I listened to a debate this evening during dinner regarding whether one ought to vote for Obama or McCain. The two debaters went round and round, but neither of them mentioned what was important to my vote. I’m guessing that what is important to me is also important to them, but the bout centered around the hype of the week. What’s important? The issues.
Do you believe that the right to choose is more important than the right to life? Obama is your man. If you believe abortion is murder and is not an issue that should be linked to women’s rights, McCain is the guy. Do you believe that America should expand as quickly as possible on social policies and progressive tax policies. Obama has your vote. If you believe that government is too big and taxes shouldn’t punish achievement, McCain is your pick. If you believe the news that the Iraq war is going well and needs to be pursued to completion, you want McCain. If you believe the Iraq war is a disaster and we need to pull the troops back as soon as we can, Obama is your best bet.
These are just a small samples of the issues. The scandals, on the other hand, that are being hyped regarding Obama’s relationship to Ayers or Wright or Palin’s firing of a trooper while governor or McCain’s Keating Five scandal or Biden’s plagiarism problems will come and go. Unless some allegations come out that really make a difference as to whether or not the candidate is a legitimate option, these are just superficially colorful features of the canidates that are only used to sway the shallow voters who do not vote on ideology, but purely on popularity.
As for me, I’m voting on ideology. Though, I’m not really voting for anyone. I’m voting against the person whose ideology I disagree with most since no one on this field of candidates is terribly close to my opinions across the board, but one of them is very much further away.
Cheers.
