Friday, October 22, 2010

In the Words of Jim Calhoun, “Get Some Facts”

Since 1776, when the United States officially became a country, various minority groups have fought for the right to vote. Out of respect for those that put themselves at risk so that individuals like me can have the opportunity to vote, every eligible US citizen should do so. We should not, however, enter the voting booth being politically naïve. As November 2nd nears it is imperative that voters are familiar with where candidates stand on political issues. The candidates of Minnesota's third district, as expected, have taken positions that reflect the platform of the political parties that endorses them.

Based on his voting record and public statements, the positions that Republican incumbent, Erik Paulsen, can be inferred to follow a strong Republican ideology. For instance, Paulsen is considered to be a pro-life advocate on abortion issues. Paulsen does not support the use of government funds to stimulate the economy or a publicly-administered health insurance program. In addition, Paulsen is a supporter of military action in Afghanistan.

Contrasting with the Republican candidate, Jim Meffert, the DFL candidate follows a Democratic ideology. In opposition to Paulsen, Meffert is pro-choice when it comes to abortion practices and is in support of using government funds to improve the national economy, as well as implementing regulations on energy usage. He also supports the Obama health care option as well as same-sex marriage.

Regardless of one's political views, voters should have an idea of the political views of the candidates that they vote for. Not only will this help to advance the individual's political ideals, but it will help the political ignorance of today's American citizens. 





*Source from Project Vote Smart
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4 comments:

  1. AmandaOctober 22, 2010 at 12:47 PM

    I agree, voters need to know where candidates stand on the issues, and in an ideal world, politicians would make sure voters knew where they stood on every important issue. Of course, that might not help some politicians! Do you think that Paulsen's ideology or Meffert's is more in line with the views of people in the 3rd district?

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  2. BSchrammOctober 22, 2010 at 1:47 PM

    The majority of people in the third district would most definitely side with Paulsen's ideology. It's a very influence part of the Twin Cities where most people tend to lean conservative.

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  3. POLS2998-GHOctober 25, 2010 at 5:10 PM

    It's a sad truth about the ignorance of american voters. Some people argue that voters should make an effort to become more educated, but most politicans make that incredibly difficult. If politicians don't wanted you to truly understand their stance on issues they would say it outright instead of intentionally confusing voters.

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  4. Christina ChangDecember 8, 2010 at 6:43 AM

    I agree that voters need to know who their candidates are and what they are all about before they cast their vote on who they want to represent them. On big issues such as abortion, it will be interesting to see whether or not each candidate's strong stance will benefit or hurt them in the end. Some voters who may agree with a candidates policies may not agree with certain stances they have.

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