American Elections
The United States of America undergoes a great amount of excitement before the elections. Certain candidates become the center of all media coverage. Others stay hidden behind all the attention. So far as of this moment there are about Twenty-two candidates running for the same seat of the Presidency. Each one is similar and different in there ways. Each sees themselves as the true winner and the honest leader of this nation. Now, America stands in a state of confusion trying to sort out one candidate from the other. Who are those people? What is their political history? Last but not least, how do they stand on the vital issues, which divide this nation?
Democrats
Hillary Clinton
The first name, which we hear in the media the most out of all the candidates is Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton. She is not just the Democrat candidate on the list, but she is the only women on the list. Whether having a women run for the presidency is relevant or not, she does want to talk about the issues. She wants to start a “Conversation” with America about the war in Iraq, Health Care, Social Security, and education. Most Americans know her as the first lady of this great nation, behind the shadow of her husband Bill Clinton as a governor and a president. However, she has taken another route, to power. She is currently the senator of New York, one of the most important states in America since 2001. Now, she wants to get out the shadow and step into the light and became the president herself. However, the conversation so far is quite unclear. She talks about bringing change. She, talks about that it is time “to take America back”, but back from what? From Bush? As you serf the web, to look for answers, you do not find anything interesting. Except for one major point. She is on the Armed Services Committee, but most importantly she voted to authorize President Bush to use force in Iraq, calling it “the hardest decision I’ve ever had to make.”(CNN) I can imagine, especially when there are millions of Americans who may look at that as a negative component to her campaign. At the same time, it is strength because the majority is for using some kind of an armed force in Iraq, especially when the word “civil war” is on the table. Another strong point is that her fight for women’s rights and child health care. However, would I vote for her when I am facing the ballot? I do not think so. I do not think that being a woman, white or black matters; it is how they think is what matters. It is nice to be the first women. However, why put America in a risk with someone who is not that clear about where they stand. She talks, or tries to talk about change, but she does not provide anything. After reading article after article, I hear the same thing over and over again, but she is talking about is not yet clear. So, if the election is tomorrow, I will not vote for her. However, if she provides some concrete answers by the time of the election, then I might take a second look at her platform.
Barrack Obama
The other candidate who has lifted the media of it feet is Barrack Obama. He has become the Democrat sweet heart of America. He is the hero, of most college students and youth. He is loved for his charisma, and big white smile. However, what lies behind his colored skin is what counts. As a great well-known lawyer for years he was able to become a senator in the state of Illinois’s state senate from 1997-2004. Since 2005, Obama has been a senator in the United States Senate. He speaks about change like all the candidates. However, he has a different twist to it. He speaks about hope, and American values. Some might argue how can a man whose father was a Muslim know what is the American values. How could a person who was taught in a Madaresa know what American values mean? (Note the word Madaresa in Arabic means school. It comes from the word Dares, which means lesson. The person who gives lessons is a Mudares. The place to give lessons is Madrasa. It has nothing to do with religion. Thus, a Madaresa does not mean a religious or Islamic school). The problem with America is that is associates
America values with Christianity. They make it seem that being American means to be WASP. The fact is the rest of the Americans do not feel that way. It is only a minority in number feels this way. The majority in number feels that American values is about Freedom, Rights, opportunity, faith in some type of a divine being, hope for a better tomorrow, able to compete, and able to succeed. These are the American values. It has nothing to do with Jesus, being white, or carrying a rifle. Another important fact about Obama is he does provide answers and questions as well. Just compare the website to Clinton’s site. He addresses the issues, with answers and strong opinion. He has provides plans to end the war in Iraq and corruption in schools. He calls to improve healthcare, voting rights, families, and communities. He is not just a color, but he is a man with a vision. I am not going to tell you what they are. All you got to do is go to his site, read his book, and listing to him speak. When you do all that, forget the fact that he is black, and lived in Kenya. Remember that He is a man of law, and a senator in our congress. Also, tell your self, what makes him colorful is not his skin, but it is his ideas. He is not different because he is black, but because he provides a plan for change. However, there is a little flaw in the man. He tends to repeat the same claim of Iran being an enemy. He did not say that a war with Iran is the answer, but he did speak of acting with Iran with aggression. The big problem is what he will do once he is in the Oval Office. Next November, when I am facing the ballot, I will most likely to choose him over Clinton, unless she provides something as colorful to say.
John Edwards
Another well know name is John Edwards. It is not the first time for him to run for the Democrat nomination. He served as senator from 1998 until 2005. Unlike the rest of the candidates, who speak about America as a whole, he focuses on the poor, and the middle class. Most of his speeches and talks are about the struggles of the poor, and the hardships that they face. One the other hand according to The Times Union his home is “Sitting on 102 secluded acres, Edwards calls the 28,000-square-foot estate home.” They do have a point there. Moreover, why would anyone spend thousand of dollars on a haircut? When it comes to health care he called for “employers to provide health insurance for employees or pay a portion of their payroll into a fund that would help individuals buy their own insurance” (Washington Post). That is nice but what would those who have a small business, how can they afford to provide health insurance, if they cannot stand on their feet to make a living? Although as good as that might sound for some people, but It just does not make sense why America is finding it difficult to answer such a question that was answered decades ago, by out counterparts in Europe. I tell you socialism is not that bad. Look at Europe and their socialistic health benefits they are providing to their citizens. Socialism is not a threat to Democracy. But, why would he care? You might say well, his wife has cancer, so health care should be of great concern for him. That might be true, but he is not the type who has the rationality to relate to the problems of the poor. He can only see that things can get better as they did for him, forgetting the fact the his is white, and of the minorities such opportunity is very scarce. On the other hand, there is nothing else he likes talk about, other than pulling troops of Iraq. This is kind of nice. However, that is what everyone is saying. So, is there anything, which makes John Edwards special? Not really. Once I stand in front that ballot, I would pick him only if Jeb Bush is on the Republican side of the ballot.
Denis Kucinich
But, let us not forget some one. The media is not mentioning Denis Kucinich. He is the brightest start of all. He is not like any one of them. He is even more colorful than Barrack. He is a true patriot of American values. He is a true follower of the great Constitution. To me he is my ideal hero. He is the man who was against the war from the start. He was against it long before, anyone saw the doom that he foresaw. He is a true politician in every sense of the word. He calls for peace. He calls for diplomacy, not aggressiveness. He calls for connecting with the
Middle East rather than creating more hatred. He knows that the more aggressive we get, the more aggressive the Middle Eastern resistance will get. But, with alternatives such as opening the dialogue with Syria and Iran, and putting them on our side, the world will be a different place. Call me crazy, call him crazy, but believe me it is true. The whole region sees us as a vampire sucking all the life out of them. This ideology starts all the way from Morocco to the Pacific Ocean. If we stop our craze for warfare, and save the billions being spent monthly, we can help to build the region. We can help feed their poor, and build their schools, and put them back on their feet. That is what America ought to be. That is what Denis Kucinich is calling for. He also wants to use the war money here at home, to make our life better. Our schools are falling apart with under qualified teachers. I mean in y high school there is about one teacher fired for inappropriate behavior with students. It is not only male teachers who are involved in these horrible immature acts; but females as well. I do not understand what the purpose of schools any more. More importantly, he stands alone for the issues that are forgotten our dismissed. His platform for 2008 includes:
- Creating a single-payer system of universal health care that provides full coverage for all Americans.
- The immediate withdrawal of all
U.S. forces from - Iraq and replacing them with an international security force.
- Guaranteed quality education for all, including free pre-kindergarten and college for all who want it.
- Immediate withdrawal from the World Trade Organization (WTO) and North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).
- Repealing the USA PATRIOT Act.
- Fostering a world of international cooperation.
- Abolishing the death penalty.
- Environmental renewal and clean energy.
- Preventing the privatization of social security.
- Providing full social security benefits at age 65.
- Creating a cabinet-level “Department of Peace”
- Ratifying the ABM Treaty and the Kyoto Protocol.
- Introducing reforms to bring about instant-runoff voting.
- Protecting a woman’s right to choose while decreasing the number of abortions performed in the U.S.
- Ending the war on drugs.
- Legalizing same-sex marriage.
- Creating a balance between workers and corporations.
- Ending the H1B and L1 Visa Programs
- Restoring rural communities and family farms.
- Banning hand guns.
Republican
Rudy Giuliani
On the Republican side, there is another familiar face. Former Mayor of New York Rudy Giuliani and United States Attorney from 1981 to 1989 is running for the seat of Presidency. When it comes to the issues, it is really hard to know what he stand for. He is known through out the world because of what he did, or rather he just was the mayor of New York during the attacks of September 11th. So, people might argue that he was great, others but rather many say that he did not do the right things. However, when it comes to running for the presidency he does not provide any kind of answers. He speaks about that we need leadership, and performance. He uses the actions he took during the attacks as his main platform (Washington Post). Not only that, his moderate views on abortion and Gay rights, makes him more favorable by the liberals, and his strong views about the war on terror makes him lovable by the republicans (CNN). On Election Day, I will not vote for him. It is not because he is a republican, but it is because there are not enough answers he is providing. He is just the same. America needs change to the better. I do not believe that he can provide that, I just use New York as an example. It is true that New York is one of the most powerful cities in the world, but it is at the same time, not one of the safest in the world. I am not talking about the attacks, but before the attacks, there was poverty, education problems with the teacher’s union, there is high crime in many areas. If he could not provide change in New York, then how can he help change America?
John McCain
However, there is a good Republican candidate out there. John Mc Cain is as colorful as Barrack Obama. Unlike Bush, he actually served in
Vietnam so kind knows a bit more than Bush when it comes to suffering. He also, is different than most the other Republicans. He has served as senator of three terms since 1989. He also served as Representative, United States House of Representatives, from 1983 to 1987. He is a man of his word, and stands for what he believes is right. He is known in America for his “straight talk”( www.mccainmovement.com). He just does not just want to start talking, but he is talking right now, and he always has been in various way to Newsweek , and even on the John Stewart’ s the Daily Show form time to time. Like Obama, he attracts the young and the old, when he speaks about putting and end to the mass government spending on projects that do not help America and putting the money where it really belongs. He talks about tax cuts, and improving educations, by giving parents and local school receive the funding directly rather than thru rules and regulations. He is a man of common sense compared to most Republicans. On Election day, I will not vote for him for one main reason, not because he is a Republican, but because of his support for the increase of troop in Iraq.
Sam Brownback
Another interesting Republican candidate is Senator Sam Brownback. He has been serving a senator since 1996. He also was a Representative from 1995 to 1996. He held office of secretary of Agriculture in Kansas from 1986 to 1993. Unlike Senator Mc Cain, he is the typical Republican. He calls for restoring the American values, and stand firmly against gay rights. However, he talks about freedom, liberty, and human equality. He calls for the freedom to carry arms, and supports the war in Iraq. He is everything what I stand against; except for one issue. He wants to reform the UN. I agree with him on that, the UN seems to be just watching the world crash into each other, and all it does, is hold “peace” talks and think of solutions, without forcing them, through sanctions. However, do to my personal beliefs about freedom, and equality, I do not agree with his opinion of American values. There is no such thing as “American values.” America changes everyday, and the American culture is not static anymore. I cannot vote for a person, who wants to force his Anglo-Saxon culture on others, and calling it freedom.
All America needs right now is change. America needs change in its involvement in the Middle East. America needs change in its schools.
America needs change in its healthcare. Americans need more jobs, and social security to insure their future. America, needs to breath cleaner air, and drink better water. It seems that the Republicans are not ready for that yet. However, the Democrats are crying for it. However, some Democrats are still undecided about how they will do that.
Work Cited
http://www.cnn.com/interactive/us/0612/gallery.2008.contenders/frameset.exclude.html
http://www.nytimes.com/ref/us/politics/2008list.html?ref=politics
http://www.mccainmovement.com/?why
http://projects.washingtonpost.com/2008-presidential-candidates/
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/05/AR2007020501313.html
http://www.exploremccain.com/About/
http://www.t-worx.com/brownback/Issues/tabid/1311/Default.aspx
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