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AmericanProtest.net > Weekly Column |
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The Presidential and Congressional Elections of 2008:Potential Nightmare on Pennsylvania Avenue by Carl Sterling Parnell, Ed.D. Nobody asks for a nightmare but they are sometimes inflicted upon the unwilling sleeper. And if the wrong person is elected to the Presidency or Congress in the General Election on November 4, 2008, Americans could possibly be trapped in a nightmare on Pennsylvania Avenue lasting all the way till the next election! Since none of the candidates for President have been either President or Vice-President, Americans must be extremely focused in their selection. Also, they should be mindful of the issues that these elected politicians will be voting on during their tenure in office. Remember that the American political system works on a system of checks and balances. Most of the things that presidential candidates promise cannot be accomplished unless Congress approves them. Also, the President must approve most of the bills enacted into law. If he or she vetoes a proposed law, it cannot become a law unless two-thirds of both houses of Congress override the President’s veto. Therefore, Americans must elect wise and conservative leaders in the 2008 General Election. Tenured lawmakers along with freshmen representatives and senators will have vote on some issues that will be vital to the American way of life. Some of the main issues will be: immigration, hate crime, hate speech and homosexual rights, health care, the Social Security crisis, the Iraq War, and, of course, the national debt. But, as is common to man, every person in America will not be satisfied with the outcome of the vote on these issues. However, liberalism is not the answer. Congress and the next President must take a conservative approach as they vote on these issues. And if they do not act according to America’s Judeo-Christian belief system, the dreams of all Americans will turn into the political nightmares of the masses. What should be the conservative approach to the major issues that are facing America’s elected legislative and executive leaders? First, as far as immigration is concerned, illegal immigrants (not legal immigrants) should be denied the privilege to cross over the borders of the United States to live and work in the United States. Even though Americans are compassionate, fair, and just people, they still believe in the rule of law. Therefore, all immigrants to the United States must enter under the legal auspices of our country. Amnesty should not be considered part of the true justice system of America. But, there are many leaders of the corporate world who see the legal and illegal immigrant as a way to make larger profits for their corporations. In other words, the economic slavery of America’s immigrant population benefits the corporate elite, since most immigrants would make lower wages than most American citizens. Thus, the next President must insure that the laws of the land are enforced, even if it means deporting illegal aliens. Second, hate crime and speech bills are constantly popping up in Congress. Despite all the different labels attached to them, they only have two main purposes. These laws would give special recognition to members of the homosexual community, but, at the same time, deny free speech to many Americans who do not accept their sexual orientation, especially those of the Christian faith. It would be extremely difficult for a Christian minister to preach the Holy Bible in its entirety if he or she cannot make any negative statements about homosexuality from his or her pulpit. But, the Bible does make negative statements about the sexual orientation of homosexuals and lesbians. Denying ministers to speak freely would definitely go against the principles of the U.S. Constitution, as stated in the First Amendment. Also, similar laws that have been addressed toward the Christian community would force Christian businesses, Christian churches, and Christian schools to hire homosexuals and lesbians. In fact, why would a Christian business, Christian church, or Christian school hire someone who did not believe the same way that they did. Since these are private entities, they have the right to hire as they please. The federal government under the direction of Congress should not get involved with private, church issues. The next President must insure that the federal government follows a “laissez faire” approach to America’s religious sector. Putting the homosexual agenda above the freedom of religion would be a disgrace for America, a nation founded on Christian principles. Third, heath care has always been a very important issue to all Americans. Everyone should have affordable heath care. Needless to say, many people do not have the opportunity to purchase affordable health insurance. They either have lost their jobs or work on low-paying jobs. But, regardless, they need health protection for themselves and their families. Therefore, a solution must be developed to help thousands of Americans who are uninsured. Fortunately, for many years, the federal government has attempted to develop such a solution. However, should the United States government develop a socialistic, health care program funded by the U.S. taxpayer to eliminate the health care crisis? Of course, despite the dire need for a solution to America’s health care problem, a socialistic solution is not the answer. The best answer is a simple answer. Corporate America needs to stop sending jobs overseas in order to enlarge their profits. Also, new, well-paying jobs need to be created. Then more Americans would be able to finance their own health care program. This is the reason the next President must find a method to provide all Americans with health care without funding it by a socialistic, taxpayer program. Perhaps a corporate health care tax would work. Fourth, the Social Security program needs to be overhauled. With the “baby boomers” beginning to retire, a Social Security crisis is eminent. According to the United States government, there will not be enough money to finance the Social Security program in approximately twenty to thirty years. However, it is important for the next President to put the blame where it belongs. It should be placed on the U.S. government and on the U.S. Supreme Court. The U.S. government should be held to account because they have taken money from Social Security to fund other government programs. The U.S. Supreme Court should be accused because liberal judges agreed to make abortion legal. As a result, America does not have the labor force that it should have. Millions of babies, if they had been permitted to live instead of being aborted, would be adults now. They would provide the skills and technology to make America’s work force even greater. They would also be contributing to the Social Security program. Get the picture! Fifth, Americans have different views on the U.S. war with Iraq and Afghanistan, regardless of the rationale for being in these countries. Basically, no one wants the men and women of the United States dying on foreign soil. But, there are several questions that need to be answered concerning the United States war effort. Would the enemy be on U.S. soil if American troops were not fighting them overseas? Would the infrastructure of the United States be destroyed instead of the enemies? Would U.S. casualties be higher if the enemy was fought on American soil? Therefore, the next President must answer these questions wisely or the United States could face more problems than it has now. Finally, the national debt is the ugly dragon that will cause America to sell out its sovereignty and independence to other countries in the world. At present, there is no viable solution to the 9 trillion dollar debt that the United States owes. Of course, if the war with Iraq and Afghanistan continues, the debt will escalate to probably 10-15 trillion dollars. What then is the solution to the national debt crisis? This will be one of the major decisions that the next President must make. He or she will definitely need wisdom and knowledge from a “Higher Power.” But, the ultimate question is which candidate truly has a relationship with a “Higher Power” (God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) that can lead America to its international greatness again. Ultimately, all United States citizens will be affected by the decisions made by the next President and Congress. But, it is extremely important that our elected leaders for the next two to four years have the American citizen at heart, not their own personal agendas. Also, the next President and Congress must not permit special interest groups to influence them to commit unconstitutional acts against the American people, such as attacks against the freedom of religion, American independence and national sovereignty. Therefore, the American electorate must vote wisely in the 2008 General Election and put social and moral issues ahead of economic issues. If the American voters fail to elect people to office in 2008 who believe in America first and foremost, the dreams and aspirations of America’s founding fathers could possibly revert back to the nightmare that existed prior to the American War for Independence. Dr. Carl Sterling Parnell retired from public school teaching in 1999 from Lamar County School System in Barnesville, Georgia. He has taught history and other social science courses for over thirty years at the middle school, high school, and college level. He also was lead teacher and Principal of the On-Campus School at Georgia Baptist Children’s Home in Meansville, Georgia. Presently, he is teaching at Griffin Christian High School in Griffin, Georgia. Dr. Parnell served in the United States Army from 1968–1971 and served in the United States Air Force Reserves from 1983–1986. He was chosen Lamar County Middle School Teacher of the Year in l991 and was included in the 1993 and 1994 edition of Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers. Related Links |
