They said it.
They did it.
You weigh it.
With hundreds of millions of dollars being poured into the 2004 Presidential election, at times it can be difficult to sort through the volume of information and digest where the candidates really stand. One could spend all day scouring web sites, reading the newspaper, listening to the radio and watching TV news without getting a clear picture of of candidates President George W. Bush and Senator John F. Kerry.
Then there’s the other extreme – the one-word summaries of the candidates’ positions offered as “Voter Guides.” We’ve all seen them. Abortion? For/Against. Environment? Good/Bad. Military? Supportive/Not Supportive. If only life were that simple!
In concepting this booklet, Grassfire set out to create a definitive, up-to-date resource that cut through the political spin, and gave citizens real insight and understanding into what each candidate said and did on key issues.
That’s why we have chosen this “Quotes And Votes” format. This Scorebook lays out the key issues facing our nation in 2004 and places what George Bush and John Kerry said and did side by side. Quotes and Votes. Since the President does not actually vote on the issues, we have completed these sections with bills the President signed into law, executive orders, and other documented actions of his administration.
There’s something else unique about this guide – it’s a Scorebook, but we don’t score it, you do. Unlike some materials that either go ahead and “score” the outcome or clearly bias the outcome by the wording, this guide is your Scorebook.
At the bottom of each page, you will find a box that says, “Check here if candidate reflects your position.” As you read Quotes & Votes, check the box next to the candidate that reflects your views. Then, at the back of this Scorebook, you can tally your score. You can rate these issues by choosing how important they are to you: 3 very important, 2 for somewhat important, 1 for less important. Then, tally your “score” and head out to the polls!
Yes! Since Quotes & Votes is a non-partisan guide, your church or community group can distribute this booklet as an informational service to your friends and members. We believe this Scorebook provides a valuable service that you can offer to those in your church or community group.
Before you proceed, in the interest of full disclosure we would like to issue a disclaimer. Grassfire.org Alliance is unabashedly a grassroots conservative organization. As a non-profit issues advocacy organization, we take an active stand on behalf of our million-strong team in support of what would generally be called social and fiscally conservative issues.
That said, we have crafted this non-partisan Scorebook with the goal of presenting fairly the actual views and actions of President Bush and Senator Kerry.
We selected the issues that consistently show up in the polling data as the most important issues to voters in 2004 – from abortion to taxes and everything in between. These are the issues that the candidates are talking about. These are the issues that have framed the debate. We searched scores of web sites and sources to find the “Quotes and Votes” that give a fair representation of President Bush and Senator Kerry’s positions.
At the end of the day, we think hard-core Bush supporters and hard-core Kerry supporters will equally find information in these pages to support their candidate. Those still trying to decide how to vote (or whether to vote) may find our innovative scoring system helpful in making the important decision of how to cast their vote on November 2.
That is why we confidently call this guide a “non-partisan” Scorebook on the Presidential election. We hope you enjoy!
Steve Elliott, President
Grassfire.org Alliance