If politics bore you, look away and go back to knitting...

If not, here' s a message, I wrote to a person I'm discussing the election with.
Thanks so much for your response. As a torn voter who takes his vote seriously, I am confused on whom to vote on for this upcoming election.

Environment

I wholeheartedly agree with John Kerry on the Environment. From the start, George W. Bush has shown reckless abandonment when it comes to the nature of our country. To do this, he has broken international treaties, and refrained from signed other popular treaties. Bush is a man for big business/corporations, and those silly environment protections get in the way of his corporations. So I trust John Kerry when it comes to environment

Economy

Next, I am torn economically on issues with John Kerry and Bush. I am a compassionate fiscal conservative (what is that? I don't know either). I hate big government; I view the American government as an inefficient beauchracy. I don’t want Uncle Sam to take most of my hard-earned cash (haha, I’m a bagger @ Publix), but I also understand there are services are government needs to provide for us as a society to function. I also am obliged as a Christian to reach out to the poor, but I’d rather do that through my chosen charity then the Government lose my money in paperwork. So where does that leave me with the two candidates? We have a president who thinks he can cut taxes and spend more (why are we going back to the moon??????). If I as a CEO would cut off some of my company’s revenue, lose clientele, and increase spending, would I not be gone faster then Ron Zook after a Vanderbilt loss? But I know it’s not that simple. The Bush theory is, cut taxes, economy recovers, spend more, economy recovers more. Bush’s taxes affected everybody (I like that) but the upper class did get the majority of the tax cut (they pay the most). But was this the time to do this? I tend to believe the upper class will pocket their refunds, rather then spur the economy in a recession. But that’s just me. But John Kerry scares me. Democrat programs scare me. I’m afraid that Kerry is going to spend an innumerous amount of money to try and fix health care, which is a great cause, but is it going to be worth the bill? So I don’t know. In truth, all I want is a president who either cuts taxes and cuts spending, or raises taxes and raises spending. Just don’t raise this deficit. Because you know who will pay for it??? Us. But I give Bush a little bit of a leash on this deficit, because he definitely had some setbacks during his reign. I just don’t know why we’re going to the moon.

Abortion

Now we’re coming to where I disagree with Kerry the whole way. I’m ProLife, and I’m scared at the judicial appointees Kerry would give to the Senate. I think we’re close to overturning to Roe v. Wade, and I’m not sure my hate towards Bush is worth losing these appointees.

Homosexual Marriages

I also disagree with Kerry on homosexual marriages. However, I’m not an idiot, and I realize the President has no say in this matter whatsoever. He can say whatever he wants to, its up to the senate to pass a constitutional amendment. I’m not sure either that it should be in our Constitution. I think it should be up to states, but hey that’s me. And I thought the republicans were all about States’ rights. But that’s another topic.
So in short, I’m a social conservative so that puts me at odds with Kerry. I can’t respect a man who says he believes something but doesn’t live out those believes. That’s a flip-flop if I’ve heard of one

Foreign Policy

Then there’s the most prominent topic….. Foreign Policy..
I just don’t know whom I agree with. Bush sent our troops to war in Iraq, are we safer?????

Pros

Saddam Hussein is out of power. At least we know for sure now, that terrorists won’t be getting help for him

If this Democracy project is successful, then the region is safer, and the other tyrannical regimes will collapse as the people will taste freedom and revolt.

It puts AlQueda on the defensive. The only places they have to run to other harbors, and these governments are scared of suffering consequences if they safeguard them (Libya).

The US had every legal right to take this action. Democrats who deny this, ignore 12 years of broken sanctions.

Bush felt he could not wait because of 9-11. I can definitely understand this. By the way, Bush did not attack Iraq for personal political motives. Not a chance. Any president with a 70% approval rating is not looking for more votes.

Countries are afraid of opposing the US now (Libya)

I don’t care about the UN. It’s failed in its purpose, and its another rant.

Cons

You can’t defeat terror. It’s not an army, it’s a tactic. And who uses this tactic? Angry middle-eastern men who believe the US is oppressing them and has an imperialistic agenda. What group’s numbers dramatically increased because of the Iraqi war? Exactly. We may have just bred a whole new generation of AlQueda.

As a history nerd, I am terrified of the US putting its hands in other countries business. It seems every time Americans overlook sovereignty, we breed hatred, and poverty (Nicaragua, Afghanistan (soviets era) and Iraq (soviets era))

Any country can claim they are using the US’s strategy of attacking first. Could this spark another war (India)

Can Iraq ever climb out of this mess?

The entire American and Iraqi lives lost. Will the end result be worth the great sacrifice?
US lost support from the world. At the time, countries were uniting against the AlQueda. Now, they wonder what our true goals are.

Took focus from AlQueda and Afghanistan. Administration can say whatever they want too, but fact is it did.

The prison scandal was horrible for Middle East PR as you said. Horrible.

Conclusion

Also, what is John Kerry's stance. Really, what is it?

So what’s the true result? Have we really eliminated a threat, or created many new threats?
I really don’t know. That’s my spin. I wish John McCain was president. I wish we didn't have 2 parties. I wish people didn't fight and kill each other. I wish for heaven.

until then.....

Comments???