Understand issues, policies to be informed voters
PROTECTED CONTENT
If you’re a current subscriber, log in below. If you would like to subscribe, please click the subscribe tab above.
Username and Password Help
Please enter your email and we will send you a password reset link.
In My Humble Opinion
Jodi McDade
It is so hard to believe that, as I’m writing this, I’m listening to a discussion about requiring American citizenship to vote in our elections. Can we go over to other countries and vote in THEIR elections? I really don’t know, but somehow I doubt it.
However, how many Americans really want to move to other countries to vote in their elections – or to even live under the conditions in those countries? There are plenty of people (celebrities and other wealthy people) who have historically stated publicly they would move out of the United States if certain candidates were elected to office. But I’ve yet to see any of them follow through on the “threat.” Common sense says that only Americans should be allowed to vote in our elections!
Why would anyone in their right mind leave a country that offers them the freedoms we have here? Even though our tax rates seem high to some people, they are low compared to other countries. We still have health care that, as of right now, we still have the ability to make choices on the insurance we have. We have the freedom to move from state to state or town to town to better our lives. And, again at this moment, we do not have to fear attacks by foreign countries like other countries do.
All of these issues are in a state of flux right now with the upcoming election. Unfortunately, we still don’t know what the policies will be under the potential Democratic administration of Kamala Harris and Tim Walz. Their speeches on the campaign trail are basically scripted and used at all events. That’s not all bad – it keeps them on point and from wandering off into unintended statements or comments. But leadership is not scripted. Leaders must be able to think on their feet, have the strength of their beliefs and values and the ability to answer unknown questions.
As much as I don’t particularly like Donald’s tirades, at least he is talking off the cuff and from his established record of how he would lead. I don’t like the way he calls names of those he doesn’t agree with, and I don’t like the way he beats at dead horses. But I can look back at his policies in the 2016 elections and see what he really did accomplish during his term in office. The border was closed, the economy flourished, wages went up but costs went down, we became energy independent for the first time ever, he stood up strong against our enemies, and put all Americans first as it should be. I just can’t imagine who can possibly think they are better off today than in 2020.
I don’t want Medicare and Social Security for all. Those programs were intended to help retired people after they have paid into the system during their working years. The money belongs to those people who were required to fund the system in preparation for what they would then receive when they reached the age to retire. It was NOT intended to help people who had never paid a dime into the program – people who have not worked a day in their lives, people who claim so many dependents that no money is taken from their paychecks, and self-employed people who should be planning for their own retirement.
I would like to see private health insurance available to everyone at affordable rates. The cost of health insurance is determined by the insurance companies themselves, plus they determine how doctors are permitted to treat their patients. Why have health insurance if we can’t use it for the health issues we have? But on the flip side, why are doctors required to run test after test that might not really be needed just because the insurance companies make the decisions?
Big pharmaceuticals are gouging the prices of drugs and working with the insurance companies on what is covered and what is not. Once the government got involved in health insurance people with chronic illnesses have to fight for the treatments they need. Doctors should be free to provide the best medical care available to their patients.
Another of the problems with our health care system is that it is overrun by our government providing free health care to illegal immigrants who are taking over our country. Granted the MediCAID program helps low-income Americans, but why do illegals get better benefits than our own citizens? Why does our government continue to take care of non-Americans over legal Americans?
I won’t go into so many other areas where our fellow Americans are being overlooked or taken advantage of. While the Republicans are accused of supporting only the wealthy, why do the celebrities and sports stars predominately support the Democrats? Republicans do support companies and people who are contributing to jobs, industry and supplies. I’m not sure that celebrities, sports, or the entertainment industry actually provide the same benefits to the majority of American citizens as American-owned businesses do. And that brings us to why do American businesses continue to close factories and move them to other countries? Because of the taxes and regulations that our government puts on them, they can make bigger profits by taking the jobs to other countries where they don’t have the same overhead and can make more money selling back to Americans.
These are just some of the areas we all need to really understand in order to be informed voters. Go to the websites of the individual candidates and read for yourself what their policies and values are. Don’t go by just what you hear or see on television and social media.
Americans should be first in line for the “American Dream.”