Voting for the first time -- what should I look for in preparation for the coming presidential election?

Question

Thus far I've been fairly uninvolved/disinterested in politics. Next year, however, will be the first time I will be able to vote in a presidential election, as I will be turning 18 this year, and I have become very interested in the election. Obviously my decision will be a personal choice in the end, but what, from your experience, would you suggest I be looking at during the coming years? (Certain websites, certain media reporters with valuable perspectives...) What are the top 10 or more political issues (immigration laws, death penalty, etc.) that usually determine which candidate you select?

Answer 1

I think most news sources (cnn.com, foxnews.com, news.yahoo.com) have some kind of election 2008 link in which they provide profiles of the frontrunner candidates, as well as their positions on a variety of issues.

The top issues I've seen are abortion, immigration, Iraq, health care, and gay marriage.

What you could do is create a matrix of each candidate's position on an issue, then decide how closely it represents your views and weight that with how important the particular issue is to you. Ignore political parties, they are becoming meaningless.

Pay no attention to anyone's personal life. It's nobody's business unless it begins to affect job performance. In addition, educate yourself on what powers the president actually has as granted by the U.S. Constitution so you can evaluate that with what a candidate says he/she will/can do.

Above all, I can tell you that NO issue is black/white, and that only the Sith deal in absolutes. There are valid points on both sides if you make the effort to consider them, although only you can decide which make the most sense to you.

Answer 2

First look at what the canadate has accomplished. I think Rudy Giulani has done the best and wants to continue on that track. Here is what he said today;
Bureaucrats in Washington, aided by runaway Congressional spending and bloated appropriations bills full of earmarks for special interests have created a culture of irresponsibility, allowing non-defense spending to increase by 72% over the last decade. Now, more than ever, Washington needs someone with experience and vision to bring strong leadership and restore fiscal discipline.

I have an immediate plan to bring accountability to Washington, cut wasteful government spending and restore fiscal discipline:

Force all Government Agencies to Identify between 5% and 20% in Spending Reductions
End Earmarking and Start Budgeting like a Business
Reduce the Federal Civilian Workforce by 20% through Attrition and Retirement
Propose a Constitutional Amendment Establishing a Line-Item Veto
Use GAPStat to Evaluate the Effectiveness of Federal Agencies and Eliminate Wasteful Spending
When I first became Mayor of New York, most people thought the city was ungovernable, tax-and-spend policies left me saddled with a $2.3 billion dollar deficit, and hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers had lost their jobs. Through a combination of fiscal conservatism, economic revitalization, and 23 tax cuts, I turned the deficit into a multi-billion dollar surplus. With my experience, and with your help, imagine what we can accomplish in Washington.

However, I can't do any of this alone, I need your help

Answer 3

Okay, first, Bravo. Most people twice your age don't show as much care in voting as you, they just vote for who what ever party their parents voted for.
Now, know and be aware of this-Most all of the issues those running for president are talking about are state issues that the president nor congress can control. States are set up to hold the power, the Federal Govt. is SUPPOSE to set guild lines for states to follow, and states are the ones that are SUPPOSE to run the show. So, before you become overly concerned about a national offical, get to know your local state officals that you might be voting for, or will at some point in time in your life. No govt. affects your life more directly than your state govt.
Also, if you live in a state that makes you register in one party or the other, choose independent, this allows you to vote for who every you want. And keep in mind, parties change all the time. The democrat party of 30 years ago is long gone, replaced by socialist. The conserative party flew out the went as well, replaced by "moderate republicans" aka "conserative democrats".
The year I turned 18 I voted along party lines, democrat, just like my mother-I voted for Cyntha McKenny (google, you'll understand what a mistake I made). Never again, get to know the person running for office, what they stand for-what's in their political past (i.e. Hillary Clinton has been fooled by every man she's come in contact with, her husband, Bush, ect.,. and has flip-floped more than John Kerry on the war.)
Listen to Rush Limbaugh, he's on the AM stations usually, and I'm sure he's in your area. But, at the same token, listen to NPR. Watch MSNBC but catch a few hours of FOX. The only way to be really fair and balanced is to do it yourself, no one news source is really fair or balanced.
Keep in there, and vote, we need more Americans to turn out and vote before they take the right to away from us.

Answer 4

First of all, thank you for taking interest in your country by voting.

In order to prepare to exercise this most precious right, determine what is most important to you as a person, then as a citizen. The issues you cited are all important but it will be important that you decide what you are most concerned about. Research the candidates that best reflect your ideas and make the decision to vote based on your research.

Your vote is your voice.

Answer 5

You should really look into your state and local elections, initiatives (if your state has that process), and, maybe your congressman or senator if they're up for re-election. Chances are your vote for president will be meaningless - either because there's nothing much to choose between the two candidates, or because your state will already be locked up by one party or the other.

Answer 6

First - get your news and opinions from a variety of sources. Fox News, Rush Limbaugh, Air America, CNN, NY Times, NY Post, whatever. Get a nice spread of viewpoints.

Second - only you can figure out what issues are important to you. Some people are all keyed up on abortion. I don't really care about it. Some people are all about the economy, and some are bored to death. Just see what interests you.

Third - here's my list of things to consider when choosing your next president:

Record of Leadership - Is there one? Were they effective?
Do they govern from core convictions or beliefs? Or are they all over the place.
Can you trust him/her?
Do they have good ideas? Better yet, can they defend them?
When they speak, does it sound like common sense?
Do they seek to pit one group against another, like rich vs. poor, illegals vs. citizens?

Here's my personal pitch. He's not an official candidate, and may not run, but if Newt Gingrich throws his hat in the ring, check him out. He's got a proven record of leadership, and he's got a bevy of fresh ideas.

Answer 7

You should support a candidate who represents you the American and not foreign policy.

For the last 6 years we have had to watch America come second to foreign policy and lobbyist agenda.

The Washington we knew no longer exits. Both sides work together while we sleep.

You should vote for someone who will uphold the Constitution and our Liberties. We need to take back our country and the only candidate so far who has said he is a fighter for the Constitution is Ron Paul.

They rob him of debate time on the major networks and tell certain groups not to invite him to forums/debates. They are scared of him because he plans to get us back on the right path and to discontinue the illegal Iraq war. He is for getting rid of the Federal income tax and wants to restore our civil Liberties.

Vote your conscience - and you will find that Ron Paul is the answer.

He is the nightmare all other candidates fear, because they are the candidates who have sold out to keep us on the wrong road!

That road is:

The road to tyranny - The road to Amnesty for illegals to gain cheap labor slaves - The road to a police state - The road to the destruction of our Constitution and America as we know it!

Answer 8

I will try to be as unbiased as I can.
Here is what I think is the most important issues we face and different views about them (not in any order).

1. Illegal Immigration
-If you let them stay, they use up our free welfare, education, possibly healthcare in the future
-If you make them leave, products cost more because of the high cost of wages.

2. Struggling economy
-High taxes, minimum wage, regulation, and other government interference makes prices go up.
-These things were made to help people.

3. Universal Healthcare
-Taxes would have to rise
-Everyone gets healthcare
-The poor get to live off the middle and upper class's hard earned cash.

4. Socialized Medicine
-Quality of healthcare is usually not very good. (I talked to my friend from the U. K. and he said that the hospitals are old and dirty and are not cleaned well because they have to cut costs. He said American hospitals are very, very nice.
-No competition. When the private sector controls healthcare, they try to attract customers by lowering prices and giving better service to get more customers, when the government does it, they have no one to be better than because everyone in America has already paid for it, so it is "free".

That's all I got for now. GTG.

P. S. I'm 12 years old. I just like politics.

Answer 9

Find out where the candidates stand on issues.
Will they secure the borders first?
Will they uphold our Constitution and laws?
Will they take our troops out of this civil war in Iraq?
Will they fight to clean up government agency's, congress, etc.?
If you want to listen to the news the only one that won't be talking about Paris Hilton, but will let you know what is going on in government is Lou Dobbs,CNN.

Answer 10

look for honesty in a candidate, a candidate who wants to save the constitution and who will actually respect the constitution, a candidate who will secure the border, and will protect the second amendment.

Of course i am talking about Dr. Ron Paul.

But don't take my word for it, go look at him and his record yourself:

http://www.ronpaul2008.com

Edit: Rudy Giuliani is a fascist.