How I Decide / My Values

My endorsements are based upon my research of the candidates positions, assessment of their public statements, and predictions on how they will impact the people.

Candidates who are most in line with my values and goals win my endorsement.

So what are my values? That's a good question for you to ask, especially if you are taking my word on these candidates. I value candidates who I feel can do the most good for the most amount of people. I define "good" as uplifting and protecting the people of our country. Some issues I think are important are:
peace and prevention of international conflict
rescue and care for Americans in crisis
economic opportunities for jobseekers and small businesses
educational opportunities including college financial aid
universal healthcare for all adults and children
civil rights for all, including the right to marry
sensible sex education and reproductive rights including abortion
violence prevention and response
fair housing
emergency response for crisis situations
protection of the country from terrorist attacks, especially port security


Not all candidates will adhere with all my values. In those cases, I choose the candidate who is most in line with my thoughts. I weigh situations like these by reflecting upon the relative importance of the positions in comparison with the opportunity to make an impact. I learned this method as a teen studying Catholic social teaching in relation to politics - for example, while many Catholics are encouraged to vote for the Republican candidate because of their position on abortion, the Church teaches it is important to look at the candidate's views on all social teaching (dealth penalty, caring for the poor, economic opportunities, nonviolence) and not just one "wedge issue" or "litmus test" for moral decisions. In doing this, you can often find that the Democratic candidate usually comes out on top. This method has long been helpful to me in making my political decisions. I encourage you all to weigh your decisions using your own values.

Some of the personal experiences that have particularly shaped my beliefs this year are -

Hurricane Katrina - My cousin Carl was missing in New Orleans for nearly a week, and every hour I spent watching the U.S. government do nothing while people drowned and died was an hour I vowed I would never forget again when I voted. Thankfully, Carl survived, however not without loosing his home and experiencing extreme injury both mentally and physically.

The Isreali-Lebanon Conflict - My parents' neighbors, who are of Lebanese descent, were in Lebanon during the conflict's height. They were left without any help or assistance from the U.S. government, who essentially abandoned them during a time of war. Every day I imagined their youngest, a spitfire of a little girl, experiencing horrors far beyond her northwest Chicago childhood experience. Thankfully, they arrived home, but not without risking life and limb and driving out of the country themselves, without any asssistance from the U.S.

The continuing Iraq war - I have two close friends, one whom I consider a brother, serving in the military. Over the years I have seen the toll this has taken on them as they are sent again and again to fight wars without end and seemingly without purpose. One is currently in Iraq for the third time.

Because of these three experiences, I believe the current administration and Congress has betrayed the trust of the American people. If we cannot depend on our leaders to help us in times of natural disaster, international crisis, or war, when CAN we depend on them?