Truth or Bias (CS #7) (11-00)

Legal Murder (CS #6) (11-00)

How Low Can He Go? (CS #5) (10-00)

What Issues? (CS #4) (8-00)

Campaign Speech #3 (6-00)

Campaign Speech #2 (4-00)

Campaign Speech #1 (3-00)

Campaign Speech #4
Jeremiah For President
Why vote for them... when there's me?

Issues? What issues?

      What's in a president; what are the American people looking for in a political leader? As the post-20th century America has moved into the peaceful, prosperous 21st century, we find our values, our expectations, standards, and morals drifting into a state of unconcerned complacency. In an election half a century ago, the voter may have looked at the candidates and asked, "Who has the moral integrity and leadership skills to be worthy of leading America? Who is strong enough to keep our country and our freedom from being crushed under the iron curtain of communism? Who is strong enough to keep our country united in times of war, as well as periods of peace?"
     The Presidents and noble Americans, who have gone before us, have paved the way for American prosperity. We have lived in peace for so long; most of us have never experienced a national crises in our lives. Most of us can't remember a time when life in America wasn't easy; a time when we as Americans needed to get involved instead of sitting back and allowing the politicians to handle the government. Are we beginning to forget what it takes to run a country when there is more for a leader to do than sign papers and feed us the positive information we want to hear?
     As the voting public, we possess an enourmous amount of power in the election process. Who we vote for can and will either help or hurt the nation as a whole. Are our voting priorities slowly shifting from what really matters? What is more important to us now? Is it integrity, wisdom, and leadership abilities? Or is it looks, charisma, straight teeth, and candidates' retirement bonus plan that really matters?
     Why do people vote for who they vote for? What would a typical Minnesotan say? "I voted for Jesse Ventura. He's cool. I've always wanted a professional wrestler for a governor." What good is he? What can he do? "He can beat up your governor."
     Prevailing on the front page of the USA Weekend is an article about the race for president. Is it about who stands for what? No. It's about who is more physically fit. Why would they print that? Because many of us younger Americans don't really care that much about the real issues unless they would pertain to our personal well being or benefit. Why would you want to vote for someone who is an intelligent military leader when you can have a stud for president who can drop taxes while giving us more schools, more benefits, and more money? What does it really matter anyway, as long as our paychecks are getting bigger?
     Some of us who aren't as wishy-washy are politically stagnant. We've been cut into two parties-Democrat or Republican. If someone says they're Democrat, what does that mean? In many instances, doesn't it mean that they would vote Democrat regardless of the issues? We should choose who we vote for by what he stands for, not because of what party he belongs to. If there was a pro life democrat and a prochoice republican, how many prolife Republican voters would switch sides? How many would just stay home on voting night? How many would completely rethink the issue saying, "Maybe he has a point?" What if the Democrat and the Republican switched places, but kept the same opinions as before? What would happen? Would many of us unknowingly vote for the other side?
     Politicians who are a member of a particular political party always seem rather close-minded too (although there are rare exceptions). Have you ever seen a Republican back a Democrat in anything? How about vice versa? They are always at each others' throats. How many times, during the Presidential race, have the Republicans and Democrats bashed each other on issues when their party's candidate holds the same views? And aren't they quite dogmatic about their own party? Wouldn't they support someone they may not ordinarily agree with if he was of their own party? In the Bill Clinton scandal, what would the Democrats have said if Bill Clinton had been a Republican? What would the Republicans have said? Isn't it a sad truth that the votes would probably have been almost entirely reversed?
     Before making a desicion, let us ask ourselves: Are we allowing our decisions to be influenced by those around us? By the media? By the candy coated speeches from the candidates themselves? Will we look solely at what they say they are going to do, or will we take a closer look at what they have already done? Will we keep an open mind? Or instead of working together to acheive a goal, is it going to be Democrats against the Republicans? Let's not look at the public popularity polls to decide who we're going to vote for, but instead look at the issues.

All this writing was my opinion. That doesn't mean it has to be your opinion. I want your opinions, just don't intimidate me through a proposed painful death via squishy banana alright? Sending political hatemail won't solve my problems. You won't even be capable of changing my vote. Why? Because I'm underage. Vote Jeremiah.

Check out more of my campaign speeches in the archives section!