My Take On The 2008 Election

Not being an American myself, I would find it hard to vote. I do think your society is going downhill at an alarming rate. Your politicians really need to focus on the people of America. that is, improve medical assistance for all, improve education for that's where we should all start and make guns illegal fullstop! I live in Australia and we have a system that cares for its citizens.

Yes, there are many issues that need attention. How come we can go back 10,20,30 or more years and find many of the same issues facing the country. Every election, we hear about all these issues that we need to work on and every election period it is mostly the same issues, just in a different order. As I see it, Congress is the culprit because instead of fixing anything, they just add more laws and rules. Instead of bandades and bactine, we need some serious surgery. The longer we put it off, the more devestating it will be to change things later. I seriously doubt that either party has the will or guts to fix this country (that is assuming things need fixing). So, I will bet all I have that come election time in 2012, we will be facing the same list of "issues" because as long as we keep electing Dems or Repubs, we will get the same non-action.

Hi Rozie37,
I agree with you. I think key issues need to be focused on moreso than who is running. I am a registered Democrat moving toward being an Independent. I really find our current president to be one that is soft on the things that are causing the country to go in a downward spiral. These things in my opinion are illegal immigration the nation's deficit/spending and the current tax structure. I am trying to learn about the "fair tax" idea right now. Hopefully the turning around of this country will include its citizens as well as the government. Take Care.

Rozie:I wish I had a crystal ball, one that would allow me to look into the future and see how our world will turn out, but I don't so I am going to comment on the election as best I can, being an outsider from Canada and not an American citizen and hope I make some sense.
I have no real favorites in your election, but what I think relates to all elections all over the world, my own country included.
I have discovered that the majority of running candidates for a political office will promise the people anything they believe the people want to hear, however, when they finally get elected into office, they fall short of carrying our or even coming close to the promises they have made during the election process.
Western and Europeon nations spend alot of money in other lands and while I applaud that, I'm certain that financial assistance isn't getting to the people who drastically are in need of it. Many issues of the world today is hunger, shelter, health, climate, and of course the proverbial wars in just about every corner of this earth.
When I think of hunger and shelter and health issues, I always wish we would clean up our own populations first before throwing money at other populations (who peoples need it, but their governments abscond with it). We have people here in our countries who want to work, but free trade has robbed them of a job, without a job there is no income, and without an income there is little to none of food, and without food obviously there isn't shelter, and without food and shelter there is no good health....
The wars we wage are so destructive and don't seem to have accomplished anything at all but make the world less stable than ever, and then you throw into the mix the climate changes that reek devastation and destruction on its own and we have castrophies...leaving those in dire need more needy.
We need leaders throughout the world, not only in the United States of America or Canada, or Great Britain, even across Europe and the East that can use the vast amount of wealth from their countries to clean up and help their own first, then once we have our nations all fed and sheltered with our own people working and sharing and the sick cared for, and children educated and the vetrans honored and cared for, then and only then can dialogues begin in ernest with other less fortunate nations, peace cannot be wrought when your own house is in chaos.
Who amongst the runners of your 2008 election for President is such a crap shoot, it boggles my mind. However, if you vote for Mrs. Clinton you have the benefit of getting a former President, one who maintains a genuine interest in the entire world and one who erradicatd the huge deficits your country now wades through. This former President made mistakes, but then haven't they all.
What concerns me most, is that even though you vote for a President, you still have to live with the bureaucrats who have been running the show even though you change presidents. Some presidents have charisma to get those bureaucrats off their duffs and moving in the direction the President and nation intends, but some do not and fail miserably and get pushed in the wrong direction and nothing really ever happens to change that.
I know I am rambling, however this is not a lighthearted subject, nor do I believe I have answered your main question in the light to which you may have wanted. I am a single individual with a million thoughts on the subject, as do hundreds of thousands of other people and I bet not but a few of us agree.
It is time to implement Anya Rands' "Atlas Shrugged" solution - that is to say - People massed together for common goals important to the well being of life on our planet. Realistically, that just won't happen and whoever wins this upcoming Presidential race will win it on popularity and who has the most money to spend with the most influential people behind them. It is a scary thought. However, if POEPLE would stick together with a common goal then there is the possibility that change can become effective, however, even as a people, not all have the same idea or attitude towards the betterment of their fellow man or building the nations because MONEY seems to be at the root of everything that happens.
I do apologize for rambling, I could fill 5,000 pages and still not have a concise answer. Which issue is more important than the other? Who but the people together voting for one person can say. But I know in 2012 we'll all probably be asking the same question as you did - on the issues - which are?Dragonfly77

Hi Rozie, I agree with you 100%. I am second generation Democrat but the truth is I am confused at the moment and frasterated because before you know it the Election will take place soon . I am not yet determind who is going to get my vote. I think if Democrates take control of the House and the Senate things might change for better . They must work together all parties to solve our internal problems.

Hi Rozie:)
I think we should kick all the current persons in the running and start with a fresh batch.
I'm an independent and while I consider all of the canidates, I usually find myself voting republican.
This elections is rather frightening to me, I don't feel that any of those in the running are up for the job. Yet we are left with no other choice than to vote for one of them.*sigh*
Maybe I'll just write myself in. lol I can't possibly make much more of a mess than we are already in eh?

Sorry Rozie, but I can't agree with anything you have said here. Maybe you are from another generation, but not voting is not an option. I learned at an early age that if you don't vote you don't have a voice! I also think back to the days when all people were not given the right to vote. It was very hard for me personally to watch the struggle that my people had to endure just to gain the priviledge to cast their vote. Many people, black and white suffered and died because they thought that everyone had a right to cast their votes. You owe it to yourself to do the research and learn what the voting process is all about.

The first thing I look for in a candidate is morals. I consider that first, because I believe if the President has morals, eventually this country will turn in the correct direction. I am a registered Republican, although I have voted Democratic once. However, that one time was not for President. Right now I'm not happy with any candidates, Republican or Democrat or Independent. I know I will vote, but I want to hear more about what these people have done in their past. More and more things are coming to light on both sides that are alarming. One person I know I will never ever vote for is Hilary Rodham Clinton. I'm not insulting the woman, I just disagree with a lot of things she represents. I'm not opposed to a woman President, but I pray it won't be her.

I hate politics and have never voted because it really doesn't matter who you vote for the system is rigged. They already know who the president is going to be. Besides the presidental canidates are good at making false promises.

I surely do agree we need to focus on the issues at hand and the money spent by the candidates running for office could be put to much better use! I'd love to see a way to take money, at least the amount spent today, out of politics. I also agree that you have the right to vote and you also have the right NOT to vote; I wish you'd change your mind and exercise that right but that's a decision only you can make. I hope you don't take offense at my asking how the Republicans come closer to lining up with your beliefs? Anyone can SAY they're religious and that "Jesus told me I'd be President" but to me it's their actions that are much more important. I ask questions like who will be less likely to start/continue needless wars, killing innocent people, who will help see to it everyone who needs health care gets it, who will help keep our children from going to bed hungry, who will help parents send their children to college - the list goes on and on and on! I totally respect that there are issues that are close to your heart because of your religious beliefs but at the same time some of these issues shouldn't be political issues to begin with but rather personal ones or decided by individual states or municipalities. Basically, when I ask the rhetorical question "What would Jesus do?" the answer is usually that he would be against most wars and he'd be for helping the sick and hungry and for taking better care of our planet.
Annie

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