WASHINGTON – The 2004 election is likely to be decided on core principles that the major parties have used to define themselves in the past -- bedrock values that appear to be re-emerging as distinct and discordant as they ever have been.
Republicans continue to build on their national security (search) and tax-cutting credentials, propelling the United States into the role of sole global power with an unmatchable economy. On the flip side, a cacophony of Democratic voices want to return focus to domestic priorities, budget deficits (search) and a growing distaste for the United States by its traditional allies and other more recalcitrant nations.
Click here to view You Decide 2004.
On top of that, social issues continue to play a major role in dividing the parties. Gay marriage (search), abortion access (search), affirmative action (search), and medical ethics are driving public debate while civil liberties such as legal rights, privacy expectations (search) and protection of one's identity are rising as daily concerns to average Americans and residents in this country.
These issues, and many more to come, are front and center in the 2004 election season and will be sure to dominate the mass media and voters' attentions from now until Nov. 2 and beyond.
As usual, those candidates who are able to set the agenda, drive the debate and turn public opinion on these current and budding issues will be the ones to prevail this fall.
The You Decide 2004 page aims to give Foxnews.com's readers a chance to get in the know, look back to trace the evolution of opinions and research America's past predilections and ultimate decisions.
This page is set up to give viewers everything they need in an easily findable format, whether it's the presidential platforms, on-scene descriptions of the day's events, in-depth profiles of hot races, recent polling from a variety of sources or analyses of candidate's messages and methods.
A convenient button at the top of every Foxnews.com section takes you to this special political section. Click here to see the page now. Once there, bookmark it so that you'll be able to return easily to get complete and comprehensive political coverage.
Foxnews.com hopes readers will refer to this site often as a tool for getting informed, finding the whole story and reading fair and balanced accounts of the daily news. It is meant as a guide for anyone who wants to know what happened before, what's happening now and what can be expected in the future.
We hope you will enjoy and look forward to receiving your comments.
Sharon Kehnemui is the politics editor for Foxnews.com.
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