It's hard not to run into political news these days. The internet has evolved into a mainstream media outlet with countless options for reading and participating in commentary. I haven't taken much of an opportunity to review the candidates, but I do have some opinions going into things.
First off, the idea that Bush is so bad that we have to elect a Democrat is a terrible one. The scandals that take place so frequently are disturbing, but they cannot be allowed to undermine our very real faith in our political system and our values.
The war in Iraq has been a huge issue in the last several elections. It should not be. The issues that we as citizens should be concerned with are the erosion of our rights, the quality of our political leadership, and domestic issues. Iraq is a quagmire that will be a challenge for whoever the next president is.
What about Hillary?
Hillary Clinton being the default Democratic candidate is an idea I'm not altogether comfortable with. The bulk of her political career has been on the sidelines and I have not seen her as a national leader in the Senate. The Clintons have been implicated in more scandals than every other candidate combined. There is no indication that she will be able to build and reap the national economy that her husband enjoyed.How about Ron Paul?
Ron Paul supporters on the web have done him a disservice. It seems like every community news venue has been spammed with a flurry of Ron Paul support that is just not natural. I haven't reviewed his campaign because his coverage comes from people who are unhealthily enthusiastic about him.What Domestic Issues should we be concerned with?
I don't know about you, but for me...- Support for small businesses - be it tax breaks, policies that encourage small business support from government contracts, pushing through legislation that supports and encourages small business, or something else entirely I think it is important that we grow and support the fundamental building block of our capitalist society.
- Net Neutrality - this is more of an important issue than it is ever credited with.
- Internet Taxes - taxes on internet access and further taxes on internet based businesses present a great challenge for stimulating small businesses on the web. It is far too early to entertain the idea of anything that will stunt the growth of internet business models.
- Stripping down the "Red Scare" - everything from the Patriot Act to domestic surveillance programs need to be reviewed and stripped down to that which is absolutely necessary for national security and that which is fully in line with our constitutional rights.
- Infrastructure - from roads to our electrical grid to oil pipelines we need to revitalize, modernize, and secure our infrastructure.
- Education - we sadly underfund and undersupport our educational system.
I don't see immigration, health care, social security, or abortion as issues that will be effectively addressed one way or the other by whoever the President is going to be or whoever we elect to congress.
I also see the issue of church/state separation as important, but I hardly think that it might be addressed specifically by any candidate with a real shot at the White House. Religious organizations are receiving a great deal of funding these days as a result of the faith based initiative and are as active in the lobbying arena as corporate america. This is a situation that must be corrected, and I believe it will be (but quietly and away from election season).
Leadership Quality
After 8 years of listening to the word "Nucular", I'd appreciate having a man (or woman) in charge who is a good speaker. But more important than that is the President's ability to inspire faith, to motivate people, and to be authoritative. Personal values such as religion shouldn't come into play as much as the candidates firmness in his values and his willingness to remain by them in the face of adversity. This is something that GWB has done extremely well and is worthy of respect.Talk About It's Time for a New President
