2012 Elections – First

It is almost here!
(Google Image) 

By Terry Orr

This November 6, 2012 will be my 12^th opportunity to help decide who will be the next president of the United States and quite possibly the most important one of them all. While I personally do not support nor recommend the presidential candidates, the key issues and critical need for ‘strong’, ‘legal’, ‘honest’ and ‘doing the right thing’ are essential.  In addition, mending this country and bringing us back together.

(Google Image)

Researching the internet for the current Top/Critical/Important issues for this upcoming election has proved interesting and has varied somewhat dramatically.  According to Rasmussen Reports dated September 21, 2012 the Top 10 issues and how important each issue was based upon two recent surveys.

Top 10 Issues

Issue	Very Important
Economy	80%
Health Care	66%
Gov't Ethics and Corruption	66%
Taxes	58%
Energy Policy	52%
Education	61%
Social Security	60%
Immigration	45%
National Security/War on Terror	52%
Afghanistan	35%

Top 15 Issues (in alphabetical order) according to CNN Politics:

Abortion	Debt & Deficit	Economy
Education	Environment/Global Warming	Foreign Policy
Gun Control	Health Care	Illegal Immigration
Jobs	Role of Government	Same-Sex Marriage
Social Security/Medicare	Taxes	Terrorism

Top 5 Issues according to FoxNews:

1. Federal Spending
2. Jobs and Economy
3. Government Regulation
4. Illegal Immigration
5. Health Care

An alternative perspective comes from HubPages article titled “The 2012 US Presidential Election won’t change a broken government.” Now when I read this title, my first impression was someone is looking at the glass – half empty, but then I read the entire article and guess what?  It actually has some very valid points and even makes sense when you step back, reflect and think – this person may have just hit the mark.  In additions, there are some very good comments from readers that you might want to consider.

Here are some samples of the article and you can read all by clicking here. (provide link)

• For the last 100 years to government of the United States of American has been breaking down. Each election during that time took it down a notch.
• A good US Government would be the color or shade of purple, not the red and blue of the two parties.
• The reason for the breakdown is the two party system of the democrats and the republicans.
• These two parties have demonstrated that they believe in the party over the country.
• They rarely compromise on an issue, even if the compromise would be beneficial for the people and the country.
• They compete with each other, refuse to work with each and the country has fallen over this repetition of stubbornness.
• They have created a division among the people that is as divisive as was slavery.

Top Issues:

1. Economy - Without a strong economy the US is no longer a Super Power, they are just another country that failed.
2. Employment - Without jobs even a strong economy won't help the people. The jobs that were lost over the last decade were mainly in the middle class.
3. Housing - With a bad economy and high unemployment along with the housing and banking scam that culminated in the economic crash of 2008 many people lost their homes.
4. National Defense - 911 showed the weakness of our national defense. The same type of miscommunication that allowed Japan to attack Hawaii was also involved in 911.
5. Energy - Dependence on foreign oil, and oil in general are issues beyond economics, they also include National Defense, as well as the Environment. Without enough oil the military defense of this country is at peril.
6. Voting Integrity - With the close races of the George W Bush elections, it is obvious that even a few votes from those people that are not qualified to vote can make a difference in the outcome of the election.

(Google Image)

Commentary by author

It is entirely past time for the Office of the President, cabinet and congress to get down to the business of running this country and end the petty bickering and finding excuses for not doing their job.

(Google Image)

Please, register, take some time review the issues, candidates, and items that are going to be on your ballot and vote!  Less than 57% of American votes actually cast their vote in 2008!!

What do you say America?

(Google Image)

References and Links:

• http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/mood_of_america/importance_of_issues
• http://www.foxnews.com/politics/elections/2012/hot-campaign-issues
• http://www.cnn.com/election/2012/campaign-issues.html
• http://ibradmasters.hubpages.com/hub/What-do-you-think-are-the-ten-most-important-issues-for-2012

(Google Image)