President 2008: It's a win-win situation!

The presidential race has never been so exciting. However, I will not humor the overdone the woman/black/mormon reason as a reason for doing so. It is exciting because I believe there are candidates within both parties that could be great presidents.

Top of my list for the Democrats is Obama. I make this choice despite the fact that I hate feeling like I'm jumping on the bandwagon along with likes of so many inept high school students on facebook who "support" Obama (see this article for an explanation of what I mean). However, I think he'll be a great face for a new America which can hopefully resolve the horrible situation of America's foreign policy.

Top of my list for Republicans is Romney. I make this choice with a little hesitancy also because he is quickly becoming the choice for my church, the LDS church, and is almost assuming an essential part of a member's testimony: "I know that Mitt Romney is a true candidate." However, as much as that bugs me, Mitt Romney, faith ignored, is the best candidate hands down for, wait for it, non-abraod American issues. Mitt Romney and the Iraq war has me a little concerned. But Mitt Romney's ability to improve health care, taxes, poverty, and education is actually believable. With Mitt Romney I feel like these issues will not just be empty promises. Not convinced, please read the linked Economist issue.

Should we blame foreign policy or extreme Islam?

Comment is free: Not in our name

Recently in the UK there have been demonstrations against British government demanding withdrawal from Iraq. These demonstrations have been put together largely by UK Muslim groups. These groups blame the terrorism and extremism found in several locations around the world as the result of Western military philandering.

However Asim Siddiqui, the writer of the above linked article "Not in our name" argues that fingers need to be pointed at extremism itself. He argues that Muslim groups ALSO need to be pointing the finger at Islamist thinking.

Fantastic argument! I want to to let it be known that I would never think his argument is fantastic merely for the reason of shifting blame of our government, but because those who love peace need to withdraw support from any regime that uses violence/scare-tactics as a method to get what they want.