Issues and Opinions

Recently, while waiting for a flight, I ran across an article on CNN.com titled, “Ryan’s Dangerous Vision”.  The headline caught my eye, so I read the article.  The article talks about Ryan’s “extreme plan” and how the Romney-Ryan plan would “throw seniors under the bus.” It ends with, “Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan have solidified their roles as rubber stamps for the reckless and failed economic theories of the past.”

The piece was written by Donna Brazile, vice chairwoman for voter registration and participation at the Democratic National Committee (DNC).  CNN mentioned this information in an editor’s note at the beginning of the article, but it did not specifically state that it was an op-ed piece not a straight news story.  I wonder how many people had to reread the article, like I did, to discover it was an opinion piece. 

I’ve read Paul Ryan’s “A Roadmap for America’s Future” (http://roadmap.republicans.budget.house.gov/) and it explicitly states that it preserves the existing Medicare and Social Security programs for those 55 and older.  In the roadmap, you won’t find anything “extreme” or “reckless.”  Since Ms. Brazile is in a leadership position with the DNC, such language in an opinion piece about the opposing party’s candidates is expected.  But, having an opinion and getting it published doesn’t make it true.

It’s not my intent to defend Mr. Ryan’s plan.  I want to point out that as we get closer and closer to the elections in November, there will be lots of rhetoric from both parties.  Some of it will be inflammatory statements or eye-catching headlines intended to obfuscate the real issues. And, the real issues are much more important than the release of candidates’ income taxes or how they treated a family pet 30 years ago.  The real issues concern the future direction and leadership of this great country.

At the close of the Constitutional Convention in 1787, Ben Franklin was asked, “Well, Doctor, what have we got – a Republic or a Monarchy?”  Franklin’s reply was, “A Republic, if you can keep it.”  We need informed voters to keep this republic.  In order to be an informed voter, you’ll have to dig past the rhetoric and research the issues and the candidates’ positions on the economy, defense spending, taxation, the deficit, and social programs.  This November, the country needs a well-informed electorate, now more than ever.