(no subject)
So, last Saturday I attended the Dems rally, and got to meet Gov. Granholm and see some of the other candidates (Bart Stupak, our UP rep) as well. I wrote an article about Granholm for the station. It can be viewed at http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wnmu/news.newsmain?action=article&ARTICLE_ID=988035. Tonight I'm going to the Rock out the Vote rally at the 231 House of Muses at 6. Stupak, Senator Mike Prusi, and Steve Lindberg are going to be there, and I'll probably be doing some interviewing. I'm writing an article for the NorthWind and also doing something for the station.
I've been doing a lot of thinking about politics lately. I was reading today's issue of the NorthWind, and they asked people in the weekly poll section if they were going to vote in next week's election. One girl said, "No, I hate politics." C'mon now people. Politics govern our lives. They're not always the most pleasant things, but saying you hate politics is like saying you hate being an individual with a brain. In fact, I'll go one further and say that if you don't vote, it's because you probably don't have much of a brain. Politics effect every one of us. The people we vote into office have a lot of power, and I don't want the people in power to oppose everything I stand for.
I believe that embryonic stem cell research is a way for us to cure life-debilitating illnesses, and that living in Michigan, which has some of the most restrictive stem cell research laws in the nation, this is an issue I should care about and pay attention to.
I believe in a woman's right to choose. I'm sick of seeing people bringing children into the world unprepared to take care of them. I would never have an abortion, but a fact of life is that not all of the women who have the capability to get pregnant have the capability or desire to raise a child. Another fact of life is that many women who get pregnant, carry the child to term, and give birth to it don't have the heart to give it up for adoption, even if they should. Implementing anti-abortion laws is only going to increase the number of back-alley abortions. Historically, it's true, whether you believe it or not.
I believe that Michigan's economy depends on our educational system. We need someone who will fight for that, not against it. Our economy is also wrapped up in our environment. We are the Great Lakes state. If we put people in office that are willing to allow our abundance of water to be polluted, or diverted to other states so they can bottle it and sell it, that designation will be taken away from us. Same goes for allowing Canada to dump trash in our landfills. That's why they have so much unspoiled land there... because their trash comes here. Let's put an end to that.
I support gay marriage. Gay people are just as much people as you or I, and they deserve the same rights.
I don't believe that Dick DeVos is going to help our state. He's a conservative hypocrite who has misled Michigan residents with claims that a businessman can do a better job than someone who was working in the state before she was governor (Granholm was attorney general before she was governor). She's been to law school and is an all-around educated, well-spoken individual who has fought for Michigan jobs (Newberry Prison, anyone?Google?), the Upper Peninsula as a whole, education (her new $4,000 Merit Award proposal is a great example), health care, and research that could help so many people. Although she is personally Catholic and pro-life, she supports choice. She recognizes that if we outlaw abortion in this state, it will likely increase the number of illegal abortions and probably the number of families who require state assistance. Dick DeVos would tell these people to "get a job." I've got news for him. I have a job, and that doesn't mean it's easy for me to pay my bills every month. What it does mean is that I work very hard for my tiny paychecks, I'm a full-time student, and I regularly have to make sacrifices when it comes to money and free time.
I know who I'm voting for next Tuesday.
I've been doing a lot of thinking about politics lately. I was reading today's issue of the NorthWind, and they asked people in the weekly poll section if they were going to vote in next week's election. One girl said, "No, I hate politics." C'mon now people. Politics govern our lives. They're not always the most pleasant things, but saying you hate politics is like saying you hate being an individual with a brain. In fact, I'll go one further and say that if you don't vote, it's because you probably don't have much of a brain. Politics effect every one of us. The people we vote into office have a lot of power, and I don't want the people in power to oppose everything I stand for.
I believe that embryonic stem cell research is a way for us to cure life-debilitating illnesses, and that living in Michigan, which has some of the most restrictive stem cell research laws in the nation, this is an issue I should care about and pay attention to.
I believe in a woman's right to choose. I'm sick of seeing people bringing children into the world unprepared to take care of them. I would never have an abortion, but a fact of life is that not all of the women who have the capability to get pregnant have the capability or desire to raise a child. Another fact of life is that many women who get pregnant, carry the child to term, and give birth to it don't have the heart to give it up for adoption, even if they should. Implementing anti-abortion laws is only going to increase the number of back-alley abortions. Historically, it's true, whether you believe it or not.
I believe that Michigan's economy depends on our educational system. We need someone who will fight for that, not against it. Our economy is also wrapped up in our environment. We are the Great Lakes state. If we put people in office that are willing to allow our abundance of water to be polluted, or diverted to other states so they can bottle it and sell it, that designation will be taken away from us. Same goes for allowing Canada to dump trash in our landfills. That's why they have so much unspoiled land there... because their trash comes here. Let's put an end to that.
I support gay marriage. Gay people are just as much people as you or I, and they deserve the same rights.
I don't believe that Dick DeVos is going to help our state. He's a conservative hypocrite who has misled Michigan residents with claims that a businessman can do a better job than someone who was working in the state before she was governor (Granholm was attorney general before she was governor). She's been to law school and is an all-around educated, well-spoken individual who has fought for Michigan jobs (Newberry Prison, anyone?Google?), the Upper Peninsula as a whole, education (her new $4,000 Merit Award proposal is a great example), health care, and research that could help so many people. Although she is personally Catholic and pro-life, she supports choice. She recognizes that if we outlaw abortion in this state, it will likely increase the number of illegal abortions and probably the number of families who require state assistance. Dick DeVos would tell these people to "get a job." I've got news for him. I have a job, and that doesn't mean it's easy for me to pay my bills every month. What it does mean is that I work very hard for my tiny paychecks, I'm a full-time student, and I regularly have to make sacrifices when it comes to money and free time.
I know who I'm voting for next Tuesday.