This election year and next will define the direction this nation should take for its future. It is imperative, that we the voters correctly choose leadership, not based on the grounds of one’s political loyalty, religion, intolerance, or ignorance of facts, but whose policies best fit our nation. This country hasn’t been this divided since the pre-Civil War era.
Two major elements of this division being the sudden intrusion of political extremists slowly desecrating the fabric of democracy, and the Citizens United ruling. In addition we must turn away from biased radio and television talking heads, unbalanced news networks, but most importantly, away from our own prejudices. Instead, we must investigate for ourselves, compiling facts, truths, and numbers which help our selection process. We must choose the candidates who’ll fight for, defend, and rebuild the middle class, help the poor, fight for women’s rights for equal pay and birth control, fight against voter suppression measures, a veiled attempt to deprive the right to vote, continue to improve upon health care reform, reform the tax codes so that everyone pays their fair share, reinvest in education, clean energy, and rebuild the infrastructure of this nation, eliminate Big Oil, Wall Street and corporate welfare and entitlements, fair cap and trade policy, and fight job outsourcing. His loyalty must be to the citizens first and foremost, not to special interest groups or his political party! He must have character, Biblical standards, transparency of his past and present, and embrace diversity!
Dante Bevineau
Gilbert
fae4now posted at 8:49 am on Sat, Jul 21, 2012.
Well said Mr Bevineau!
As one of those mysterious and unpredictable Independent voters I try to pay close attention to what the candidates are really saying and cast my vote for the one whose proposals most closely align with my values and pay little attention to party affiliation.
For instance, any candidate will say he wants to reduce the deficit but I want to know HOW he plans to do so. Cuts to education or Social Security? Or cuts in Big Oil subsidies? Big difference there.
Since Mr. Romney has thus far refused to actually tell us HOW he plans to accomplish anything it looks like Mr. Obama shall earn my vote.
sdjtaz posted at 9:30 am on Sat, Jul 21, 2012.
Dante, I was in full agreement with you until you mentioned that the candidate had to possess "biblical standards". I have three basic problems with this standard.
First, on it's face, it implies that anyone seeking the Presidency needs to be Christian. Since we are not a theocracy, this standard is patently unconstitutional. This standard also would eliminate a large number of qualified candidates. Using this standard, Jimmy Carter and George W. Bush should both have been great Presidents, since both were "born-again" Christians, who tried to meet your "biblical standard". Yet, I suspect that few would argue that either of these men would qualify as a great President.
The second issue is that "biblical standards" have been used to perpetuate great evil. One example of this from our history is the use of the Bible to justify slavery. Many preachers and politicians of the 18th and 19th century justified the enslavement of three million black people by showing examples of slavery used in the Bible as God's punishment.
The final issue is in the Bible, itself (most specifically the Old Testament). If you read the Old Testament, you will find numerous examples of men committing murder, rape, and other acts of violence, all in the name of God. Additionally, there are also numerous flat out silly passages. If we were to follow the Bible, we would still be stoning women that commit adultery, we would not being eating shrimp or lobster, and we would expect someone to marry their sister-in-law when a brother died (I actually had a few Christians suggest this to me when my brother died).
Ultimately, much of the Old Testament was written by a small group of men millennia years ago. It was written for a small group of people called the Israelites. The writers had several reasons for creating these stories (including the justification of their power and actions, the need to unify a group of individuals, ensure the growth of the tribe, etc...). Many of these stories have little in common with modern society, which is why almost all Christians will be very selective about which parts of the Bible they obey.
If you meant to imply that a candidate for President should have high moral standards, I agree with you. However, the requirement for having high moral standards does not necessarily mean that one must meet "Biblical" standards.
Leon Ceniceros posted at 11:52 am on Sat, Jul 21, 2012.
The Letter Writer surely can't be asking American Citizens to vote for Barack Hussein Obama.
We are talking about American Citizens here, I presume and the 2012 November Election for the President of the United States.
BECAUSE...BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA.....DOES NOT BELEIVE IN ....AMERICAN VALUES....MAYBE ...MARXIST OR SOCIALIST...POSSIBLY EVEN COMMUNIST CHINESE VALUES...BUT HARDLY ...AMERICAN VALUES.
VALUES LIKE PATRIOTISM, LOVE OF GOD, LOVE OF FLAG, LOVE OF THE LAW.
OBAMA'S MENTOR, THE MAN WHO MARRIED HIM AND MICHELLE OBAMA ..THE MAN WHO BAPTIZED OBAMA'S CHILDREN.....IS A BLACK RADICAL THEOLOGY RACIST WHO.......SCREAMS HATRED FOR WHITE AMERICA AND FOR AMERICAN VALUES.
OBAMA WENT TO THE REVEREND JEREMIAH WRIGHT'S CHURCH FOR 20 YEARS...FOLKS.....OBAMA AND MICHELLE SAT RIGHT UP FRONT AND LISTENED TO REVEREND WRIGHT PREACHING THAT......."NOT GOD BLESS AMERICA...BUT GOD DAM AMERICA".....PREACHING THAT...."AMERICA DESERVED 9/11 BECAUSE IT HAD BOMBED HIROSHIMA...BOMBED NAGASAKI"....AND THAT BECAUSE OF THE A-BOMBS IN WORLD WAR II THAT ....."AMERICA'S CHICKENS HAVE COME HOME TO ROOST"...AND 3000 INNOCENT AMERICANS....HAD TO DIE TO ATONE FOR AMERICA'S PAST SINS.
DO YOU REALLY WANT TO VOTE FOR A PRESIDENT...A...COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE ARMED FORCES OF THE UNITED STATES......WHO SAT IN A PEW WITH HIS WIFE AND LISTENED SUNDAY AFTER SUNDAY AFTER SUNDAY FOR .....20 YEARS.......TO THESE ANTI-WHITE..ANTI-AMERICAN SERMONS.........DO YOU REALLY WANT TO VOTE FOR THIS PERSON...BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA ??????
chatmandu002 posted at 12:32 pm on Sat, Jul 21, 2012.
Dante,
I guess you hit almost everyone of the liberal progressive socialist talking points. LOL So much for your bias. Not once did you mention the Constitution. Yes the Constitution our founding document, which you and apparently most liberal progressives don't understand or care about.
How about a balanced budget, or even a budget from the Senate? How about limiting the size and power of government to what the constitution calls for? How about letting the people be free from more bigger government rules, regulations, taxes and oppression? How about a country where a free people can succeed or fail on their own instead of sucking off of the big government teet? How about a country where you are responsible for your own actions?
Yes we are a divided nation, because of years of so-called compromise we are at a point where the country must decide which way we will go. Progressive big government socialism or free market capitalism. Dante, I know which way you want to go, I chose freedom.
somewebguy posted at 3:39 am on Sun, Jul 22, 2012.
This election year and next will define the direction this nation should take for its future. It is imperative, that we the voters correctly choose leadership, not based on the grounds of one’s political loyalty, religion, intolerance, or ignorance of facts, but whose policies best fit our nation. This country hasn’t been this divided since the pre-Civil War era.
Agreed but this country was built on small business and morals, neither does the current administration have"
Two major elements of this division being the sudden intrusion of political extremists slowly desecrating the fabric of democracy, and the Citizens United ruling. In addition we must turn away from biased radio and television talking heads, unbalanced news networks, but most importantly, away from our own prejudices.
"This is true but the divide has been in the ast 3 years via race baiting and mis information to the american public through the joke we call News "ABC, NBC, FOX, MSNBC"
Instead, we must investigate for ourselves, compiling facts, truths, and numbers which help our selection process. We must choose the candidates who’ll fight for, defend, and rebuild the middle class, help the poor,
Yes help the poor not support them with my taxes.
fight for women’s rights for equal pay and birth control
Hmmm I am not sure what you mean woman have rights? they can vote, work and there are several forms of birth control from your DO or on the shelves at Walgrens.
fight against voter suppression measures, a veiled attempt to deprive the right to vote,
Explain what voter surpression is Dante? the fact you need an ID to vote, I bet they make sure they have an ID to get those food stamps, this is an ignorant typical liberal thing to say, lets let people vote with out proving they are US citizens...smh
continue to improve upon health care reform
Exactly not straddling our country with an un achievable health care system we can not pay for
reform the tax codes so that everyone pays their fair share
Everyone shuld pay a flat reate on taxes if you make under 24K you pay no taxes above that its a flat reate across the board.
reinvest in education
Yes stick to a standardized system where you pass by achieving not because you tried. Take it all down and rebuild it on one structure based on reward for learning.
clean energy,
I agree in clean energy but at the loss of american jobs.
and rebuild the infrastructure of this nation, eliminate Big Oil,
The infrastructure of our nation is what makes us great, its the people who have corrupted it for there own greed and power. You will never eliminate BIg oil
Wall Street and corporate welfare and entitlements
Please explain corporate welfare? tax breaks for hiring inside the US? This president handed out the largest BS entitlements out of any president, he is Wall Street and entitlements...more people are on welfare now than ever 1 in 7 people are on food stamps. I bet 6 out of 7 have never held a job.
fair cap and trade policy
I am surprised you even said this, do you understand it? or are you just rinsing and repeating.
Fight job outsourcing.
Hilary started it and now Obama is finishing it, what happend with Keystone how many Billions would that have helped the US and 100's of thousands of Jobs.
His loyalty must be to the citizens first and foremost, not to special interest groups or his political party! He must have character, Biblical standards, transparency of his past and present, and embrace diversity! Diversity that is what is wrong with this country to many small groups steering the ship. I dont care what color or sexual preference you have in my book but morally this country has been driven into the ground by the liberal left because you all cowards afraid to fight for what you believe in.
People like you who spew this ignorant babble in a mob mentality that sucks the ignorant people that our education system failed to properly educate. Go to school and take an economics class you that arts degree you have is showing, I am surprised that you did not fall of the left side of your chair writing this article.
chatmandu002 I agree the constitution is just a road block for these people but remember it took Jimmy Carter to get Ronald Reagan...once they knock on your door to take your freedom from you it will be to late. Hitler did it and Obama is doing it just like he did.
Arizona Willie posted at 3:21 pm on Sun, Jul 22, 2012.
somewebguy needs a lengthy vacation in somestraightjackethotel.
sockratties posted at 4:33 pm on Sun, Jul 22, 2012.
Dante… with the exception of the religious part I think you want pretty much what everyone would like; a return to the good old days. Which good old days did you have in mind? How about the 50s? I really did enjoy McCarthyism. What a hoot! And of course, the Korean War. Or the sixties? That Vietnam War was a Dusey, huh? Let’s go back to the 70s where we had the best of the GOP, Nixon and Agnew. And we complain now? Or the 80s, with Ronald Reagan… still waiting for the trickle down? We could go for the 90s, with the Oklahoma bombing and 9/11… 'nough said. And this decade hasn’t been so great either. To twist a popular phrase: “Only the names have been changed to protect the guilty.”
Bottom line… Quit wishing and dreaming of pie in the sky. One of two candidates is going to win and it will still be up to Congress to make any real changes. If changes are made, it’s a 50:50 chance they’ll be worth anything. After the election I suggest, if you want to know what happened, to follow the money. Here in Arizona you either vote GOP or your vote didn’t matter. That’s both State and Federal so we can plan on another few years of embarrassment.
Arizona Willie posted at 12:24 pm on Mon, Jul 23, 2012.
socratties, it has been true that only Republican votes counted because they always win in a landslide.
The strange thing is that according to voter registrations Republicans do NOT dominate.
For some reason, Democrats and Independents don't vote in Arizona.
They register but don't vote.
Which allows Republicans to dominate all the elective offices.
Because of Arizona's political record, many elected offices have only Republican candidates -- Democrats won't even bother to run.
Perhaps we need to change the voting system.
When you vote you should get a form that you can return with your state income tax return and get $100 off your tax due.
Or go the other way and if you don't have a ' I voted ' form to submit you get a $100 penalty added on to your tax due. That's probably better than giving people money.
Penalize them if they don't vote.
Arizona non-republican voters are so dispirited that they don't bother to vote so some means needs to be found to " encourage " them to vote.
Maybe some of the people in other countries have a good idea when they dye people's thumbs when they vote. It's intended to prevent them from voting more than once but it also is a social thing. If you don't have a purple thumb for a few days after the election people know you didn't vote and can shun you.
Our voter turn out is worse than miserable.
We need some bright minds to figure some legal way to encourage people to vote.