It is our job to analyze candidates running for office

The election in 2012 will be significant, given the problems now facing our country. While there will be much focus on national offices, there will also be a need to be mindful of local and state election candidates. In this respect voters will need to be well informed of the candidates who will be representing them either in local, state or national offices. Presently the main focus is on the current presidential candidates who have announced their intentions, but there will be others who may decide to enter the race. Currently there are a total of seven GOP candidates running for President. The question every voter will need to answer is which candidate has made an impression to the extent that they are comfortable in voting for them. This will not be an easy decision as there are a number of issues which each candidate will have their own approach to solving.

Some candidates will basically agree on approaches to be taken on major issues, while others will take totally different paths. Becoming familiar with the candidates’ positions can be found through their websites and in their answers to questions raised in the political debates. Currently there is only GOP debates, so it’s time to take a closer look at them now, and then see how their rhetoric changes once the democrats enter the race. We as voters must understand the approach of each candidate to the issues and whether they are attempting new approaches or olds ones that have failed in similar situations.

The news coverage each candidate will receive should not necessarily be the deciding factor in the people’s voting. There are great media resources that provide excellent coverage of news events, but often the political coverage provided is more negative than positive. This is not necessarily true in all cases, but we know there are certain news sources we trust and others we choose not to watch for various reasons. It may be the approach in how they report the news or the slant on what facts they report.

I highly respect the profession of journalism, but unfortunately there are those who are unable to provide political coverage without inserting their personal bias. The main objective of news organizations should be to present the facts and let their listeners decide what they believe and how they feel instead of trying to tell them what to believe and how they should feel. Objectivity is a key ingredient which is desperately needed in today’s news reporting. While it may exist in some news sources, it needs to be more prevalent, especially regarding the upcoming presidential election. News organizations do impact voter decisions based on how news events or issues are covered. We as individuals and voters must not let news organizations of any source make decisions for us with respect to how they cover candidates and the issues.

Part of analyzing candidates running for office involves determining their honesty, integrity, sincerity and character, and how it compares to the decisions they have made in the past. Some candidates have been consistent in their actions regarding issues of the past while others have changed their positions. This may not be bad, dependent upon why their position changed. It is important for a candidate to be honest with the voters in letting them know where they stand on issues that are important to them. Knowing this information we can make better decisions when we enter the voting booth.

In any election year there are going to be negative ads in some cases regarding opponents of candidates. The focus needs to be is on the issues and how each candidate plans to deal with them compared with the other candidates. Different approaches by candidates related to the issues are a good thing. People have a right to their opinions and candidates must convince individuals that they are the right choice. This can be accomplished by honestly answering questions during debates and comparing these answers with their political track record. The upcoming debates for the GOP and the debates sure to be held between the GOP candidates and the Democratic candidate, which is likely to be President Obama, will help many voters make their decisions.

Just like the last election brought changes in the structure of Congress, so too can the 2012 election with a President being elected, the entire House of Representatives and one third of the Senate. The balance of power will likely be different in terms of numbers whether there is any change in the political party in power in Congress or the Presidency. Many issues face our country and how the next Congress and the next President will react to them will depend on who the voters elect in the next election. It is important that we the people take our decisions seriously and do our homework to make accurate analyses before we vote.