While we're on political topics...

Pre-College Issues High School Life
41

<p>Important issues to me: The environment, 1st Amendment rights (especially press and religion), human rights, trade policy (especially China's currency). I am very liberal on all of these, but my views differ from the traditional democratic views.</p>

<p>Joe Biden - Good foreign policy record; not so strong domestic policy record.</p>

<p>Hillary Clinton - I like many of her policies, but I question her integrity and disagree with her views on the Iraq War and education.</p>

<p>Chris Dodd - To rank-and-fileish. No unique opinions.</p>

<p>John Edwards - Tough on environmental policy, but not tough enough. Seems to be pandering for votes. My third favorite candidate.</p>

<p>Mike Gravel - A self-righteous idiot.</p>

<p>Dennis Kucinich - My favorite candidate. I like his views on the War (except that they're a bit extreme), animal welfare, the environment, human rights, foreign policy and NAFTA, gun control, abortion, and gay marriage.</p>

<p>Barack Obama - He has no real opinions.</p>

<p>Bill Richardson - My second favorite candidate. I agree with him on most issues, but he wants to steal water from the Great Lakes.</p>

<p>Rudy Giuliani - Pandering for votes; has no real opinions; oppressive plans for national security.</p>

<p>Mike Huckabee - Seems like a very nice person, but he wants to impress his religion upon the country.</p>

<p>Duncan Hunter - A member of the rank-and-file.</p>

<p>John McCain - I disagree with him on the Iraq War.</p>

<p>Ron Paul - I don't like his plans to limit the Federal Reserve's power greatly and create a new gold standard.</p>

<p>Mitt Romney - More sincere than the other Republicans, but oppressive with religion.</p>

<p>Tom Tancredo - See Mike Gravel. What's with this guy's policy on immigration?</p>

<p>Fred Thompson - An actor, not a politician. If elected, he would only <em>act</em> as President.</p>

42

<p>A big no to Clinton.</p>

<p>Obama just seems too obvious in my mind.</p>

<p>Giuliani's book was pretty impressive, but the last debate wasn't the best for him.</p>

43

<p>Nobody cares much about the debates anyway. Unless, of course, somebody says something stupid. One slip can ruin a career.</p>

44

<p>Hillary! I agree with most of her policies, and with more of them then any other candidate. Obama is close, but I honestly do think he needs more experience and Hillary's experience will help her in the end.</p>

45

<p>I'm not sure who I will vote for (I will be able to vote in November), but I will definitely not vote for these two:</p>

<p>Obama- A freshman senator who knows absolutely nothing about national politics. A pacifist who wants to diplomatically meet with all world leaders. In short, a president who will do the same for the US what Gorbachev did for the USSR.</p>

<p>Ron Paul- A guy whose has been giving the same speech for 30 years, a speech thats a century out of date. This guy wants to get rid of the Federal Reserve Board for a Gold Standard. Does he not think the US economy is bad enough as it is?</p>

46

<p>I'm wavering between Obama and Clinton. Like others, I've met many people who dislike Clinton, but none, or few, who can really state why. It's become a trend to dislike her. Obama's views fit nicely with mine. Giuliani might be better if he weren't so inconsistent. Fred Thompson's ideas are too conservative. Ron Paul is extremist -- he's reactionary, and his policies make me laugh, since he wants to 1) cut taxes tremendously, but 2) keep certain policies and programs in tact, so I'm not sure what his "balanced budget" will really look like. All the other candidates seem rather bland.</p>

47

<p>Lucaskhan's last post made me chuckle. :)</p>

48

<p>
[quote]
Nobody cares much about the debates anyway. Unless, of course, somebody says something stupid. One slip can ruin a career.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>insightful++</p>

49

<p>My take on the primaries:</p>

<p>I lean right (moreso Economically than Socially) and follow Republicans more than the Democrats (though I follow them both and I ALWAYS keep my mind open to both parties).</p>

<p>Democrats:</p>

<p>Hillary Clinton- I REALLY don't like her. Not that I'm sexist, there's NOTHING wrong with a woman in the White House, just not her. She comes across as someone who's riding her last name's notoriety the whole way w/o giving policy any thought. She's an economic liberal, which I detest...the only type of government spending I strongly support is for the environment, because "tricke down" never really touches this.</p>

<p>Don't know enough to form an opinion on Gravel, Kucinich, Dodd, etc.</p>

<p>Bill Richardson- don't know a lot about him, but he comes across as a kind of "teddy bear" personality, which I like. I agree w/ him on being pro-choice, pro-capital punishment, and the fact he has a background in energy politics (which I think is the most important issue). However, being from NM, he is defined by his dealings w/ the border w/ Mexico...and I disagree w/ him there. Too pro-immigration for me.</p>

<p>John Edwards- NOOOOO!!!! I oppose him on almost EVERYTHING. He lost me a while back when he said the solution to our energy problems was to take down our big energy corporations that he claims are corrupt. I say, don't focus on the corporations, focus on the technology. We could sue ExxonMobil for billions of dollars, but we'll still be fueling our cars with gasoline. I do feel for him on the gay marriage issue: I too can't seem to make up my mind w/ it.</p>

<p>Barack Obama- my favorite Democrat. I don't agree w/ his economically liberal policies regarding fiscal policy and welfare, but he comes across as an awesome person...if elections were based on character alone, he'd have my vote.</p>

<p>Republicans:</p>

<p>Rudy Giuliani- HE'S THE MAN! As a Jersey kid w/ New Yorker parents, I can't help but feel like Giuliani is "representing me" whenever he gets up to speak. I love how he's pledging to back tort reform and how he's not afraid to differ from the typical Republican mold (unlike Mitt Romney). For example, he's pro-choice, so am I. Unlike Romney, who was pro-choice but then "changed his mind" to win the Republican vote, Giuliani has stuck to his guns.</p>

<p>Mitt Romney- I hate the man. He's a social liberal who refuses to admit it. I love how he choked up in the Iowa debate when Giuliani accused him of hiring illegal immigrants.</p>

<p>Mike Huckabee- I'm not Christian, so it's strange that I like him. But he has that "Common Man" appeal...he has a way of putting things that I disagree with in such a way that it makes sense. Not sure if he's qualified for the job, but Abe Lincoln was considered unqualified, too. I worry about his past of being fiscally liberal, however.</p>

<p>John McCain- I have a great deal of respect for the man. He's old, worn, battle-scarred, and that's cool. However, he's just not sharp enough. He doesn't seem to take a memorable stance on anything other than Iraq and torture. He's like a modern Henry Clay in that he's been a prominent and able politician for many years, but he's made too many enemies to ever become president.</p>

<p>Duncan Hunter- He looks, acts, and sounds like someone you'd find in a white supremacist group. Beyond that, however, he lost me when he pledged to return "high-paying factory jobs" to America. Isn't that a bit of an oxymoron?</p>

<p>Tom Tancredo- out of the race because he's too right-wing, even for Republicans. I appreciate his firm stance on immigration, but in doing so he comes across as bigoted...he's made some borderline bigoted comments about Jews and Hispanics in the past.</p>

<p>Ron Paul- I can't take this guy for real. I'm sorry if I offend anyone...I know there's an active Ron Paul support group around here, but "Libertarian" to you sounds like "anarchist" to me.</p>

<p>Fred Thompson- no way. Sorry.</p>