What is the most important issue for the voters in the election year 2008? Is it the War on Terrorism, the seemingly never-ending constantly bitter situation in Iraq? Or is it perhaps the U.S. economy, with the dollar dropping in value, now $1.50 for the European $1? According to this article, an opinion poll reveals that most U.S. citizens believe it will be the U.S. economy that takes precedent. It seems as though the situation over seas has been put on the back burner while we concern ourselves with problems more close to the home.
Wayne Dowdy, an Alabama resident, says that he joined active duty in the army to provide his family with much needed health care. Originally working as a private ambulance medic, he provided quality health care for individuals that he couldn’t even dream of for his own family. Health care costs are expensive in the U.S., and hard to pay for; Dowdy‘s family even went a couple years without any. "There are sacrifices that have to be made, but the benefits are real good,” Dowdy stated. Although he the war in Iraq is a big issue, his vote will be more concerned with bettering the U.S. economy.
On another side of the scale, where a voter is more concerned with the war, states, "America will always be strong. We are the greatest country on the face of the earth, I absolutely believe that, and fighting a war isn't cheap.” Her son died in the Iraq war, only three weeks after he flew over there. Her personal loss will most likely affect her decision in her vote for the next president.
In my opinion, it’s very hard to differentiate the war and the economy. They are both so closely connected. If our situation in Iraq was going well, we’d have more money to focus on issues at home, because we’d be spending less funding to help the soldiers and citizens. Both issues feed off of each other. If one does well, most likely so will the other. That also will go vice versa. I think they should be equally important, for one cannot survive without the other.
However, I personally believe it’s more important to focus on issues at home before we go and try to save another country otherwise America will bring herself farther down in the process. Take our roads for example. The potholes in Grand Rapids are awful. Yet we focus on other issues, like providing the rest of the U.S. with our freshwater from the lakes. How are we going to provide Arizona, Utah, and Texas with water if we can’t drive out of our own city to give it to them? How are our planes supposed to take off the ground when the runway is holey? We can’t expect to cure others when we’re sick at home - we might just spread our disease.
