Do your homework please

Good people (of South Carolina especially), please take your responsibility seriously. I know you will differ with me on many views, but just do a little research. Please don't vote just based on who is the most handsome and/or who is the best speaker. More important than that is: a) What that person has done and b) What they say they will do (and how believable those promises are). Anyway, you know all that, but just please take the time to do some research.
Those of you who are regular readers, besides being wiser and thoroughly entertained, you have also heard my feelings on the debt. I can't see how any other issue can come close to the importance of 15.2 trillion dollars of debt and a budget that is 1.5 trillion over every year. Maybe abortion is more important (because the killing of fetuses is serious stuff), but all republican candidates pretty much agree on abortion.

Last year's budget was 49% over-budget (1.5 trill)

Here's a little breakdown of the candidates on this topic:

-Romney plans to cut 5% of non-military spending while increasing the size of our navy significantly (that isn't free). So, decrease 5% of a budget that is 49% over.

-Gingrich has no plan to cut anything. He did balance a budget four times as speaker, but that was when the economy was rolling and the govt. was quite to OOC (out of control) status

-Perry has no plan to really cut anything, but he would try to pass a balanced budget amendment, which is very good. But we need action now.

-Santorum actually does understand the importance of the deficit and wants to cut 5 trillion over the next 5 years. His cuts actually cut into things that he probably would never get done like Medicare, Medicaid, etc. Plus, he would blow all that savings on a war with Iran (more on that later).

-Paul would cut 1 trillion the first year. 4.1 trill over five years. He would probably struggle to make any of these cuts, as all candidates would. Which leads to the next biggest issue which is extremely inter-woven with the first.

Many republicans feel you cannot cut military/defense spending. They also claim it is "small potatoes" compared to other entitlements. Well, that may be true, but it is still 20-25% (depending on which bean counters you believe) of our huge bloated budget.

Even more importantly, it is the part of the budget that is most easily decreased or increased by a commander-in-chief. Most republican candidates will continue to bomb Iran and other Middle East targets until there is eventually a regional war over there. Can you cut money to defense/military and be safer? Yes. The last three generals of Centcom (commanders of the middle east region) have ALL advised against preemptive air strikes in Iran. The only reason the current general isn't openly against it as well is because he doesn't want to get fired by his war hawk commander-in-chief.

Since I don't believe much of what I hear from other people without verifying here is a link. It is not the only site reporting this.
http://www.larouchepac.com/node/20347


No one wants a nuclear Iran, but those generals and Ron Paul realize a preemptive strike and/or sanctions will be ineffective and only stir up a hornets nest. Even Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu spoke to congress last fall and pleaded for the U.S. to stay out of it. He thanked us for the weapons and expertise, but he knows a war in Iran is awful for everyone in the Middle East. Anyway, I know the US has promised in the past to help and protect Israel. I also know there are some questionable biblical reasons to help Israel. But the best way to protect and help Israel is to mind our own business. A lesson we should have learned in Korea, Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan. A lesson we will continue to learn in a long terrible war in Iran. Please take your voting seriously. The other four Republican candidates want war. If you want war, then vote for them, but please do your homework. If you agree with these candidates after careful research then vote your conscience. Just please don't let our national media choose for you (they don't want any significant changes). Thank you.

A great video on foreign policy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8RAog2RnRc