user: iReport crowns first-ever Pundit of the Week
Those in the know will always find a lively political debate brewing on iReport between our super-savvy politics junkies as they sound off on the most pressing issues of the day. With 2012 election mania in full swing, we’re kicking off a new weekly series at iReport: The Pundit of the Week.

Each week, we’ll introduce you to a member of the iReport community — liberals, conservatives, and everyone in between — who frequently engages in political debate and discussion with our community. Then, we'll do a Q&A for a look at the person behind the laptop camera.

Our first-ever Pundit of the Week is Cameron Harrelson. He hails from Baxley, Georgia, and at has been a regular iReporter since he first joined the site in 2009. At age 17, he’s also one of our youngest political commentators.

Affiliation: Conservative / Independent — "I always tell people: I'm an American first, a conservative second, and a Republican last.”

How did you get interested in politics? "I remember watching the results of the 2004 elections and becoming instantly interested in the American political process. I recognized that my parents wanted George W. Bush to win, and were excited for that, but there was something that appealed to me beyond just that. Pretty soon after that, I decided that I wanted to get involved in politics at the local level, and eventually run for office.”

Why do you share your opinion on iReport — why should people listen to what you have to say? “In my own way, I want to help improve the political dialogue in this country. It doesn't matter to me whether you're a Republican or Democrat, Conservative or Independent or Liberal. What matters are ideas, and how you express them. We all need to find a way to talk to each other respectfully, even if we totally disagree.

“Oftentimes, people tell me that I only have the opinions that I have because I'm copying my parents’ positions. I want everyone to know that's not the case. I do a lot of research on my own to arrive at these conclusions.”

Who’s your political hero? “Honestly? Right now, and I know this is probably going to make a bunch of people write me off, but I have to say Sarah Palin.

“She took on some tough ethics issues while she was Governor of Alaska, she fought for her principles. And whether you love or hate her, you can’t deny that she made a huge splash when she arrived on the national scene. Sure, I do find some of her positions appealing, but the real reason she inspires me is because of her character and determination.”

What’s going to be the defining issue of the 2012 election? “Far and away, the economy and jobs. There are other issues that are intertwined with this, like the runaway cost of healthcare, inflation, our huge debt and deficit, and wasteful spending. But when it comes to what’s going to be immediately on people’s mind, it’s definitely the economy.”

What’s something people might be surprised to know about you? “I took maybe 2 months worth of piano lessons, and after that learned how to play music by ear. I taught myself some guitar chords by doing the same thing.”

Follow Cameron on Twitter at @Cam4573. If you’d like engage in spirited debate and throw your hat into the ring for Pundit of the Week, now’s your chance: Join in on the discussion at iReport.
What was this article about?


assistant: &nbsp; Those in the know will always find a  lively political debate brewing on iReport  between our super-savvy politics junkies as they sound off on the most pressing issues of the day. With 2012 el...