Bush vs. Gore was a fair decision.

Pro

• The individual citizen has no federal constitutional right to vote for electors for the President of the United States unless and until the state legislature chooses a statewide election as the means to implement its power to appoint members of the Electoral College.
• The Florida Supreme Court did not come up with a comparable scheme to recount all counties in the state, in violation of the fourteen amendment's guarantee of equal protection.

Con

• When the state legislature vests the right to vote for President in its people, the right to vote as the legislature has prescribed is fundamental; and one source of its fundamental nature lies in the equal weight accorded to each vote and the equal dignity owed to each voter.
• Overvotes were not counted, instances where a presidential candidate was punched and written in.
• The poorer counties in Florida tended to have older less reliable voting machine, which should be a violation of the fourteen amendment's guarantee of equal protection.

Internet Resources

Text of Bush v. Gore Decision
http://supct.law.cornell.edu/supct/html/00-949.ZPC.html

FindLaw Guide to the Bush v. Gore Decision
http://news.findlaw.com/legalnews/us/election/election2000.html

Links to the case and the cases that led up to it:

The Supreme Court Decision of the 2000 Election
http://world.std.com/~cme/html/election2000.html
This site includes links to both legal documents and related news reports and commentaries.

Selected Resources on Bush v. Gore Decision from Questia
http://www.questia.com/Index.jsp?CRID=bush_v_gore&OFFID=se2&KEY=bush_v_gore

There should be an amendment to the U.S. Constitution defining marriage as a union between a man and a woman.

Pro

• With the decline of the family and some state court rulings favoring gay unions, we need to safeguard the family principles upon which this country was founded.
• Gay unions dilute the sanctity of traditional marriages.
• There needs to be a definition of marriage unifying the Nation.

Con

• The Constitution should not be used to limit freedoms.
• Each state should be able to define and regulate marriage.
• A state should be able to authorize "civil unions" as one possible alternative to traditional marriage unions.

Internet Resources

Articles on Gay Marriage Amendment from KeepMedia
http://search.yahoo.com/bin/search?p=marriage%20amendment

Marriage Amendment Preserves Male-Female Union
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0%2C2933%2C52891%2C00.html
This Fox News article shows the text of the proposed amendment and outlines arguments for and against.

World Magazine Blog on Marriage Amendment
http://www.marriagewatch.org/

There should be a National Intelligence Director.

Pro

• There should be one central authority reporting directly to the president on intelligence matters.
• A National Intelligence Director could better facilitate communications between intelligence-gathering agencies.
• The president, and his top advisors, could more quickly respond to intelligence gatherings.
• Intelligence operations which are too independent could lead to another Iran-Contra type scandal.

Con

• Having the director of intelligence in the White House would further politicize intelligence.
• Intelligence needs to be gathered more independently.
• The coordination of intelligence gathering should be further integrated into the existing Homeland Security Department.

Internet Resources

The 9-11 Commission Report
http://www.gpoaccess.gov/911/
Download the executive summary first. It contains a chart of the proposed structure of the office of Director of Intelligence.

Democrats, Republicans Debate 9-11 Report
http://www.npr.org/features/feature.php?wfId=3613026
Audio of NPR's Madeleine Brand talking with Rep. Peter Hoekstra (R-MI) and Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) about the 9-11 Commission's report and what Congress should do to act on the panel's recommendations.

Yahoo Guide to the 9-11 Report
http://search.yahoo.com/bin/search?p=9-11%20report

Terrorism Research Center
http://www.terrorism.com/homeland/homeland.shtml
The site provide analysis, press stories, and other information regarding homeland security.

Analysis from Jurist: Legal Intelligence
http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/terrorism.htm
Legal and civil rights information/analysis regarding homeland security and counter-terrorism

The Internet is empowering ordinary people in the political process.

Pro

• The Internet affords ordinary people the opportunity to communicate with the masses.
• The 2004 Dean for President Campaign, through the Internet, was able to raise more money than expected, and get more young people involved in campaigning and presidential politics.
• In directories like Yahoo, minor parties and less financed candidates and causes can get near equal footing.

Con

• The 2004 Dean for President Campaign was not able to carry their Internet momentum through the early caucuses and primaries.
• Television and major media is still the way most people get their information about candidates.
• Well financed campaigns will always be able to better promote their web sites through big advertising campaigns.

Internet Resources

Internet Politics & Journalism
http://weblog.siliconvalley.com/column/dangillmor/archives/001611.shtml
This posting by Dan Gillmor offerings a good examination of the topic, with links to related articles.

Politics and the Internet Online Reading List
http://www.nuigalway.ie/soc/courses/netpols/
This list of resources on the Internet and politics is provided by the National University of Ireland, but it offers many American links.

Peer-to-Peer Politics: Should Howard Dean be a little bit afraid of the Internet?
http://slate.msn.com/id/2085610
Article by Chris Suellentrop on the possible long term consequences of the Dean campaign's pioneering use of the Internet for political fundraising, and volunteer recruiting.

Howard Dean for America
http://www.deanforamerica.com/
Howard Dean's now famous Internet corps are now continuing on with their Democracy for America program. The site also has a link to the Dean for President archive.

Term limits do not further democracy.

Pro

• Term limits deny citizens the right to re-elect candidates of choice beyond their term limits.
• Term limits work against maintaining continuity in legislatures and elected executive offices.
• Term limits give more power to veteran lobbyists, since there is no term limits on lobbyists
• Elected officials in their last term may be more likely to be less concerned about the political views of their constituencies.

Con

• Term limits protects citizens against entrenched power and corruption.
• Politicians can still run for other offices, after term limit, or be considered for government appointments—as a way of continuing government service.
• We should have a "citizen's legislature," in which citizens from different fields and walks of life lend their service on a short-term basis.

Internet Resources

Citizens for Term Limits Homepage
http://www.termlimits.com/
A pro term limits website

U.S. Term Limits
http://www.termlimits.org/
A website with the motto: Citizen Legislators, not Career Politicians

Arguments in opposition to term limits . . .
http://www.personal.psu.edu/users/c/t/ctm134/Con%20arguments.htm
Website devoted to opposing term limits, with links to related articles

Term Limits
http://www.cato.org/politics/term-limits.html
CATO Institute guide to articles and studies on term limits. The articles, for the most part, favor term limits.

Yahoo Guide to Term Limits
http://search.yahoo.com/bin/search?p=term%20limits

Term Limits—Voters Guide: Term Limits is a Bad Idea
http://www.perkel.com/politics/issues/limits.htm
Article by software company owner who created the first Gore for President website.

The Evil of Term Limits
http://www.lewrockwell.com/block/block17.html
Article by Walter Block, a professor of economics at Loyola University New Orleans.