Chad's spot for various thoughts, musings, poetry, ideas and whatnot

Tuesday, July 27, 2004

Paging a real Presidential candidate

As the Democrats begin their once every four years spin-o-rama festival(the Republicans will hold their's a bit later), I find my mind wandering to issues political. As I read a little blurb from a college student in Newsweek as to what she was looking for in a political candidate I began to ask myself the same question, what do I want in a Presidential candidate in order to vote for him or her. I've pondered this question for nigh unto two weeks and I have reached a couple of conclusions. Before I unveil these ideas let me say a thing or two as a preface.

I think I'm the voter each party hopes for and is afraid of. I am educated, intelligent and I can be persausive in convincing others of my opinion when I have one (ask the people who now own bikes or Macs because of my wife and I). Each party wants me but is afraid of my ability to think for myself and question the party's platform. My Democratic and Republican friends both like and curse me because I agree with some things and I don't agree with others. But what I have discovered is that I'm really a one issue voter right now. So, if there are party officials plumbing the depths of small, insignificant blogs; pay attention and I'll tell you what I want and what I think a lot of my generation really wants.

My one issue is balancing the budget and using the surpluses to pay down the debt. In other words, I will vote for any candidate that promises to do anything in their power to return us to fiscal responsibility. I like a good tax cut as much as the next guy but I'm pretty darn sure that if over 20% of my tax dollars didn't go to servicing the interest on the national debt my taxes would be a LOT lower. I support a strong military. We'd have a lot more money for military projects if there weren't a huge debt. I think that there are social issues that governement is uniquely able to handle but it's hard to do when you are giving one-fifth of your income to banks and foreign countries who have underwritten our spending addiction.

I've decided that if I can't run up an uncontrolled debt neither should those individuals who spend my money. Especially when they like to spend it on their pet projects. So, Mr. Bush and Mr. Kerry, if you want my vote I want a promise that you will balance the budget within two years. I don't care if you raise taxes or cut spending or both, just get the country back in the black on a year to year basis and keep us there. Promise that you'll use surpluses to pay off the debt (not save Social Security or some other "program") and build that into your budget. Make this the number one issue of your campaign in your media releases and stump speeches.

I honestly don't care what Rush or Michael Moore or any of the other talking heads say at this point, I can't think of a single more important topic to decide a political race on. Why? Because if a politician can't restrain him or herself on spending, what will they be able to discipline themselves to do? If a candidate promises to vigorously push a balanced budget amendment I'll personally volenteer on their local "get out the vote" or whatever else efforts. This is THE big issue to me and everything else is secondary. If you, my occasionally gentle readers, support this, put it into your blogs, send letters to the campaigns and otherwise let the world know about it.

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