Presidential Election 2000

Presidential Campaign 2000

In the presidential campaign for the year 2000, there are a small number of men running for the spot, and all these men have different opinions on different issues. In this paper, some of the issues and opinions of Ralph Nader from the Green Party, Al Gore from the Democratic Party and Republican George W. Bush have been highlighted.

To start off, the issue of Abortion is big these days. Do we let women do it or not? Democratic Candidate Al Gore personally opposes abortion, but thinks that it is up to the woman if she wants to abort her baby. Al Gore does not think that it is the governments right to tell women what they can and cannot do about it. "You're not going to stop abortions," Gore said.

Unlike Gore, Republican Candidate George W. Bush is pro life with the exception of baby by rape, incest and the life of the mother. He has set the goal that all children should be welcomed in life and protected by law. Bush supports efforts to increase adoptions and opposes it and calls it "doctor assisted suicide". He believes the role of a doctor is to relieve pain and suffering, not to end life.

Green Party Candidate Ralph Nader says that his run doesn't affect abortion rights, and that "we should work toward preventing the necessity of abortion". He vaguely says that he thinks that women should privately decide to use RU-486 if they want to and that the government should not decide for them.

My view on abortion is that it is up to the mother whether she wants to do it or not. It all depends on the situation. I think that if the baby is conceived due to rape or incest, then it is ok to abort it, but if the baby is made due to carelessness, then it is the parents' responsibility to take care of it. Adoption is always an option.

The next issue is gun control in the United States. Vice President Al Gore is for gun control. He thinks that we should focus on gun safety, not hunters & sportsmen and that we should restrict guns from wrong hands, not sportsmen & homeowners. He thinks that there should be gun licensing by states, but no registration and that there should be no special lawsuit protection for gun makers. Gore wants mandatory background checks before the gun is sold and child safety locks. Gore agrees with Bush on banning weapons; but wants registration. Gore also pushes for nationally mandated, state-run system of photo licensing. Al Gore wants to maximize gun control within what's politically possible. He voted against some gun limitations while in Congress in June of 1999. VP Gores supports background checks at gun shows as well. He also supports the Brady Law and ban on assault weapons.

As governor of Texas, Republican George W. Bush signed a law that allows carrying concealed handguns for the first time in 125 years. He also signed a law that allows people to carry concealed handguns in churches, amusement parks and nursing homes. The president of the NRA (National Rifle Association) said "if we win, we'll have a president where we work right out of their office." In a letter dated April 25, 1995, George W. Bush stated "during my campaign for Governor of Texas, I made it clear I would sign legislation allowing Texans who are properly licensed and trained to carry handguns." According to a 2000 report prepared by the Violence Policy Center, "License to Kill III: Texas Concealed Handgun Law's Legacy of Crime and Violence", since the law took effect, concealed handgun licensees in Texas have been arrested 3,370 times for crimes ranging from DWI to indecency with a child to rape and murder. Two license holders have been convicted of murder while 23 have been charged with murder.

Ralph Nader wants gun control because he believes that guns are a safety factor, but they are more dangerous than helpful. If you know how to use it and you have never been convicted of a felony, then it is fine to have one. Nader just doesn't want a gun to fall into the wrong hands. "You have people who are killed or injured with guns and you have law-abiding people who want to use certain kinds of guns for self-defense. How do you blend the two? First of all, make sure the weapons are designed safely with trigger locks. ... Two, strong law enforcement so that they're not falling into the hands of the criminal element. Three, you look at a weapon the way you look at a car. You've got to know how to handle it. You should be licensed. ... And four, there are certain weapons that should be banned. If you