Top 10 Issues That Will Influence Us Presidential Elections 2008
Jul 29, 2009
Eric Schultz asked:
The United States of America will be holding their 56th quadrennial elections to elect their new President and Vice-President on November 04, 2008. The nominees of the two major parties, namely, the Democratic party and the Republican Party (commonly referred to as the Grand Old Party -GOP) are the major contenders for the top positions. Ironically, GOP is the second oldest party in the US after the Democratic Party.
The Democratic Party has Hillary Clinton, US Senator from New York and former First Lady; John Edwards, former US Senator from North Carolina and 2004 Democratic Vice-Presidential candidate; Mike Gravel, former US Senator from Alaska and Speaker of the Alaska House of Representatives; Dennis Kucinich, US representative from Ohio; Barack Obama, US Senator from Illinois and former Illinois State Senator, among others who are campaigning in primaries and caucus to gather support from delegates and win the Democratic Party’s Presidential nomination.
The Republican Party delegates need to choose their Presidential nominee from among Rudy Guilani, former Mayor of New York City; Mike Huckabee, former Governor of Arkansas; John McCain, US Senator from Arizona; Ron Paul, US Representative from Texas and 1988 Libertarian Presidential nominee; Mitt Romney, former Governor of Massachusetts; Fred Thompson, former US Senator from Tennessee, and others.
The Top 10 major issues (as decided by the general public in an online poll conducted by ‘The Statesman’ source: http://www.statesman.com/news/content/shared/news/interactives/elections2008_rank_issues/index.html) which are likely to affect the Presidential outcome and on which both party’s nominee’s are wooing the electorate are :
Iraq : This is the most emotive issue and likely to impact the final outcome of the Presidential elections in a big way. The daily arrival of body bags from Iraq and increasing number of injured personnel is affecting the nation adversely. This coupled with no seizure of weapons of mass dectruction has severely dented the image of the present government. Health Care : Health care and health insurance has become expensive, costs of medicines is rising, unemployment is high (mainly due to outsourcing), economic growth is sluggish and the voters are a worried, harried lot. Immigration : This is another emotive issue particularly with the Southern States of the Union. The entry of illegal immigrants, specially from Mexico is affecting the prospects of the locals. Taxes : High rates of taxation on the working class and increasing number of exemptions to businesses and rich class is widening the economic disparity and creating social tensions. Education : The voucher system being pushed by the present government is creating more problems. The increase in tuition fees and withdrawal of grants and scholarships is affecting a major section of the middle and lower class society. Iran : The stand-off with Iran on it support to separatist Iraqi shia groups and its stubborn nuclear ambitions could lead to another military intervention by the US. This factor will play on the voters minds. 7. Global Warming : Al Gore, co-Nobel Peace Prize winner has successfully put the focus on Planet Earth and our relationship with it, forcing us to think about our legacy to future generations – Will they inherit a green earth or a barren earth? Stem Cell Research : The high prevalence of lifestyle diseases, longer life-spans, and need for new techniques to improve quality of life underlines the need for research without falling foul of the animal activists. This is very stem cell research plays a key role. The present controversy revolves around the ways to harvest stem cells for research. Abortion : There are sharp differences in the two major parties approach to abortion. While Democrats prefer the choice to be left to the mother, Republicans want to ban abortions. Gay Marriage : Same Sex unions have been a reality for a long time, but without any legal sanction and protection. With society being more open and accommodative of personal sexual orientations, this issue has taken center-stage.
What are the views of the majority of electorate? Who will they support? Which Party’s nominee has gaged the pulse of the nation correctly? The answer to these questions will be known only after elections.
The United States of America will be holding their 56th quadrennial elections to elect their new President and Vice-President on November 04, 2008. The nominees of the two major parties, namely, the Democratic party and the Republican Party (commonly referred to as the Grand Old Party -GOP) are the major contenders for the top positions. Ironically, GOP is the second oldest party in the US after the Democratic Party.
The Democratic Party has Hillary Clinton, US Senator from New York and former First Lady; John Edwards, former US Senator from North Carolina and 2004 Democratic Vice-Presidential candidate; Mike Gravel, former US Senator from Alaska and Speaker of the Alaska House of Representatives; Dennis Kucinich, US representative from Ohio; Barack Obama, US Senator from Illinois and former Illinois State Senator, among others who are campaigning in primaries and caucus to gather support from delegates and win the Democratic Party’s Presidential nomination.
The Republican Party delegates need to choose their Presidential nominee from among Rudy Guilani, former Mayor of New York City; Mike Huckabee, former Governor of Arkansas; John McCain, US Senator from Arizona; Ron Paul, US Representative from Texas and 1988 Libertarian Presidential nominee; Mitt Romney, former Governor of Massachusetts; Fred Thompson, former US Senator from Tennessee, and others.
The Top 10 major issues (as decided by the general public in an online poll conducted by ‘The Statesman’ source: http://www.statesman.com/news/content/shared/news/interactives/elections2008_rank_issues/index.html) which are likely to affect the Presidential outcome and on which both party’s nominee’s are wooing the electorate are :
Iraq : This is the most emotive issue and likely to impact the final outcome of the Presidential elections in a big way. The daily arrival of body bags from Iraq and increasing number of injured personnel is affecting the nation adversely. This coupled with no seizure of weapons of mass dectruction has severely dented the image of the present government. Health Care : Health care and health insurance has become expensive, costs of medicines is rising, unemployment is high (mainly due to outsourcing), economic growth is sluggish and the voters are a worried, harried lot. Immigration : This is another emotive issue particularly with the Southern States of the Union. The entry of illegal immigrants, specially from Mexico is affecting the prospects of the locals. Taxes : High rates of taxation on the working class and increasing number of exemptions to businesses and rich class is widening the economic disparity and creating social tensions. Education : The voucher system being pushed by the present government is creating more problems. The increase in tuition fees and withdrawal of grants and scholarships is affecting a major section of the middle and lower class society. Iran : The stand-off with Iran on it support to separatist Iraqi shia groups and its stubborn nuclear ambitions could lead to another military intervention by the US. This factor will play on the voters minds. 7. Global Warming : Al Gore, co-Nobel Peace Prize winner has successfully put the focus on Planet Earth and our relationship with it, forcing us to think about our legacy to future generations – Will they inherit a green earth or a barren earth? Stem Cell Research : The high prevalence of lifestyle diseases, longer life-spans, and need for new techniques to improve quality of life underlines the need for research without falling foul of the animal activists. This is very stem cell research plays a key role. The present controversy revolves around the ways to harvest stem cells for research. Abortion : There are sharp differences in the two major parties approach to abortion. While Democrats prefer the choice to be left to the mother, Republicans want to ban abortions. Gay Marriage : Same Sex unions have been a reality for a long time, but without any legal sanction and protection. With society being more open and accommodative of personal sexual orientations, this issue has taken center-stage.
What are the views of the majority of electorate? Who will they support? Which Party’s nominee has gaged the pulse of the nation correctly? The answer to these questions will be known only after elections.
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Categories: Stem Cell Research |
