The following is only one persons opinion.
I am one who considers the long term consequences of key issues and a candidate’s influence on those key issues. There are only two such overriding issues that I want addressed by our next president:
1. Global Warming – I want a president who is as convinced that Global Warming is a reality as I do and needs to be urgently addressed.
A vast majority of climatologists worldwide who make a career of studying climate and other world renowned scientists believe that Global Warming is happening and that the great majority of the cause is manmade or man-initiated. This subject has seen more studies than just about any other scientific topic and its effects on global weather and melting glaciers extensively reported in the media.
Huge ice shelves the size of some of our states are breaking away from the Arctic and melting in record numbers. Record heat spells and droughts have been reported this year as well as record devastating tornados and storms. This warming phenomenon has been going on for less than 100 years, neck rate speed by geological scales. Yet in spite of this overwhelming scientific evidence and weather related events there remains a sizeable portion of our population and almost half of our conservative congressional leaders who are in total denial of this scientific consensus.
They demand irrefutable proof. This is like scientist predicting that an asteroid will strike the earth and waiting until one day before the strike to believe in it. By that time it is too late to do anything about it.
It is vital that our president believe in this scientific consensus and take urgent action to stem Global Warming which otherwise will likely devastate future generations. Raising sea levels will destroy many coastal communities. Increased Global Warming will release even more greenhouse gases stored in our seas, ice caps, and tundra thus compounding the greenhouse effect. This is the single most urgent issues in my mind, far more devastating than the national debt, the economy, the wars, and unemployment all put together.
2. A Balanced Supreme Court – The Supreme Court has recently become quite political, something that our forefathers tried to prevent with lifetime appointment.
However that is our reality. It is extremely important that the Court be as balanced as possible between conservatives and liberals. Decisions by the Court can be very extensive in scope and long lasting in time so they need to be as balanced and fair as possible and free of political domination.
They must fairly represent to law for all Americans. At present the Court has 5 conservative justices and 4 liberal justices so is somewhat balanced but slightly leaning towards the right. One more liberal justice will still maintain a somewhat balanced Court leaning toward the left but one more conservative will clearly produce a conservative dominated 6:3 Court. I see it important to elect a more liberal president so that the next appointment to the Court can still maintain a close balance.
I feel this important because I believe the Court should represent all the people of the United States, not just conservatives or liberals. Had the Court consisted of 5 liberal justices and 4 conservative justices then I would tend to want a more conservative president.
Fortunately for me one presidential candidate represents both of these key issues making my decision quite easy. Obama seems to believe in Global Warming and reflects the minority liberal Supreme Court. Romney clearly does not believe in Global Warming and reflects the majority conservative Supreme Court. So my overwhelming vote will go to Obama at this upcoming election.
Had the Supreme Court consisted of a majority of liberal justices I probably would have still voted for Obama since I believe Global Warming to be far more important than anything else. It has global consequences that potentially threaten man’s existence in the future and is a worldwide survival issue.
Also see my blog posting about the last 4 years:
http://capitola.patch.com/blog_posts/all-in-less-than-4-short-years
