Politics

So, I have decided that I want to figure out what my opinions on certain political issues are (aka I finished A Storm of Swords and now I'm bored as hell). Too often we find ourselves in conversations about things that we really don't know how we feel about. It's not that we don't care, and sometimes we care very vehemently, but still don't really know the facts (or what we're talking about). Currently I am registered as a Democrat, but I consider myself an Independent. However, Colorado requires that you be a registered member of a political party to vote in their primary elections and I decided I cared more about who the Democrats were sending to the ballot than the Republicans last election. Is there a political party I actually identify with enough to loudly proclaim membership? Although, "Hi, my name is Chelsey and I vote for the best person for the job," does sound a lot more empowered than, "Hi, I'm a Democrat." I've done enough reading about the Tea Party to know I agree with some of their ideas, but that's partially what has sparked this newfound interest in politics, because I realized I had no opinion on taxes. Last fall I voted for a big increase in property taxes in Colorado Springs because I felt that what it would pay for was worth it. But the opposite side of that coin is eliminating government waste, and I can't deny that being an impossible job. Why should we pay for that? This could take come time though, and I certainly don't think that I'm going to come to conclusions about every issue I've thought of tonight, so I'm going to list them here and refer back, and whenever I need something to do and my brain is rotting from boredom I can learn something and blog about it. 


This is going to be a long list, I wonder if there's a better way to write it so as not to take up so much space...Hmm...Thinking...

Religion          Gun Rights          Abortion          Stem Cell Research          Sex Education          Feminism          Same-sex Unions          Capital Punishment          Drugs          Illegal Immigration          Fiscal Policy          Bailouts          Earmarks          Housing Issues          Health Care          Taxes          Natural Gas Pipeline          Offshore Drilling          Nuclear Energy          Oil and Gas Development         Global Warming          Water          Endangered Species          Environmental Policy          Defense          Don't Ask, Don't Tell          Foreign Policy          Afghanistan          Iraq          Iran, Syria          Israel       NATO, Russia, Georgia, Ukraine          United Nations          Nuclear Proliferation          Disability Rights          Veterans Benefits          Native Americans          Racial Issues          HIV/AIDS          Civil Liberties          Patriot Act          DC Voting Rights