The US National Election
2000 --
Not So Hard A Choice After All
by bobby
jennings
Author's
Note: InnerSelf makes no endorsement and only
encourages you to check with your inner self and vote
according to its guidance.
 In this election, as with most of the
prior elections, while we are presented with alternative
choices to the Republican and Democrat candidates, the
race comes down to the two major parties. I find that I
agree with much that Mr. Nader and the Green Party has
to say and am disturbed that they were left out of the
debates. However, the one thing I do not agree with Mr.
Nader is that there is little difference between Al Gore
and George Bush.
What's the Difference?
In order to try to clarify the
positions of George W. Bush and Al Gore, I shall present
what I have come to understand of their position on the
issues.
Dignity in the White House
Mr. Bush says that he will return
dignity to the White House, a reference to Mr. Gore's
campaign financing abuses. But like the once burned John
McCain, Mr. Gore has pledged to make campaign finance
reform a priority, and his first agenda in Office, while
Bush has only offered disclosure as a remedy. Clinton
has also been blamed for stripping the White House of
dignity. Since this election is not about Clinton, the
two candidates to consider vis-a-vis dignity are George
W. Bush and Al Gore.
Leadership Potential
Mr. Bush offers himself as an
"experienced" leader. His main experience is
as a baseball club part owner and six years as Governor
of a state with very limited executive powers. Mr. Gore
brings a 24-year record of protecting the rights of
women, minorities, the environment, and the poor.
Equal Rights
We have fought hard to get to where
we are on equal rights, privacy, and other individual
freedoms. We need to consider the two candidates and
their stand on equal rights, abortion, health care, etc.
The Democrats support a woman's right to choose, while
the Republicans support the government's right to
choose.
Knowledge and Expertise
The campaign has underscored Mr.
Bush's lack of depth on-? foreign policy. His
proposed policies have sounded like a return to a form
of isolationism. Bush has stated that he will rely on
former Secretary of Defense Cheney and likely Secretary
of State and former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of
Staff, Colin Powell.-?
Mr. Gore has stood toe to toe with
most of the major foreign leaders and pursued a policy
of helping other countries. He has also showed his
independent thinking by being willing to break from his
own party on foreign policy matters.
Personal Qualities
Each man has his strengths and
weaknesses and it's easy to pick at them. Bush is
definitely a "charmer" and has a
"pleasant personality", while Gore is a more
serious, studious type who has less charisma. I, for
one, take each man at his word when Bush says he is a
"born again" Christian, and Al Gore proclaims
himself to be a "born again" Humanitarian
after the near death of this son.-?
Economic Issues
Mr. Bush, with his massive tax cut
proposals, wants to bring back Reagan "trickle
down" economics that even his father labeled
"voodoo". Both candidates have promised tax
cuts and new spending on important issues and here
Gore's record as a centrist is unclear. However Bush's
record is very clear. In Texas, he pushed through two
massive tax cuts that left virtually nothing for health
care and other social issues in a rich state that has a
poor record.-?
Taxes & Government
Like Mr. Bush I also want less taxes,
a smaller and less intrusive federal government, and
more power vested in the local and state level. However,
I do want a federal government that protects the rights
and liberties of Americans regardless of the state or territory
they live. Mr. Bush has charged that Mr. Gore will
greatly expand the federal government. The records just
don't hold on this charge. Government employment exploded
under Reagan and Bush Sr. while this trend was reversed
under Clinton and Gore and more control was given to the
States.
The Environment
A prudent policy, one we started in
1973 and then shelved, would be to quickly embark on
research and development in renewable clean energy and
eliminate foreign oil dependency. This is what Mr. Gore
proposes. Bush's environmental policy is to drill for
more oil and ask for voluntary compliance. The
amount of oil exploration is determined by the price of
oil on the international market. Pay more and the oil
companies will find more oil.
Education
Education has been a big issue in
this election, and on this I have to laugh, as both
candidates would appear to be full of hot air, as
education is almost entirely a local and state affair.
Positive Campaigning
All in all, it's been an interesting campaign,
mostly positive, and focused on the issues.
Personal Choice
Like many Americans I vote for issues
and solutions, not political parties. I apologize to Mr.
Nader for leaving him out of my debate, however, due to
the powers that be, at the moment, the two major
contenders are Bush and Gore, or should we say
Republicans vs. Democrats.-?
One thing I am sure of is that I want
Ralph Nader and the Green Party to draw at least 5% of
the vote so they can qualify for federal financing in
the next election, and then at least get a fair chance
to reach the American public with the positions
supported by the Green Party.
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