Well folks, the stage has been set for the main event. In one corner we have the GOP, led by the age and experience of John McCain and the maverick-like attitude of Sarah Palin. In the other corner, the Dems are represented by the audacity of hope and agent of change, Barack Obama, tag-teaming with his partner, Joe Robinette (I did not make that up) Biden.
So we finally have our final 2 candidates for the Presidential election and now finally know who their running mates will be. (Someone like Ralph Nader might slip his name in, but really, who cares?)
So the 2008 election is upon us. Mudslinging is well under way, commercials are attacking everything from the sanctity of life to foreign oil.
Now that we are in the home stretch, let me ask you this question:
What is the most important issue for you?
I know there are many issues that affect all of us and issues we have deep convictions/preferences about. But what is the single most important issue to you in the upcoming campaign?
Btw, if you are an American citizen over the age of 18 and have not registered to vote, DO IT NOW! Who you vote for is not as important as IF you vote. You can reigster by clicking here.
Tags: 2008 election, Barack Obama, Democrats, GOP, Joe Biden, John McCain, Register to Vote, Sarah Palin
August 29th, 2008 at 3:32 pm
The single most important issue to me is the housing crisis. Neither candidate seems know much in terms of economic policy. The propositions by the candidates for how to fix it have been woefully inadequate, and the ramifications for missing the boat are astronomical. Whoever wins will inherit the worst economy in American history outside of the Depression. The average American has no idea just how bad things can get in short order.
September 1st, 2008 at 3:03 pm
I am mostly concerned about energy and our dependence on oil. Something as got to give one way or the other.
September 2nd, 2008 at 7:11 am
What is exactly is the housing “crisis”? Is it a matter of all the foreclosures happening in the US? Or, is it that over 95% of the American people are not having this crisis? Someone elaborate please.
September 2nd, 2008 at 11:07 am
Eric –
The housing crisis goes far beyond foreclosures. The FDIC has 117 banks on it’s watch list (they can’t support all those banks). Fannie Mae is $5 billion in debt and Freddie Mac is no better. Both of those are probably going to be bailed out by the government (taxpayer funds). Americans have lost over $1 trillion in equity in the last year and losing more each month. Local governments are on the verge of bankruptcy because of bets made on mortgages. Pension funds are tied up in mortgage investments. And it’s not getting any better anytime soon.
This isn’t about a few people that didn’t pay their mortgages. And it’s not about banks who made risky loans. It runs much deeper than that.
September 2nd, 2008 at 12:46 pm
To me, there is no short term solution to either of these issues. And the people who are doing the talking are not the ones that are going to really fix the economy or our oil dependence. When I hear what they say, if you disect it down, it’s the same thing as the other one says. Our problem as Americans is that we are looking for a president who can fix all our issues within a four, or even eight year span as president. It’s just not possible.
Economically, ebb and flow WILL happen. All those worries about the FDIC and Fannie Mae, etc. have just as much possibility to blow up as not to. And when you think about getting America completely independent of foreign oil…are you kidding? It’s going to take another 25 years to come through on all the grand promises they are making. The bottom line is this. Four years ago we voted our morals. Now, it’s like there are no moral issues at hand. So all this makes it hard for me to know if it even matters who the president is.
YES, I will vote, and I believe that we should vote for the one with the best policy on oil, and the economy. But I hope we all look at the ideas we are comparing for their long term effect, and not the short term. There’s not much that can be changed in the short term, and we’ve got to shake ourselves of the “instant gratification” that has even sunk into our political decision-making.
We also have to be smart enough to know that the president might not be the most important vote we cast. If we really want to see results on these issues, we need to represent ourselves in local, state, and national legislative votes. And while those are not on the docket for this year, we do nothing if we get on a crusade for a president, and forget to care about those other votes a few years later. That’s where the real work gets done, and without caring for those positions, we’ll continue to put a pawn and a scape-goat in office as I believe Bush has become.
There’s nothing that a president can do if the cast underneath him takes his policy and dilutes it before approving it. It’s no good to have a conservative in the White House with a liberal hill, or vice versa.
September 2nd, 2008 at 1:40 pm
Joe -
Thank you! You don’t get a whole lot of that from the media. It seems that everytime I turn of the news its all about forclosures. People buy more house than they should. I, too, think housing is an issue and that it is much more than owner irresponsibility.
I think housing and energy policies need to be carefully look upon. Btw… has anyone noticed that the healthcare debate isn’t as prevalent. Interesting.
David – great post my friend. Thank you!
September 2nd, 2008 at 1:52 pm
Great posts guys! This election, more than any other (in my short 23 years), has made people take off their blinders and look beyond the issues of abortion, taxes, gun control, and Supreme Court justices.
While those are clearly important issues, people have incorporated more issues into their decisions.
We actually have pro-lifers voting for Obama and pro-choicers voting for McCain. Who woulda thunk it?
September 3rd, 2008 at 12:00 am
Alan – I’m not endorsing any candidate, but a vote for Obama is a vote for economic idiocy. He’ll send out another round of stimulus checks even though the first round did nothing (read more debt). Then he’ll raise taxes – he’ll have to. I agree that the economy will not be fixed quickly, but the President plays a huge roll – especially because he appoints the guys that make the decisions. McCain isn’t much better, but at least his idea isn’t that the richest in the nation should pay for the stupidity of Congress.