Politicians who repeatedly vote two different ways on the same issue is a serious concern to most people. Education is a serious issue affecting many Americans, as are tax-cuts, international policy and abortion, to name a few. However, these are rarely the issues that we hear about on big time network news. Journalism used to have the ideal of informing but has become increasingly focused on entertainment. This is why we hear more about the two candidates' Vietnam War service than their current policies and proposals. This is also why I have decided to put aside my usual smart-alleck, lovable nature and dedicate a column to some of the real issues and how Kerry and Bush stand on them:

Abortion:

Kerry says he is personally opposed to it but supports a woman’s rights to have one at any time and for any reason. He even supports the procedure of partial-birth abortion.

Bush opposes abortion as a form of birth control but makes exceptions such as when birth would jeopardize the life of the mother.

Economic policy:

Bush gave across-the-board percentage tax cuts to all tax paying Americans. The middle- and lower-economic classes had a larger percentage of their taxes cut than the wealthy. Bush has made and continues to make tax cuts a top priority in his fiscal policy.

Kerry has historically voted against tax cuts and says the he will work to repeal Bush’s tax cuts if elected. He feels that tax cuts are irresponsible because they decrease the amount of money the government can spend. Kerry also voted against eliminating the marriage penalty tax, but it was eliminated anyway.

Education:

Kerry supported Bush’s “no child left behind” legislation and feels that school vouchers would cause already-underperforming schools to crumble.

In his first term, President Bush has increased federal spending on education by 59.8% from 2002-2003. He feels that school vouchers will allow students of underperforming schools to use federal money and choose which school they attend even private schools.

International Policy/Security

Bush created the largest intelligence-gathering network ever assembled with the new Department of Homeland Security.

Kerry favors an international approach and conducting operations of our country with the consent of the U.N.

Well, there you have it: Bush and Kerry on some real issues. I like Bush because I feel that tax cuts fuel the economy by putting money back into the hands of American citizens. If you think the government does a better job of handling money than the average American, maybe Kerry is your man. If being pro-choice is what’s most important to you, vote Kerry, if it’s pro-life, vote Bush. I could go on and on, but the point is, these two candidates are about as polar opposite as any two candidates can be. We have many issues to decide on, and Kerry protesting the Vietnam War or Bush avoiding is not among them. Decide on the issues and have fun listening to and reading about the other stuff, but don’t confuse the two.

OnTheIssues.org contributed the information in this column.