Vote, but know what you’re doing
Early voting is going well in Rockingham County – where thousands have already cast ballots – and in North Carolina and across America.
Some 2,000 county residents cast ballots Monday in the first day of One-Stop voting. Statewide, The Associated Press reported, more than a half-million people have voted, prompting at least one county to add several days to the schedule at a handful of voting sites. Nationally, the numbers are equally prolific.
That’s the good news, but here’s the bad.
Some voters in America don’t have a clue.
A Howard Stern bit, which quickly made its way Wednesday from talk radio to YouTube, provides an admittedly small but scary example of voter aptitude. For those who haven’t heard the piece, a reporter is sent to Harlem, where he interviews voters about their choice for president. Three interviews were aired, and all supported Barack Obama. The reporter followed up with questions that cited the policies of John McCain but attributed them to Obama. All agreed that we should keep troops in Iraq until the job is done, and all enthusiastically supported Sarah Palin as Obama’s choice for vice president.
Seriously, folks?
Your vote is your vote, but is it too much to ask that all Americans become informed enough to match Palin with McCain and Obama with – drum roll, please – Joe Biden? Or that Obama wants to bring the troops home, is pro-choice and supports stem-cell research? Vote for whomever you choose for whatever reason, but it’s the responsibility of all Americans to understand the issues and to make an informed decision based on their beliefs and values.
Pundits have called the 2008 election the most important of our lifetime, and it would be hard to argue. The economy is in freefall, the war in Iraq continues with no end in sight, Iran is trying to develop a nuclear bomb, etc.
To say our votes are important is probably discounting the enormity of the problems facing America. What scares us is that some of the people casting votes for our future have no idea what they’re doing.
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Reader Reactions
Wanda; I hate to bust your bubble, but trickle down is the only way it works. Ever get a job from a poor man? Well, neither did anyone else. People complain about jobs going overseas, without thinking about why they do. They do for two reasons-taxes and labor. When government taxes them too much, or labor unions demand more than they can afford, they go somewhere else. The states with right-to-work are always better off than heavily unionized states, and countries with lower taxes and labor costs attract new businesses. It’s a global economy, remember. Obama’s plan to tax them more will only result in more jobs lost, and his plan to unionize businesses with card-check will send even more somewhere else. People who own businesses aren’t stupid. Their obligation is to shareholders, not the country or the workers. You may think that unfair, but that’s the way it is.
Unfortunately, this otherwise excellent editorial repeats by implication one of the most scurrilous lies being distributed by the Obama campaign, namely, that McCain opposes stem-cell research. In fact, McCain’s position on stem-cell research is considerably more nuanced than Bush’s. He supports stem-cell research, with the sole restriction that embryos not be created for that purpose. However, unlike Bush, McCain does not object to the use of cells from aborted fetuses for stem-cell research.
Wanda,
I’m more informed about government, taxation, law than 65% of voting Americans. Did you not read my comment…”neither candidate is the best choice.” At this point we must choose the lesser of two evils. McCain, simply has more experience, proposes no tax increase and less government. This will help working people because less taxation allows employers to create new jobs. His voting record has always been less pork spending.
As to your comment “how is McCain’s policy going to help ME”. Hmmm…that indicates to me you are a Democrat. If you’ve made the smart choices you say you have and McCain is elected President then you don’t need any help and you should be fine. I would want to know how his polices are going to affect my 250+ employees and my children’s ability to be high achievers without being punish for being successful, as Obama tax polices would.
I do consider the bailout to be socialistic government controlling mechanism. I wrote to my senators and house representatives to NOT pass the bailout bill. This bill is bailing out the big banks that were “government enabled” to make subprime loans. Since 1990, Democrats have increasingly loosened regulatory controls with no oversight. Republicans are just as responsible for not getting control of the House and Senate to enforce regulatory oversight.
“Trickle Down Economics” is a victimization excuse. It did work and it still does. (By the way, Democrats currently control congress. So the “W” is another lame excuse.) Where else in the world does a minority, whether you’re woman or man, regardless of race, has the ability to achieve by making “their own choices” to work and educate themselves out of poverty into being successful, and a bonus, wealthy? Currently, only the U.S. of America is that place. I don’t want the government making my choices for my employees or my children. I was able to make that choice and succeeded.
To Spectre,
Do you feel that you are properly informed? What policies of McCain’s will help working people? I work and have for 45 years, I am a professional, I have made smart choicces. I pay my taxes, Can you explain how McCain’s policies will help me. Is Socialism bailing out or taking over BIG CORPORATIONS who’ve committed fraud and misappropriated funds? Should I, someone at the bottom of the scale pay for their swimming pools, yachts and mansions because they faltered.
I think we need to look at them both if we are to be informed. Both candidates pretty much take the same position on some issues and cannot be distinguished. But is helping professional people who’ve paid taxex and earned an honest living really socialism or is bailing out big business?
Trickle down economy did not work during the 80’s nor did it work under the current “W”
This has been the most nerving election I’ve been apart of because of uninformed voters. I think there should be a three question test to qualify you to vote. First, which party is currently in control at congress? Second, who is the U.S. Secretary of State? Third, how does a bill become law? If you can’t answer any of these questions you shouldn’t vote.
To me neither candidate is the best choice but I must choose one who, based on experience and actual “how to” plans, will be the best choice. Obama is “not” the choice. I’ve read his plans but it doesn’t say how he will be able to implement his plans. Obama doesn’t understand taxation, foreign policy or simple economics. Obama’s tax policy is to use taxes as punishment on one group who have made smart money decisions to benefit others who don’t care better themselves and don’t even pay income or gain taxes. His plans are socialist and larger government control…”spread the wealth’.
I’ve personally questioned many of those who are supporting Obama as to why? They cannot state one, not one Obama policy or plan. They don’t even know where he is from or what his past job experiences are. Most are able to find this information on the internet but this Youtube generation can’t think for themselves. Maybe that’s they way the government wants it……???
Were people in Rockingham Co interviewed?
Why go to Harlem? Why not somewhere else? What is the indication about the people that they interviewed? Who was interviewed?
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