By Mallory Hayes
In this 2008 Presidential Election season, the media—more than ever before—is tacking onto personal issues ahead of political policies. The two principle candidates, Senator John McCain of Arizona and Senator Barack Obama of Illinois, have each been drilled with everything from anger management and health condition to racial comments, religious affiliation and even spouse conduct. For the most part, these topics have little, if anything, to do with the ability of the individuals to govern an administration or to enforce the laws of Congress.
For some Americans, however, the personal factors will play a major role in the decision they will make on November 4. Many view these well-publicized personal issues as indications of the candidates’ character. A candidate’s integrity, morals, and charisma are sometimes looked on as more important than the direction in which he or she plans to move the country. Many people simply want a president they can trust.
For other voters, however, issues that have little to do with political policies are taking up too much of the spotlight. The Commander-In-Chief, after all, is in charge of enforcing legislation, not of displaying America’s model behavior. Both Senators McCain and Obama support their parties’ platforms for the most part and hold contrasting views on the issues of healthcare, taxes, abortion rights, and other vital policies. These are the real issues for many Americans who are concerned with what the candidate can do for the country and the individual.
Luckily, the meat of the policy issues is more readily available than ever before. Growing internet-literacy across America has turned the Web into a viable weapon in the battle over voters. The policy views of each candidate are available through the campaigns’ websites, as well as independent sites that wish to inform voters and get them back to the basics of what electing the next President should be about. However, beware of false information floating around the internet, so voters be wary of the legitimacy of each and every website.
Happy voting.
