Please, Be Informed

Being more liberal in the LDS church is an interesting experience. Since moving here to Richmond I have had several discussions where others looked at me in shock as I tried to explain why I support Barack Obama and why John McCain and Sarah Palin frighten me. Don't worry, this post isn't about that - but the story of one of those occasions segues well into what I want to say. A few weeks ago I was at a party and one of the girls in my ward, saying she didn't know who she supported, asked me why I support Obama. As I explained my point of view to her a crowd of people surrounded me, and for over half an hour I stood in the middle of a circle of maybe ten people, discussing our differing opinions in an open and friendly way. Politics can be incredibly divisive, people have strong feelings and often react in a visceral manner to disagreements to some of their most deeply held beliefs, it makes it a difficult topic to discuss. That is why at the end of this discussion, I implored everybody not to vote for Barack Obama, but to make an informed decision when they vote. That's what this post is about.

Watching the presidential debate from last night, I noticed that there were multiple occasions when John McCain or Barack Obama would make an assertion about the other's policies, only for the other to respond by saying "that's not true" or something of the sort. Please, watch the debates, hear and understand where the candidates stand and watch their demeanor. But also, find out who is right when they openly disagree about the facts. Fortunately, in this information age we have open access to tons of facts. John McCain said several times last night that we can "look up the history" on websites like Citizens Against Government Waste and other websites. I want to make everybody aware of a non-partisan website called factcheck.org. Go there when you have a question about something that a candidate says and doesn't sound right, go there after major events like last nights events or the party conventions, and see how they analyze what the candidates have said. Unfortunately, politicians spin things - this is true on both sides. At times they outright lie or are misinformed, factcheck.org is a great place to see how the facts match up to the assertions made. Click here to find out what the situation really is on the issues that were debated last night.

The key to having a successful democracy is not just that the citizens get out and vote, but that they make an informed vote. It is not enough to vote based on party affiliation, personalities, or even on policy. We need to have a comprehensive understanding of what it is we're voting for. I don't ask that everybody be as intensive as I am, I get nearly obsessive about these issues - and although I have chosen my horse in this race I still seek to understand both sides as fully as possible. I own 4 out of the 5 books that John McCain has authored with Mark Salter, and both of the books that Barack Obama has authored. I own the book that Joe Biden wrote, and if Sarah Palin had written a book I would own that and read it. Sometimes candidates feel that only parts of their history are relevant, or only parts of their backgrounds are important to understanding their character. We each must decide how important each different factor is in the decisions we make but John McCain's association with the Savings and Loan Scandal and the Keating Five should be relevant, just as his time as a POW in Vietnam. Barack Obama's ties to radical political figures is relevant, but so is his work as a community organizer, a job that I feel is more important than some have said.

Finally, please inform yourselves not only about the presidential campaign but also about your local politics and other federal campaigns. If there is a senatorial campaign in your state this year, look into the senators and their positions - listen to what they have to say. Every two years your House Representatives run for reelection, know their positions and make an informed decision on election day. Democracy works best when we vote from a well informed foundation. If you want to be able to research how politicians vote and whether they're telling you the truth in their advertisements, speeches, and debates, please visit votesmart.org and factcheck.org. Fact check, again, is a site that fact checks the statements made by politicians and is great for the presidential campaign, and Project Vote Smart (votesmart.org) is a non-partisan compilation of voting records and ratings by various groups on people campaigning for positions across the US, from state legislative campaigns to presidential campaigns.

Finally, make sure you're registered to vote - registration deadline for some states is as early as October 6. Sites like Rock the Vote and JustVote.org can help you register if you're not sure what to do. Also, if anybody who reads this lives in Utah House District 59 (or knows people who do), please look into the campaign of Paul Thompson at electpaulthompson.com - He is as honest and good a man as I have ever met and as my mission president he helped me grow as much as anybody outside my family ever has. Look at his positions and tell your friends about him, running as a Democrat in Utah is a daunting task, but he is more than qualified for the job.

UPDATE: If you have 90 minutes and didn't see the 1st Debate you can watch it here or here.