Helping you figure out who to vote for...

Cannot figure out who to vote for this coming primary, let alone this coming fall? Have a tendency to vote for the candidate that a “smart” friend supports—rather than doing a small bit of research to see who you REALLY support? I know some find that it can be intimidating because the subject of politics seems to be very taboo in our culture and not everyone loves a good argument. Since I cannot change that culture, and I can only hope to stimulate healthy dialogue one conversation at a time, I thought I would throw some suggestions out there to help people get informed without having to jump into a debate.

It is important to vote for and support who aligns most with your views. Not just who is “the most popular” or the one you hear will make a good candidate. How embarrassing if you decide to support a candidate that contradicts most of your own core values, based on a quick and surface evaluation. Remember, we are talking about people that make legislation that affect our economy, lifestyles, how we interact with other countries… It should be something to take a look at more than just casually.

So where to go? I say take some quick candidate tests and then head over to Vote Smart to be sure what you are hearing on the news about your few favorite candidates are correct.

I find that these kinds of “tests” help you get an idea of where you fall so that you have a direction to go in research. I think one of the hardest things to do is get started…these kind of tests help you do just that. I would take more than one because each uses different criteria to match you to a candidate. They are also fun and easy to complete… There are WAY more out there, but here are a few to help you get started.

http://www.speakout.com/VoteMatch/senate2006.asp?quiz=2008

http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/candidate-match-game.htm

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Vote2008/page?id=3623346

http://www.dehp.net/candidate/

http://www.wqad.com/Global/link.asp?L=259460

http://glassbooth.org/


For the research, you do not have to get a political science degree. I use Project Vote Smart as a reference. They cover all levels of government and how our elected officials vote. They do all the research so you do not have to and they are very good at keeping with the non-partisan claim. They also have a phone line to call if you have relatives or friends that do not access the internet

http://www.vote-smart.org/

Here is a video of their organization explaining what they do.

The Blue Boar: Human organs to be taken without consent in UK

The Blue Boar: Human organs to be taken without consent in UK

Nice, this is what happens when you let government decide on health care... it is a dangerous slope. Free health care sounds great if you get it for free and still have choices. But that is not the reality when you have someone else control it for you...eventually you loose the ability to choose.

Come on candidates... show me this change

I think this would be an excellent idea... have the candidates move past the rhetoric and start showing us HOW they would change this next year. They are currently senators and can make things happen. I say GIT R DONE, show me what you keep talking about.

Change?

Excellent cartoon by Ramirez at Investor's Business Daily

Space Invaders :-)

From Tammy Bruce's Blog... Why the world hates us

This is why I love Divas like Tammy, they help put things into perspective and they are almost always right on. Our American impact on the world is not one of domination, we just care and we want peace more than anyone--That is why our military is the best

No Wonder the World Hates Us

Sometimes we must simply admit how evil we are. Running roughshod over the world, caring only about ourselves, not considering for one second the negative impact we have on the world, to say nothing of ruining the lives of little children. Yeah, with stories like this, isn't it about time we stop messing around with other peoples lives and retreat so the world can once again have a good time?

Five-Year-Old Boy Feels 'Very Well' After Having Peach-Sized Brain Tumor Removed

NEW HYDE PARK, N.Y. — A 5-year-old Peruvian boy rushed to Long Island for surgery to remove a peach-sized brain tumor said he felt "very well" less than a week after the procedure.

Sebastian Jimenez Pina praised the doctors who treated him -- and the congressman who helped get him to them -- at a news conference Wednesday at Schneider Children's Hospital, where he underwent the operation Dec. 27.

"The hospital and the doctors were very good," the boy said in Spanish.

His physicians, Dr. Mark Mittler and Dr. Mark Atlas, said Sebastian would have died quickly without the surgery. It removed the tumor protruding from his right temple and two other, smaller ones on his head.

Yeah, and I bet you we waterboarded that little boy ahead of time to make sure he said nice things about the doctors.

Conservative Resolutions

Something to think about if you are a conservative

clipped from www.humanevents.com Five New Year’s Resolutions for Conservatives by Gary Bauer 1. REJECT BIG GOVERNMENT - I resolve not to apologize for being a conservative, because conservatism does not need to be softened as if there were something inherent in our allegiance to principled conservatism—with its belief in a strong national defense, traditional moral values and fiscal responsibility—that made it cruel 2. EMBRACE THE FAITH OF OUR FATHERS AND MOTHERS -- I resolve to fight attempts by secularists to deny or misrepresent America’s Christian heritage in the classroom, in the office and wherever it is found. 3. SUPPORT FAIR MEDIA OUTLETS -- I resolve to be attentive to media bias and to expose it in all its forms 4. RESOLVE DIFFERENCES QUIETLY AND WITH DIGNITY -- I resolve not to mischaracterize other conservatives’ positions or records on issues, especially to unsympathetic media outlets that would trumpet the words to aid the liberal agenda 5. SUPPORT TRUE CONSERVATIVES