Questions for the Candidates
Senator Hillary Clinton is currently less than 100 yards from my present location. I was invited to come over and see her. My reaction?
“Meh. I have a lot of things to do.”
Is it perverse that I would rather read about a candidate’s positions than hear about them in person? It would probably be just a photo op with no chances for questions, but if I had a chance to ask a question, I think I would ask one of the following questions:
President Bush continues to make a case for war with Iran despite the National Intelligence Estimate which concludes that Iran has probably suspended all efforts to create a nuclear arsenal. If you agree that war with Iran would probably prove disastrous for the United States, what would you do if elected to prevent such a war?
The current administration has weakened the separation of church and state by funding faith-based initiatives with public monies, withholding public funding from stem cell research on largely religious grounds, and appealing to personal communications from God to justify war in Iraq. Would you, as President, strengthen the separation between church and state that preserves America’s religious liberty and steer us safely away from theocracy? If so, how?
President Bush has weakened civil liberties in the name of fighting terrorism by detaining suspected terrorists without due process, torturing detainees, conducting warrantless surveillance on American citizens, and claiming broad new powers for the executive branch. If you are elected, will you commit to reversing these policies and disclaiming Bush’s unconstitutional power grab?
Do you think I would be allowed to ask any of those questions? Do you have any other questions you’d like to ask?
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January 16, 2008 @ 12:09 pm
On the separation of church and state angle, the Slacktivisit compares MLK with Huckabee, both Baptist ministers, extremely different politics. I really, really hope Huckabee is yesterday’s news.
January 17, 2008 @ 5:57 am
President Bush has weakened civil liberties in the name of fighting terrorism by detaining suspected terrorists without due process, torturing detainees, conducting warrantless surveillance on American citizens, and claiming broad new powers for the executive branch.
I agree with your comment about President Bush, although he is “just” continuing a Big Brother trend that has been going on for years. I have a political site that is tracking the trend of government intervention into our private lives.
http://www.bigbrothergovernment.org/
January 17, 2008 @ 10:11 am
It’s about time that we stop asking what the country can do for us, but what the country can stop doing to us.
Anna said,
January 18, 2008 @ 3:55 pm
I think that Sen. Clinton would welcome your questions because the candidates, especially Democrats, like anything that is anti-Bush.
I’m a small goverment person, but also understand the reasons the goverment thinks they need to invade our lives. While I don’t like it, what are we going to do? The trampling of civil liberties (the above reasons and others) in other countries is much worse than the US.
Since I’d love to be a spy, and write spy stories, I guess I’m a hypocrite.
How would you answer the questions if you were a candidate? (Even though you are too short.
)
January 22, 2008 @ 12:21 pm
And too atheist.
My fellow Americans. Knowing that I have a snowball’s chance in Satan’s sauna of getting elected President of these glorious United States, I have decided to level with you.
1) I would have pursued a dialog with Iran using the full force of diplomacy to discourage proliferation of nuclear weapons. I believe that the closer the relationship between our two nations becomes, the more moderate and peaceful our actions will become.
2) The Founding Fathers created a nation where we could exercise our right to freedom of conscience. They knew well the danger posed to that freedom by the combination of national and religious powers. We have forgotten the lessons learned long ago. I would have worked to shore up the failing wall between church and state by ending public funding for faith-based initiatives and otherwise requiring that my administration functioned in a secular way to protect the freedoms of conscience of all Americans.
3) If I had been elected, I would have immediately brought torture and warrantless spying on American soil to a halt. I would have brought our detainees to trial in civilian courts. The hysteria surrounding the 9/11 attacks has distracted us from what it means to be American. I would have worked to make America something worth fighting for again.