How Do I Choose?
A no-nonsense approach to choosing the best candidates.
You know you should vote, but how can you tell whether you're voting for the best candidates? Here are some thoughts and questions to consider:
Separate principles from policies. All politicians talk about broad principles (or goals): world peace, quality education, affordable housing. Achieving them, however, requires how-to policies.
Would the candidate's policies likely increase the size of government? Government spending is usually wasteful and does best when it sticks to public safety, roads and sewers, national defense and a safety net for the needy. New programs usually mean higher taxes and more waste.
Does the candidate have a Christian worldview? Is he pro-life? A clue is whether he knows the embryonic stem-cell debate and opposes the process. Does she firmly support God's definition of marriage, and does she oppose civil unions that give marriage benefits to same-sex couples? Does he believe that parents, rather than the state, have ultimate say over what a child learns in school? Is she hostile toward or silent on matters of faith?
A candidate's positions on all these issues are important indicators.
Political parties matter. You like the platform and values of a local candidate who's running with the party you typically vote against. Should you cross party lines and vote for him? Don't forget that whichever party is in the majority has control over which bills eventually reach the floor. You're voting for more than individual candidates; you're voting for which party sets the agenda.
Isn't the lesser of two evils still evil? There will never be a perfect candidate; we're all sinners. Think of it this way: How much that is good will be protected by candidate A as opposed to candidate B?
What if all choices are bad? Write in a name, or skip that race, but there are other races on your ballot, so don't stay home. The success of our form of government depends on the participation of its citizens.
What if I don't know the candidates? Consult FocusVoter.com, a site on which Focus on the Family partners with most state-level policy councils to bring you nonpartisan voter guides. For local elections, find a friend or neighbor active in your political party. If you can get trustworthy information, share it with others.