better myself. :)
Yes Robby, thanks for adding the comment regarding your other sacred cows! They're not often brought to the forefront of debates/interviews, and yet should completely be on my mind when choosing a candidate.
Thank you, Lara and Whitney! :-)
I also want to comment on fiscal conservatism. I totally understand not wanting to be taxed to death (although I don't think most of us need to worry about that with either candidate - Obama or McCain). I think too often we overlook fiscal responsibility as a measure of political performance. While George W. Bush may have cut taxes, his spending on wars, etc. has driven the US economy into a deeper, darker place than it's been in decades.
So, while it might be more nebulous and perhaps impossible to judge for presidential candidates, I think considering how effective and responsible the candidate would be with AVAIABLE FUNDS (not borrowed from multitudes of nations) is perhaps even more important than how much you'll be taxed... Ok... Back to work...
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