The leaves are changing colors, the weather is getting cooler and politics are getting heated. Election season is in full swing and the political pool is boiling with some controversial candidates. As you mull over who may take the title of commander in chief, think about the following considerations: In what ways is this candidate going to impact me and the people I love? How is this candidate going to affect my values and beliefs? How will this candidate affect Supreme court decisions?
Think about how each presidential candidate will affect the country based on values held by the Christian faith. None of them are born-again Christians, but their domestic policies and specific stances should align with yours. Donald Trump supports pro-life legislation, is against same-sex marriage, is willing to protect Christians in every part of the world, will build a wall between the United States and Mexico and supports the Second Amendment. Hillary Clinton supports pro-choice legislation, same-sex marriage, opening U.S. borders and gun control reforms such as background checks and closing loopholes.
Gary Johnson presents yet another list of stances. He supports pro-choice legislation, same-sex marriage and creating a more efficient system of immigration. Although he supports same-sex marriage, he believes that churches should be allowed the right to refuse same-sex ceremonies. Johnson says that the current process of purchasing a gun should only be changed for “criminals and the mentally ill.”
One important issue to consider is taxes. Is this candidate going to raise taxes, keep them the same or lower them? According to Time.com, single and married joint filers earning up to $23,000 a year would have an average tax cut of 0.9 percent under Trump’s tax plan. That same income group under the Clinton plan would see an average tax increase of 0.1 percent. Gary Johnson’s tax plan would eliminate income tax, corporate tax and abolish the IRS. It would be replaced with a federal consumption tax, FairTax, which enacts a flat 23 percent tax on new goods and services.
Just because an individual has a history of poor character does not mean he or she is incapable of creating good policy. A person with a history of creating horrible policy is incapable of creating good policy once elevated to a higher office. It will take more than simply relying on the sound bites circulated by the media to make a well-educated decision regarding this election. To make a sound decision, voters must look at the past actions of each candidate, do their research and educate themselves. One candidate has a long history of policy plunders, not fulfilling campaign promises and saying whatever it takes to get elected. The other has no policy creation experience, but that does not disqualify that candidate from potentially creating good policy regardless of character flaws.
Do you want a president that tells the hard truth or lies to save face? I urge you, fellow Americans, to look beyond poor word choice and select a candidate that you believe is trustworthy and can create good policy to help restore America. Sort through the clutter, and decide for yourself which candidate’s policy will help create jobs, decrease the national debt and protect American interests abroad.
Think about which candidate will make your future brighter. Vote with this in mind, rather than with what the media has told you to believe about each candidate. This will ensure the most well-fit candidate of the remaining makes it into the Oval Office in January.
Gibson is a senior majoring in marketing. She can be reached at GibsonAE@jbu.edu.