Election thoughts...

I'm not way into politics all the time. I'm pretty busy raising my kids and working and trying to squeeze in bits of time with my husband, and so I really don't have a lot of extra time to play in the political arena. That's my first excuse. My second excuse is that I really don't feel like there is a political party out there for me. I'm neither Republican nor Democrat. Many people tell me I'm Libertarian...but that's never been a truly viable option (yes, I was one of the suckers that voted for Ross Perot several years ago...I liked his flat tax idea.)I'm not a religious person. But I respect and admire those who are. I abhor those who look down on other people of faith. And I abhor those who look down on people who don't share their faith. I look for candidates who are not at odds with my values on this topic.I don't like abortion. I will counsel anyone, individually, not to abort a pregnancy. That's who I am. But at the end of the day, I do not feel it is the government's responsibility to dictate a decision between doctor and patient. I am very turned-off by the violence and rhetoric surrounding the issue of abortion from both sides of the political aisle. I tend to side more closely with the democrats; however this is not usually a voting issue for me. I don't have a problem with stem cell research, and I think it’s okay to use federal money to help pay for such research. I would support legislation to enable taxpayers to get some say (at an individual level) in how their research tax dollars are spent.Marriage is an issue that I think is ridiculous to have determining elections. I don't believe it is the government's place to decide the gender of the people to whom we make long term commitments. To me, from a government perspective is a legal contract between people who want to promise to take care of each other, look out for one another, etc. The legal marriage provides the foundation that enables us to fulfill that commitment (i.e. hospitals take instruction from a spouse, but not a boyfriend etc.) I think there are reasonable solutions to this issue that separate the religious meaning of marriage from the legal contract that enables marriages to be recognized by the government. I tend to side more closely with the democrats on this issue; however it is not usually a voting issue for me.I have not yet heard a candidate completely align with my thoughts on healthcare. I know that the standard democratic position to create massive healthcare programs paid for by the government is WAY off the mark. I will never support a candidate who takes us in the direction of socialized medicine. Maybe it’s because as a member of GenX, I'm feeling pretty screwed about having to pay social security all my life, all the while reading that little warning on the SS Administration's web site. I just don't believe giant government funded welfare programs work in the long term. This is a voting issue for me.Taxes in our country are very unfair. I don't think taxes should be collected for the purpose of re-distributing wealth. I'm sure all that crap is done with the best of intentions, but is just bad policy. Candidates who bring new ideas for tax reform always perk my ears. Creating new work opportunities is a great idea. The current democrats have no vision at all for how to make this better. The republicans keep doing tax-cuts, which only have marginal lift on our economy--it never lasts long. And I would really like to see what my tax dollars are getting spent on, so that when election time comes around, I can make more informed decisions about where I stand on the issues.Education seems to be getting better. I don't think we are "there" yet, but I do support the idea of holding schools and teachers accountable for their results by testing student progress. The best teachers and most competent, results-oriented administrators need to be rewarded more than they are today. The problem with administering this on a federal level is that our government tries to use money as a method of holding schools accountable. I think that is a fundamentally flawed idea that no political party has addressed appropriately.I think we did the right thing, invading Iraq several years ago. I buy in to the idea that there are religious fundamentalists out there in the world who intend on doing us harm, and who have the ability to inflict tremendous damage. And I believe in the strategy to create long term stability in the Middle East as the best hope for ensuring our safety. That said, I am very concerned about the cost of that war, but I have yet to see a reasonable plan for reducing the cost. Bottom line...in this election, I hope that Mike Huckabee wins the Republican nomination, and I will vote for him in November. Here are my reasons...
· Right now, he's the only non-senator running for office (I don't feel, in general, that senators have the type of leadership experience needed to be a great president, and I hope we have a non-senator option in November.)
· I like his idea that we can stimulate the economy by re-building inner states and other infrastructure.
· He comes across as a very honest and disciplined person who has thought very deeply about the issues and taken a stand.
· I agree that our healthcare reform efforts need to focus on wellness rather than ensuring that every man, woman, and child has health insurance. As my husband often says, there is a reason why doctors and patients from Canada and Europe come here to work or receive the best healthcare in the world. Socialization of medicine would come at a very high cost in the quality of the healthcare available for everyone in this country, and that is not a cost I am willing to pay.
· I agree that we need to enforce existing immigration laws.
· I disagree with his opinion that we should overturn Roe v Wade, however that is not something the president of the united states can do, so I'm not too worried about it.
· I disagree on the same sex marriage issue, but it’s not a voting issue for me.
· And I like the way he talks to people. I like the stories he tells, and I think he has the ability to capture the imagination of the country.
· I don't believe John McCain can beat Hillary or Obama.

My sincere hope... November will be an Obama, Huckabee contest, and Huckabee will win.