I like politics because I like..

To know candidates' stands on various issues. So what do I want to know? What bores me? What makes me mad?

Positions of interest
There are issues I care about. I want to know whether these issues matter at all to a candidate (a primacy of focus) or did he just create a policy to run; I want to know his or her apparent level of talent and experience in each area. Finally, I want to know the candidates level of tolerance for competing positions, and willingness to adapt to new information. I am interested in the following major and minor policy areas.

-International Relations
-Homeland Security
-Military Policy
-Immigration Policy
-Iraq Policy
-Energy Policy
-Environmental Policy
-Fiscal Security
-Social Equality
-An approximate budget for the US for their first year
-View of the role of the government in society
-Number of lies I know about
-Do I like them
-Able to incorporate new information into world views

[[Editor's Note: my mother correctly points out that I omitted education, which is a very important issue to me. Thank you, Mom!]]

-Education

I can vote for someone who does not make me want to have dinner with them. I will always vote for effectiveness over affability. I want to vote for a candidate I like, but it is not absolutely essential.

I think every candidate should be required to deliver an initial budget during the primary, and a revised budget during the general election. This budget will allow me to judge many of a candidate's issue positions.

I do not care
There are a number of things I do not care much about.

-Opportunism, unless it makes me not like them.
-Megalomania, unless it makes me not like them.
-God complex, unless it makes me not like them.
-Whoring around. Why do I care? I do not care.

I assume each of these unfortunate characteristics is significantly abundant in anyone motivated to run for office. I do not like to hear candidates accuse other candidates of these things. That is redundant and not useful.

Make me mad
There are a few things politicians do that absolutely make me mad.

-Ignores new information. This is listed twice because it is important.
-Party switching - these people are disloyal users, and should both be immediately forced to return all campaign contributions, and be unceremoniously forced from office and required to stand again.
-Lying - every lie requires a public admission apology. Flogging would be good, too.
-Confounding their particular perspective, platform or policy with patriotism. Grrr!

                          Now
             you know
                          what
             to expect
                          if I
             ever become
             master
                                       of the universe.