InnerSelf.com

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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