2008 Democrat Presidential Candidate's, link to their site where they address issues

Your Current Democratic Candidates for 2008 President are; Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.

Hilary Clinton


"Hillary was raised in a middle-class family in the middle of America. From that classic suburban childhood in Park Ridge, Illinois, Hillary went on to become one of America's foremost advocates for children and families; an attorney twice voted one of the most influential in America; a First Lady of Arkansas who helped transform the schools; a bestselling author; a First Lady for America who helped transform that role, becoming a champion for health care and families at home and a champion of women's rights and human rights around the world."

"Since her path-breaking election to the United States Senate, Hillary has been a steadfast advocate for middle-class families, working to help create jobs, expand children's health care and protect Social Security from privatization. As the Senator representing New York after 9/11, Hillary has fought to strengthen our approach to homeland security and to improve our communications and intelligence operations. As the first New Yorker ever named to the Senate Armed Services Committee, Hillary has been a tough critic of the administration's bungling of Iraq and a fierce advocate for proper equipment, health benefits, and treatment for military families."



Clinton on what's important.

Barack Obama

"Barack Obama was born in Hawaii on August 4th, 1961. His father, Barack Obama Sr., was born and raised in a small village in Kenya, where he grew up herding goats with his own father, who was a domestic servant to the British.
Barack's mother, Ann Dunham, grew up in small-town Kansas. Her father worked on oil rigs during the Depression, and then signed up for World War II after Pearl Harbor, where he marched across Europe in Patton's army. Her mother went to work on a bomber assembly line, and after the war, they studied on the G.I. Bill, bought a house through the Federal Housing Program, and moved west to Hawaii.
It was there, at the University of Hawaii, where Barack's parents met. His mother was a student there, and his father had won a scholarship that allowed him to leave Kenya and pursue his dreams in America.

Barack's father eventually returned to Kenya, and Barack grew up with his mother in Hawaii, and for a few years in Indonesia. Later, he moved to New York, where he graduated from Columbia University in 1983.
Remembering the values of empathy and service that his mother taught him, Barack put law school and corporate life on hold after college and moved to Chicago in 1985, where he became a community organizer with a church-based group seeking to improve living conditions in poor neighborhoods plagued with crime and high unemployment.
The group had some success, but Barack had come to realize that in order to truly improve the lives of people in that community and other communities, it would take not just a change at the local level, but a change in our laws and in our politics.
He went on to earn his law degree from Harvard in 1991, where he became the first African-American president of the Harvard Law Review. Soon after, he returned to Chicago to practice as a civil rights lawyer and teach constitutional law. Finally, his advocacy work led him to run for the Illinois State Senate, where he served for eight years. In 2004, he became the third African American since Reconstruction to be elected to the U.S. Senate.
It has been the rich and varied experiences of Barack Obama's life - growing up in different places with people who had differing ideas - that have animated his political journey. Amid the partisanship and bickering of today's public debate, he still believes in the ability to unite people around a politics of purpose - a politics that puts solving the challenges of everyday Americans ahead of partisan calculation and political gain.
In the Illinois State Senate, this meant working with both Democrats and Republicans to help working families get ahead by creating programs like the state Earned Income Tax Credit, which in three years provided over $100 million in tax cuts to families across the state. He also pushed through an expansion of early childhood education, and after a number of inmates on death row were found innocent, Senator Obama worked with law enforcement officials to require the videotaping of interrogations and confessions in all capital cases.
In the U.S. Senate, he has focused on tackling the challenges of a globalized, 21st century world with fresh thinking and a politics that no longer settles for the lowest common denominator. His first law was passed with Republican Tom Coburn, a measure to rebuild trust in government by allowing every American to go online and see how and where every dime of their tax dollars is spent. He has also been the lead voice in championing ethics reform that would root out Jack Abramoff-style corruption in Congress.
As a member of the Veterans' Affairs Committee, Senator Obama has fought to help Illinois veterans get the disability pay they were promised, while working to prepare the VA for the return of the thousands of veterans who will need care after Iraq and Afghanistan. Recognizing the terrorist threat posed by weapons of mass destruction, he traveled to Russia with Republican Dick Lugar to begin a new generation of non-proliferation efforts designed to find and secure deadly weapons around the world. And knowing the threat we face to our economy and our security from America's addiction to oil, he's working to bring auto companies, unions, farmers, businesses and politicians of both parties together to promote the greater use of alternative fuels and higher fuel standards in our cars.
Whether it's the poverty exposed by Katrina, the genocide in Darfur, or the role of faith in our politics, Barack Obama continues to speak out on the issues that will define America in the 21st century. But above all his accomplishments and experiences, he is most proud and grateful for his family. His wife, Michelle, and his two daughters, Malia, 9, and Sasha, 6, live on Chicago's South Side where they attend Trinity United Church of Christ."

Obama on issues

Mock Interweb Presidential Election 2008

Please cast your vote for President off to the right ----->

Check out all of the candidates here too.

"The 2008 presidential race is expected to be the first in decades that won't include a sitting president or vice president in the field of candidates vying for the White House. A large group of contenders are already putting together campaign operations and visiting the early primary states. washingtonpost.com's Presidential Field database will include full coverage of the candidates as the election season unfolds. " - washingtonpost.com

Definitions of democrat on the Web per Google: Oh Brother.

Democrat:
a member of the Democratic Party
an advocate of democratic principles wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn
a person who belongs to the Democratic political party.www.enchantedlearning.com/election/glossary.shtml
31 seats --en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thailand_legislative_election,_2001
1. A politician, frequently a Liberal, who seeks to further his or her political career by complaining about such harmless issues as poverty, environmental destruction, job loss, education, and healthcare, while failing to address the primary concerns of Americans everywhere that they could be killed any second by a terrorist, or even worse, that two men somewhere may want to get married.www.republicandictionary.com/rd_d.shtml

WTF???? Who sounds like the bigger idiot here, the conservative that posted the last definition or the character they are describing. Terrible. That makes me feel like an idiot, feeling I have conservative values and to be associated with anyone who thinks or acts like that.

My quick interpretation of the two main US political parties, and a note on the Other party

As I strive to emphasize in picking a person and not a party for President of the USA - I keep circling back to attempt to define our two party system and what I think each political group stands for (or used to stand for). I want to break down some misconceptions Liberals have towards Conservatives and vice versa. I realize that my opinions are just that, opinions - and this should not be taken for fact - everyone has a different idea of what their "party" stands for.

Prelude: If I had to be honest and tell you which of the two parties I related most closely to - I would have to say Republican. However, in the last two presidential elections I voted for Democrats. Moreover, I prefer to call myself a Libertarian as I feel this political party has some of the best ideas on protecting everyone from the government and upholding our constitution as the Founding Fathers meant it to be preserved.

Back to my opinion: Giant generalization alert* = Conservatives stand for less government, less taxes, less change. Liberals want more government involvement, more taxes levied on the public to aid in a nanny state, more environmental protection. In a nutshell, liberals believe the people cannot help themselves, so the government should be responsible to step in, levy taxes and help the less fortunate.

In various conversations with Friends, families and colleagues I have come to believe many people just don't get politics. They tend to want to identify themselves with a group, so they can feel connected. When someone tries to challenge their position, they tend to lock up and will not even entertain any new ideas. The ole "it's prolly better if we steer from politics" message is sent. I believe this is the major problem with everyone. We have to be open minded and willing to at least hear what others have to say. I encourage anyone that reads this to challenge anything and everything I have to say - I will listen and engage you in a civil conversation anytime. On the other hand, people could construe and probably will construe my message as an attempt to coerce them into believing what I have to say. In the same way, I may have been in fact coerced through propaganda or some other manner to believe what I currently do - and maybe I need a straightening out.

No matter what, just because I put out those generalizations about the two tier political system - doesn't mean it holds true or will ever hold entirely true. It sure hasn't in the most recent two terms of the current US President.As many would agree (I hope), GWB is not a great example of a conservative, at least not fiscally.

My whole point in writing this goes back to my original post. There is much confusion as to what it means to be associated or agree with one party or another. Many liberals think conservatives do not care about taking care of the homeless, or not providing health insurance to those who cannot afford it. In some cases, they may be correct. Of course there are greedy scumbag old men, whored up in their "McMansions" not willing to give out a dime to anyone other than their next of kin. However, and in my own opinion, the vast majority of conservatives do care and would be willing to donate to whatever organization that would be setup to help the needy, however, they feel forced( in the form of taxes) to turn their money over to the government to handle these matters. And as I said before, look at what the government has done with virtually every single welfare type of program and look at the fraud and pork barrel spending that occurs when you have the government handle these things. If it were a conservatives choice, they would not be taxed and rather donate to private organizations that would be in competition with one another to provide the services to the homeless. Private organization will be obliged to operate efficiently or the donors would find someone else who does. This is one thing the government does not have, competition. They have very little oversight, and they take your money and spend it as they see fit. Not as you or I would see fit. That is where the problem lies.

I feel like liberals do not trust the public to donate to these programs unless it is forced down there throat in the form of taxes. I am seriously up in debate about this, but I believe people will find ways to shelter their money and defraud the IRS and governemnt of their duties owed, while if they weren't being forced to help - they would be more willing.

I realize I didn't post much more about how liberals view conservatives, but I have to get back to work.. and so I will carry on this post tomorrow, where I will further elaborate on liberal point of view.

-End rant. More to come in elaboration in the many days following and leading up to election '08.

Candidate Comparisons, compare the remaining candidates

On WAR in Iraq, Afghanistan, Middle East (Foreign Policy):
McCain "Supports Bush's surge, in fact, calls for more additional troops than Bush recommends. Has been quoted as saying he is willing to stay in Iraq for 100 years. "The most important weapons in the U.S. arsenal are the men and women of American armed forces. John McCain believes we must enlarge the size of our armed forces to meet new challenges to our security. For too long, we have asked too much of too few - with the result that many service personnel are on their second, third and even fourth tours of duty in Afghanistan and Iraq. There can be no higher defense priority than the proper compensation, training, and equipping of our troops." Read more here.


Obama,as a state senator, he spoke out against Iraq war, before the war started. Has long favored a "phased withdrawal." "Our country's greatest military asset is the men and women who wear the uniform of the United States. When we do send our men and women into harm's way, we must also clearly define the mission, prescribe concrete political and military objectives, seek out advice of our military commanders, evaluate the intelligence, plan accordingly, and ensure that our troops have the resources, support, and equipment they need to protect themselves and fulfill their mission." -Barack Obama, Chicago Foreign Affairs Council, April 23, 2007. Read more here.

On Civil liberties:
McCain voted for the PATRIOT act and it's revisions. "He generally opposes the interests of the American Civil Liberties Union."

Obama voted against and later for bills to reauthorize the PATRIOT Act. "Let me be clear: this compromise is not as good as the Senate version of the bill, nor is it as good as the SAFE Act that I have cosponsored. I suspect the vast majority of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle feel the same way. But, it's still better than what the House originally proposed. This compromise does modestly improve the PATRIOT Act by strengthening civil liberties protections without sacrificing the tools that law enforcement needs to keep us safe." --February 16, 2006 Source. Obama supported the interests of the American Civil Liberties Union 83 percent in 2005-2006. "Senator Obama is a member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee and has supported efforts to base homeland security spending on risk rather than pork-barrel politics. He has also introduced legislation to strength chemical plant and drinking water security and to enhance disaster preparedness." -Campaign site

Social Security:
McCain would allow workers to invest a portion of their payroll tax in private accounts which they manage themselves. McCain's campaign site did not have a subject devoted to social security.

Senator Obama supported the interests of the Alliance for Retired Americans 100 percent in 2005. "We… have an obligation to protect Social Security and ensure that it's a safety net the American people can count on today, tomorrow and forever. Social Security is the cornerstone of the social compact in this country… Coming together to meet this challenge won't be easy… It will take restoring a sense of shared purpose in Washington and across this country. But if you put your trust in me — if you give me 'your hand and your heart' — then that's exactly what I intend to do as your next President." — Barack Obama, Speech in Des Moines, IA, October 27, 2007. Read more here.


Stem cell research:
Both candidates support federally funded stem cell research.

Same-sex marriage:
McCain has mixed responses from favoring to opposing same sex marriage, seemingly in favor of legal agreements but not marriage or unions. Obama favors civil unions, but opposes same sex marriage.

Free Trade:
McCain in favor, Obama mixed voting record.


Abortion:
MCain mostly pro-life, except in some circumstances. Obama is pro-choice.


Capital punishment:
McCain supports the death penalty, Obama does as well - but questions the legal system.


Medical Marijuana:
McCain opposes legalization, Obama in favor if proved useful in treatment.

Gun control:
McCain is mixed with wanting moderate gun control. "John McCain believes that the right of law abiding citizens to keep and bear arms is a fundamental, individual Constitutional right that we have a sacred duty to protect. We have a responsibility to ensure that criminals who violate the law are prosecuted to the fullest, rather than restricting the rights of law abiding citizens. Gun control is a proven failure in fighting crime." Find more about McCain's stance here. Obama wants strict gun control.



Health care:
McCain opposes universal health care, rather he calls for reform, Obama supports it.


Immigration:
McCain and Obama support amnesty/permanent legalization for illegal aliens and temporary legalization for illegal aiens as guestworkers Source

Education:
MCCain Supports vouchers, Obama opposes them.



Here is basic questionnaire to help you pick if you haven't already, from 2decide.com, rather basic, but it gets the job done.

HERE is a really cool questionnaire where you can select a candidate and whatever issue you want to see their views on.

Pick a Person not Party

In my opinion,

Americans have become so engrossed in political party affiliation, they have lost the concept of truly picking representation that is best for them and/or their country by means of rubber-stamping votes for the party they once thought was, now stands for many different things. Times have changed and party values are much different than just a few years ago. I am merely trying to change the way people look at political affiliations and help them pick a leader based upon what is best for our country and children. I am doing this because many of my own friends and families think they truly understand and side with one party over another, when in fact they are siding with a party that is completely the opposite, simply for namesake. I am as guilty of this as anyone else.

Let me start with an example of my wife (Maybe this is not a good idea). My wife claims that she is a Democrat, a liberal. That she cares about the environment and the general welfare of the people, and that the government should be obliged to care for the sickest and most helpless. She believes that Republicans, for the most part, do not care about this. That they are mostly rich, greedy folks, who want to keep all of the money for themselves, screwing the homeless.

How can one argue this? That is her opinion.

I tell her that I am Libertarian, I side with more Republican - conservative values. However, I do have many liberal values. I prefer less governemnt, more focus on the people helping each other. I tell her to look at our social welfare programs being managed by the government, social security, general welfare programs, our local city public education system failures.

Take for example George W. Bush. He claims affilition to the Republicans. Is he fiscally conservative, or has he promoted less goverment? Not hardly.

My point is this, I care about everything she does - Public schools, the homeless, the hungry, our parents ability to retire. But I have one major disagreement, our government sucks at handling this and always will. I do not think our goverment should have the ability to take my money and apply it as they see fit. I believe I would be better off if I could spend my money on the programs and with the organizations I see as the most beneficial for our local city and communities.

I encourage everyone that is going to vote to look at all of the condidates and their respective platforms. To make their choice on a person, not the party.

As it has become quite obvious, you shouldn't pick a party - you should pick a person. Let the party follow.