Who Will You Vote For? Resources for an Informed Choice.

Election day is nearing…we take to the polls on Tuesday, November 8th.  I have to say, this has been one of the most controversial and, do I dare say, entertaining election I have ever seen.  It’s part WWF, part circus, and part The Terminator…and mud-slinging at it’s best!

Having a billionaire “non-politician” in the campaign has been riveting at times, he vows to do things no politician before him would ever touch before for fear of losing valuable donations.  And the time has finally come for a woman to run in the preliminary election.  How do you make an informed choice?

Making an Informed Choice

So you’ve read the social media posts about the candidates on Facebook and twitter.  You know your friends have an intense opinion about who they are going to vote for…perhaps you are one of them.  

But do you know exactly where each candidate stands on important issues like privatizing social security, international free trade, vouchers for school choice, marijuana, punishment for crime, and more?

Social media and the news can be highly influential in forming public opinions, but do yourself a favor and look up yourself what each candidate stands for and what their opinions will be on important societal issues of today.  Then you can feel more comfortable about making an informed choice.

The Presidential Race

To cut through the clutter of all of the mudslinging and rhetoric out there, we researched some websites that will help you see more clearly what presidential candidate, Trump or Clinton, really believe about not just the top line issues, but the many issues that underlay them.

InsideGov.com is an excellent resource for finding out the facts with regards to opinions, campaign spending, background, public opinion of service in the office, and more.

There’s a wealth of information on this site.  Don’t miss these sections:

Snapshot of Clinton & Trump

Where Trump & Clinton Weigh In on the Issues

Be sure to click on the issues themselves to get a more detailed account of what each candidate really thinks about that issue.  For example, see the section on Education to learn that Clinton opposes school vouches but supports the core curriculum taught in our schools today, whereas Trump opposes Hillary in both of these issues.  

Learning about the nuances of their stances on a multitude of issues related to education helps you make an informed choice.

Your State’s Propositions

As long as I can remember, I have looked through the California Official Voter Information Guide to read through the propositions.  This year, we received the largest guide I have ever seen.  This year we have 17 propositions to vote on.  Ugh.

You can look up your state’s voter guide online to get an overview of each proposition.  What’s even more helpful, are the Internet links available at the end of each For and Against stance and argument.  

In addition, I found it helpful to cut and paste the info. in a document on the points I found pertinent to my vote for that proposition…or how easy it is to cut and paste into an email…or even a social post to inform others on important facts.

Check out your state’s Official Voter Information Guide to see your propositions online, as per ipl.org

A Mom’s Perspective

If you haven’t already, take the time to make an informed choice by looking up the candidates stances on issues and the propositions your state has put on the ballot for Nov. 8th.  

Involve your children in this process, discuss the pros and cons of each candidate and the propositions, so when the votes come in, s/he will have a better understanding and appreciation of what’s going on.

Most likely, your child is learning from their teachers and Scholastic News, but it means more when it comes from you and how you use your values and research to vote for who you to believe the be the best candidate or proposition.

Happy voting!