In 08': You Decide

A new era began in D.C. when Nancy Pelosi became the first female speaker of the United States House of Representatives. And with a new speaker on Capital Hill Americans began searching for someone to move into the House. Reporting for the Democrats: Senators Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, and John Edwards- and just for fun will throw in Dennis Kucinich. For the Republicans: former NY mayor Rudy Guiliani, Governors Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee, and Sen. John McCain. And former Law & Order star Fred Thompson decided he’d pull a Ronald Regan and joined the race as well.

With Iowa just three days away, and the entire spotlight on the candidates, you’d almost think we didn’t have a president.To me it seems that the only press Bush gets is of how low his approval rating is; that and his “special moments” shown on the Late Show with David Lettermen. It would seem that many Americans are not happy with the way things went in Bush’s second term. So because many are supposedly not happy, they feel, judging by what the media reports, that they should begin the search for our country’s next commander-in-chief.

For much time it was the Democrats receiving all the attention, mostly because they weren’t republicans. The candidates running for president decided the one way to win hearts is by ending the War on Terror. A very touchy subject, Clinton, Obama, and Edwards have all stated their strategic moves on pulling out the supposed thorn in our sides. So flash forward into the future: a Democrat has been elected into office. Troops are beginning to come, families rejoicing, oh happy days are here again! But wait, why are the terrorists rejoicing? Perhaps it’s because the Democrats decided to share their diary with how many troops their pulling out and when.

I want to make it clear that I’m not attacking the Democratic Party, just stating a few issues I had. And hey, it’s not like the Republicans don’t have their share of issues. Guiliani gets cancer once, beats it, gets ill on the campaign trail, next thing you know voters aren’t sure they want to elect a William Henry Harrison. Mike Huckabee receives lavish gifts from supporters, says Merry Ch***sm*s, and he has problems. Mitt Romney is a Mormon, but voters have a problem with that- they aren’t sure they want someone of different faith sitting in the Oval Office.

NEWS FLASH: Religions in America: Catholic, Baptist, Mormon, Seventh - day Adventist, etc. You’re never going to have a president who’s going to share the same faith with everyone.
First Amendment to the United States Constitution: >>>>>Freedom of Religion<<<<<<

And as you may have noticed I haven’t touched on the topics the candidates stand for, but merely problems they have faced. But by showing you problems they have faced, I’ve shown the things that we’re considering calling an issue. Americans are never going to find the man or woman who will be the leader for all; at least I don’t think the days of finding another FDR are going to be happening anytime soon. But we can of course vote for the person who WE find the best for the job, whether they’re a person who has reminded us on occasion that he has led us out of tragedy, or a person who has entertained us on TV. Or even a woman who walks around with her husband, showing that she still needs a little help reeling voters in. So remember, in 08’: You Decide.

Late Bloomer?

It’s becoming somewhat of a burning question: will Michael Bloomberg run for President of the United States? The current mayor of New York City has stated that he has no intentions of running, but recently it would seem that his aides are laying out the groundwork for him. Bloomberg left the Republican Party in June 2007 and if he chose to run he would be running as an Independent. But with Iowa just three days away, only 2008 will tell what will happen with this late bloomer.

In God We Trust

“It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and Bible.”
-- George Washington

Mitt Romney has had to face voters’ skepticism about his Mormon faith. To address what seems to be the only issue voters currently care to hear about, Romney made a 20-minute address titled “Faith in America”. Romney stated that he would "serve no one religion, no one group, no one cause," adding that a President must serve only the common cause of the people of the United States.

“Be religiously careful in our choice of all public officers . . . and judge of the tree by its fruits.” – Elias Boudinot

A year from now America will have hopefully elected a new leader, and hopefully will have chosen the right person. With so many people of different backgrounds each with their own religion, how can we choose a leader whose faith might be the same as our but differ from someone else’s? And with that question in mind- since when did religion become so important and such a major part of election political leaders? Are there not Americans who are trying to remove religious reminders from government property?

“God who gave us life gave us liberty. And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are a gift from God? That they are not to be violated but with His wrath? Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just, and that His justice cannot sleep forever.” -Thomas Jefferson

So some Americans wish to have the right person in the Oval Office with the right faith. And some wish to have religious symbols removed. Perhaps it’s in time that during this long haul, and amongst all these religions, Americans remember this simple but important phrase that can relate to everyone- “In God We Trust”.

There's nothing wrong with looking for a President who we can religiously identify, it's just impossible to find one who shares the same faith with every American. Maybe we're looking for a leader who has the relationship with God that is needed to run a country. If that's the case than it can't be in man who we trust, but in God we trust.

Republicans: War on Terror/Iran/American Safety

Republicans: War on Terror/ Iran/ American Safety

Top Candidates

Rudy Giuliani:

• Winning the war is a great responsibility.
• America cannot afford to play defense.
  - Weakness encourages aggression
• Timetable for withdrawal would be mistake.
• Failure in Iraq would lead to a broader and bloodier regional conflict in the near future.
• Build an accountable Iraq = Reduction in threat of terrorism
• America will win the war on terror

Mitt Romney

• Stronger military
  - Increase by 100,000 troops
• 4% of gross domestic product to defense.
  - Make up for critical gaps in the modernization of our equipment, personnel and health care efforts
• Funds must be used for critical needs
• Strengthen/Modernize Strategic Planning
• Isolate Iran Diplomatically
• Have Arab states join effort to prevent a Nuclear Iran
• State to Iranians that nuclear capabilities may be a source of pride but can be a source of peril.
• Protect the Homeland

Mike Huckabee

• Top priority- protecting American citizens
• Fight war hard, but fight it smart.
• Strategic strikes on terrorists positions.
• Get tough with President Musharaff who has allowed Al Qaeda and the Taliban to have bases in Waziristan.
• Enemy is Islamic extremism.
• Part of winning the war is winning energy independence.
• Believes in overwhelming force in accomplishing a mission.
• Has executive and crisis management experience, along with the judgment and the temperament.
• Expand the army and increase the defense budget.