Before voting, do you research your canidate's political history...?

Question

or do you accept what the canidate or people say about the canidate?

Answer 1

Uh, big time research is the only way to go.

Answer 2

I tend to ignore what they are saying when they are running for office. They will tell us whatever they think we want to hear just to get elected. To me their voting history shows the big picture.

Answer 3

Dennis Kucinich I researched and found great respect . www.dennis4president.com

Answer 4

I like to watch and see what the candidate has to say, how they fight to obtain the office that they aspire to.  I also like to see what they have done with any current or past offices they have held.  Past performance will always show a good sign of future performance.  The problem is that during campaigns, there are candidates that like to go negative, and divert attention of the voters from the real issues.  Trying to play on the emotions of the voting public.  Like the question of what Sen Clinton did or did not say.  Yes, Martin L. King, Jr did alot for this country in the area of bringing in equality issues.  But I never heard of him running for office, and becoming part of the solution that way.  Without political leaders like Lyndon Johnson who got the Civil Rights Act passed and signed it, the people that took his visions and made them a reality, by writing laws, where would we be right now.  We would still be having race riots, and other demonstrations.  I for one would like for politicians to stay on course, with issues current and up to date.  Not play race cards, etc.  Obama I feel is trying to divert attention by playing the race card.  You don't see Clinton playing to the public because of past discriminations to women which has kept them from running from high public offices.  Mr. Obama I feel is not telling me exactly what I want to hear about the issues and his remedies for the direction of this country.  He is trying to blow smoke and obtain votes via the old fashioned methods, degrade the opposition.  If he gets the nominaiton, I feel that he will do more of the same, and we will all lose.  We'll have another 4-8 years of someone that is illprepared to take on the challenges, and put forth the changes necessary to ensure the security and success of this great nation.  Just as the current administration has put us deeper in the doghouse throughout the world.

Answer 5

I get the phone numbers of all the candidates from the affidavits they have to file with our County's Registrar Of Voters. Then I call each of them and ask a few questions. If I run into their voice mail, I leave a message. If they don't call back before Election Day, I strike them off the list.

If they show up at my door during a "precinct walk" and they are not an elected official I ask each of them one question:

"What is it that you think you can do as an elected official that you presently can't do as a private citizen?".

Then, I wait for the answer.

I do this because I'm guided by an interesting bumper sticker I saw many years ago. Here is what it read:

"Above average people talk about ideas.

Average people talk about things.

Below average people talk about other people".

I want above average people to represent me in government.

Answer 6

Little of both to be honest, but more of the second.

Answer 7

Do your research!  It's the only way we as voters can be intelligent when we get to the polls. It is way too easy to take what people say as gospel, so you must look at it through your own world view and figure out if you want that person to represent you or your in favor of a bill.  There are plenty of ways to research... so there is no excuse for not doing it.