I began this series by discussing the dilemma that young Christian voters have. We seem to be stuck in a moral predicament somewhere in between the two party system. One candidate says does something that discredits them, and then the other does something equally discrediting. It's a vicious circle of immorality and immaturity. There are a lot of questions that we have - some were answered in the past few weeks, but most were not.
I will be voting this year, and I want to make sure I've given serious proper thought to my vote (I hope I'm not alone?). Because both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump have failed to show the demeanor of the president of (probably) the most influential country in the world, we've been forced into a corner. Luckily, there is a way for us to vote with a clean conscience: voting for a candidate based on how their policy and their party's policy affects the major issues of this election cycle. Now, I know we haven't heard nearly enough discussion about policy from the candidates, but we can at least determine their general stance on important topics.
First, however, we have to know what the most important issues are. The issues listed below are ones that I feel are extremely important for this election cycle, but have not been discussed nearly enough.
1. Foreign Policy
We're living in an increasingly interconnected world. That's the good news. Sadly, we also live in an increasingly unstable world. The next president of the United States needs to be both respected and respectful. They must have a backbone in dealing with enemies, but be able to negotiate well in dealing with friends.
Terrorism is a real and present threat and must be dealt with.
The global market discreetly influences a large part of our daily lives.
The United States is hugely impactful on the world stage, especially with its role in the United Nations.
My concern is that Trump has enough backbone, but not enough respect or control, and that Clinton has respect, but not nearly enough backbone.
2. Abortion
A majority of the time, I try to be open-minded when it comes to social issues. I can't say I have enough experience or authority to have a firm stance on welfare programs, gun ownership, and the like. However, one area in which I am unwavering is the topic of abortion. I'll be outright — I hate abortion. The fact that we are even questioning its morality sickens me. Never will I be in the business of judging those who have had abortions, especially due to rape or medical reasons. There are many circumstances that I can't pretend to know. Sexual assault is beyond angering and many medical ailments due to pregnancy are heartbreaking. However, the (extremely) large majority of abortions in the United States are not due to either of these causes. Most abortions today are done for the sake of convenience, for the sake of, well, not wanting to be pregnant after unprotected sex. The fact that a human (yes, I said human) life must be taken away because of that is, to me, heartbreaking.
Over one million fetuses are aborted each year in the United Sates. If you believe abortion is murder, that number should shake you to your core.
I feel as if we are on a precipice between two extremes, and that this election can be a major turning point either way. Will Roe v. Wade be upheld? Should Planned Parenthood be defunded? Can laws even be passed against abortion anymore?
Just when the tide seems to turn towards the pro-life camp, the pro-choice camp fights back harder. This next president (and we have a good idea of what their positions are on the subject) may be extremely influential in determining where the war on abortion goes over the next period of America's history.
3. Supreme Court Appointments
Why this issue has been discussed so little during this campaign is a little frightening. The appointment of Supreme Court judges is arguably the most important issue of this election cycle. There is a strong possibility that the next president will be appointing at least three Supreme Court judges, which means the appointment of a few people who are the final authority on the law of the land.
They are the final authority on the law of the land. They serve life terms. Either Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton will be choosing them.
As scary as that is, it's also real (that's actually a good way to sum up this election year).Their appointees will be interpreting the law that has been foundational to this nation for over 200 years. They will determine what the Constitution means.
If you want a conservative Supreme Court for years to come, the answer is obvious. If you want a liberal Supreme Court for years to come, the answer is obvious.
In a few weeks, I plan on wrapping up this discussion with the fourth and final part of this series.
