Well, the truth is, I don't know who I'm going to vote for. And I don't plan on deciding until after the primaries. (Which I am not voted in because I am not, and never intend to be, a registered party member.) But why am I waiting?
Because it allows me to be a bit lazy and only research the candidates who have a feasible chance at winning. If I don't like any of them, I'll do what my parents have done since Bush # 1 and write someone in, being confident that my vote isn't going to someone I don't really like.
There's a greater likelihood that I will vote Democrat, although if John McCain gets the Republican nomination, that could change. I won't vote for Hilary because she scares me. If Bill could run again, I might consider it. I've heard the man speak in person at the University of Minnesota and he's definitely an intelligent man. I'd just have to brush up on his policies and see where they fit in with my beliefs. But Hilary is a no-no. She's scary and while I would love to see the first female president in my lifetime, I can wait another four years for it to not be her.
That's about all I've decided. But some of my requirements for candidates are:
1) Must have a plan for Iraq. A concrete plan to do SOMETHING about the situation, to make it better, and to bring out the light at the end of the tunnel. If that takes 10 more years, fine. As long as there is an end in sight. I'm not stupid enough to be for immediate withdrawal. We can't leave now without serious consequences and that's a fact. Whether we should have gone in the first place is a moot point. We're there now, and we need to figure out a way to get the country on its feet so we can go back to worrying about things on our turf.
2) Must be against No Child Left Behind (or for reforming it.) It doesn't work, and instead of teaching our kids how to think, we are teaching them how to take standardized tests. Punishing schools for poor performance doesn't work. Poor performing schools need more funding to raise their status.
3) Must be ready and willing to do SOMETHING about the state of health care in this country. As I've stated many times before, I think universal health care is a great idea with bad execution. Kind of like how communism is a pretty neat economic policy, yet when you throw human nature and dictators into the equation, it doesn't work well at all. Anyway, every citizen of this country deserves access to health care without having to sell their first born child. Finding a way to do that, well, that's why I don't run this country.
4) As much as I would like a candidate to come right out and say "I think it should be legal for homosexuals to marry in the state", it's not going to happen anytime soon. Unfortunately, "separation of church and state" apparently doesn't apply to homosexuals and their relationships. Mostly because the word "marry" is used. I think marriage is a religious institution, and that all secular marriages should be called civil unions, whether it is between two men, two women, or a man and a woman. If you get married in a church or other house of religion, then it's a marriage. Except then we have to find a new verb for "marry." Crap. But anyway, it's long been my opinion that religions can dictate who is allowed to marry in their churches, synagogues, mosques, etc., but that the government has no right to say that homosexuals cannot be joined in a civil union. I'll stop now.
5) Must be willing to fight against those who want to overturn Roe v. Wade. I would never choose abortion for myself, but I still think it should be legal. Decriminalized, if you will. Yes, I just compared it to marijuana. Speaking of which, I'm for the decriminalization of that for medicinal purposes, but I'm against the use of it for any other purpose.
That's about all I can think of for now. Perhaps I'll add more later. But I'll be sure, once I've made a decision, to let you all know who I plan on voting for and why. For now, you can take my requirements and find the "perfect" candidate for me, if you so choose.
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