Okay, no matter who your candidate (or lack thereof for conservatives) may be, we should be be asking each candidate, even our favorite a simple question: Why Should I Vote For You?
It's a simple enough question, but far too often, it gets overlooked for various reasons. For may conservatives who are voting for McCain out of either a sense of duty to the GOP or the fear of a Democrat-controlled country, they dislike McCain for many positions, but don't seem to care further. For many of the Obamamaniacs, it's simply a matter of feeling hope and wanting change, but I don't hear too many specifics coming out of the Obama camp. Now out of the third party candidates, I hear more, but there seems to be a silence in the two parties. So here's my list of questions for the big candidates. And I'm looking for specifics and ideas, not rhetoric or panic-inducing warnings. These seven questions will specifically answer that first question:
1. War. We are currently engaged in two theaters, Afghanistan and Iraq. In addition, we are in a global intelligence war. What are your plans and positions for continuing this fight, consolidating our gains, and maintaining stability in the theaters we are committed to? In addition, where will we next fight?
2. Taxes. What is the ideal tax system for you, a more progressive system where the burden is laid mostly on those earning the most money, or a flatter structure which distributes the burden more evenly, and why do you see that as most equitable. And, because I can't not ask, what is your position and ideas about the FairTax?
3. Size of Government. What is your position on the addition of earmarks to every bill to come down the pike? How much should the federal government do, how much should be left to the states, and what is the responsibility of the individual? And should government growth or shrinkage be tied to the tax revenue?
4. Global Warming. What is your philosophy on this issue and is it a crisis that must be immediately addressed? And if it is a crisis, how much will your government do to deal with it?
5. Health Care. What is the cause of our health care crisis? What is the role of government in controlling or rationing health care, or is this even a role for government?
6. Oil Prices. What is the cause of our oil crisis, and who is to blame? What is the short term (one year) strategy to address prices? What is the legacy (one or two terms) you will leave for an energy policy? What is the long-term (25-30 years) solution to this problem? And what possibilities are off the table.
7. The United States of America. What does the Constitution mean to you? What is the greatest strength of the United States? What is the place of the United States in the world? And if you could change one thing in the constitution, what would you add or subtract or alter?
Now if you can give me a specific position of your candidate, go ahead and tackle one of the seven. I'll be researching this as well so I can rip both of them a new one over the next few months; definitely one of the benefits of not having a dog in this race.
6 comments:
Great list. Sean Hannity also has a list of things that conservatives need to get back to and I'm going to post it for hope and encouragement of what Republicans can do to get people to vote for them this fall. We don't have to sit back and just give this election to the Democrats.
There is talk that they could take over significant majorities in both the House and the Senate. Even if some of us don't vote for McCain we still need to vote for our members of Congress if they are conservative. My Congressman is a stellar conservative and he has a competitive race for the first time in years this year. His campaign is the only one I'm working on so far.
I am going to add your blog to my roll, even if you aren't an Idol fan.
The answer to 5 and 6 is greed
Dee: Well, I'll have to give him some shit for replying with a form email last time I wrote him, but my congressman will probably still get my vote.
However, my senator is George Voinovitch. He can go the way of the RINOs, or the DIRCs like McCain.
Wonder how bad things will be in 2010?
Beth: You will learn. Also, I checked out your playlist. I surspect you grew up in the 80's. It was a good list until I saw that Idol crap in there.
(Dee, it was David Cook singing that stupid Mariah Carey song, if you woere wondering)
Toad: Your oversimplification really doesn't add things. Plus, which candidate's position is that? Nader?
Hey Patrick, I am also an Ohioan, and I hear ya about Voinovich. He did great things for Cleveland, but he does DIRC type stuff now. Frustrating!
Please don't hold it against me about watching Idol, sheesh we all have our vices.
Yah, I have never been a fan of Voinobitch. Met him once, thought he was shifty. He was an ok governor, way better than Taft. (Of course shit in a toaster oven would have been better than Taft) But it's time for him to go.
I don't hold Idol against Dee, so I won't hold idol against you.
I'd write more on that note, but you'd probably head west and hit me for what just popped in my head.
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