Op-Ed: Is This Election the Most Important Thing That Could Happen in our Lifetime?

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As I watch the highly-publicized 2008 American election creep ever closer, I've started to wonder if a question will be answered - one that likely will change my life's path, even if I don't want it to. And that question stated is: "Will the 2008 United States presidential election be the defining moment in our species' history?"

Now, admittedly that is a loaded question, and one that requires some explanation. However, I see a correlation of growing global issues and policies that could potentially make them worse. We are on the cusp of some serious global problems coming to head, such as food shortages, extreme weather, global warming, and hapless wars across the world .

However, whether or not one wants to admit it, the United States still holds the majority of the global power - and that can be misused (as it has been in the Iraq war) - but despite the country's current struggles, the election appears to be a window of hope that it could start working toward solutions.

When I look at the candidates that surround the '08 Election, I see quite frankly that, even though I'm not an American citizen, or live in the states, the decision of who's elected being something that will effect my life. Putting George W. Bush's actions aside, the struggles of the country will be a tall task to meet and reverse for the next president. All three candidates have differing visions on these problems, and different policies.

In my opinion, the biggest issue facing Americans is not the war (although that's a huge one), it's the domestic problems they face. Without the necessary attention to water shortages, housing crises, and the widening gap between the upper and lower class, as well as the looming unemployment scare that would come from a recession, any of these problems could devastate the United State's economy and world influence. After all, one of the main arguments for countries like the USA is its unparallelled standard of living amongst its citizens. Imagining the loss of power if the country falls apart from the inside is staggering in the context of how it would affect the world.

But some of the problems of domestic affairs is a result of poor foreign policy decisions. The increased growing of ethanol corn has been a major factor in the cost of food, as well as food shortages. However, rising oil prices have made getting that food even more expensive, and subsequently putting poor farmers out of business, wrecking cultures and countries alike. The states has the most ability to implement policies that can reverse or combat food famines and increasing food prices.

Oil is obviously a major concern in this election. With global supplies decreasing, and the price increasing, not to mention the pollution that it ultimately creates, this will cause people to stop driving, and start demanding an alternative. Again, the winner of the '08 election will yield power to form the policies to explore an alternative - but refusal, or incorrect choices (biofuel), will simply send our societies into extremely difficult times.

When I put it all on a platter, watching this election has really made me feel as if the winner could doom or solve us. My personal political beliefs are irrelevant in this context; these are the candidates, and it is the policies that they promote and put into action that will have such massive effects on the rest of the world - not to mention make or break the country internally.

So, as an outsider, I feel that those voting have a tall task ahead of them - and that is choosing the candidate that will fight these problems, and return the United States into a stronger power - one that is hopefully aware of the issues we face today, and is willing to make the decisions to reverse it for everyone. Basically, it is their policies, and how they deploy them on the world stage, that will mark the moment my life took a turn - one that is hopefully, for the best. I also believe that I am not the only one that has this feeling.

Vote with information, not on a 'gut' feeling - that's all I can hope can happen.