Capitol Hill Blue Forums Political Issues Election Issues Who you gonna vote for?

It makes my heart beat a little faster knowing that its not just the right that does the lock step two step. If one is a Republican its necessary to believe in all the 'bad' things (oil, energy, nuclear, war, guns, military, no taxes, etc). If one is a Democrat then its necessary to believe in all the 'good' things ('helping', loving, peace, understanding, etc). The problem is that its not quite that simple. I tend towards the social left and fiscal right. I planned to vote for Obama because he wanted to shut down a 2 billion dollar a week war which I believe to be the current 900 pound gorilla. Now, however, its going to take more than a year, he is going to 'consult' with the military (who, obviously, love war and contracts and incompetence), troops will remain, etc (the qualifications for getting out continues to grow to where he and McCain are not that far apart). Obama is dead flat against Oil but wants the price to go down so we can use more. Obama is dead flat against nuclear simply because its 'bad' (not withstanding an almost 60 year record of safety in the United States and the fact that new designs are even better!). McCain, on the other hand, remains consistently confused about just about everything other than the fact that he is now 73 years old (when he gets off topic it is not a pretty thing). I used to think we had a real choice. I am no longer sure that is the fact. In my contrarian way I am beginning to suspect that we are, yet again, getting a choice between two bad choices. I am, incidentally, completely ignoring the libertarians, who have been taken over by the religious right led by that intrepid defender of America's morality - Bob Barr. At least he has created a home for those of the religious right who feel abandoned by the Republicans.

They are both going to 'fix' health care. Obama is going to do it with government money and insurance companies and McCain is, I think, going to declare victory over health care. Kinda makes my heart beat even faster knowing we have such genius solutions to a problem that is not only an embarrassment but also means I will die quicker than somebody in northern Europe or even Canada due to "The Best Health Care System in the World".

I am not sure what the answer is. Thank goodness, however, that our news sources have abdicated their responsibilities by deciding to remove the war in Iraq from our consciousness by simply ignoring it. That will probably make it a lot easier for most of us. One can only wonder what other clever devices they have to keep us enthralled, fat, dumb, and happy. Some of their more clever camera ploys, insofar as this election is concerned, is to show us only the right side of McCain's face and show Obama looking "presidential" (camera shots from a low position making him look taller and more impressive). At least there seems to be no real unaminity amongst talking heads as to who/what they support (although they make no bones about their support for whoever). Its a real shame that the rules were changed which forced TV, for instance, to devote equal time to major candidates (doctrine of equal time in the interest of fairness). At least, then, we knew who was editorializing. (that one was removed by the Democrats, incidentally).

Oh well, unending entertainment 'professionally' delivered for our ongoing amusement and - ITS ALL FREE! (even if we do get to pay later whether we like it or not).

Thank you, jgw. I couldn't have said it better.
My agony too.
And now we hear here in Georgia that Bob Barr (from Ga) my be polling as much as high as 8% which COULD be (yeah right) the percentage point advantage McCain has on Obama here.

Who am I going to vote for this time? The above could make me pause. I hope not though.
It won't be McCain. It probably won't be Obama.

I hope I will stay the course and vote for whoever (at the end of the day) best represents my beliefs. Cynthia McKinney or Ralph Nader may get my vote. As far as I can tell right now, they are the ones who's ideas best mirror mine.

Olyve

I don't know yet, either.

It is a secret ballot, so I cannot tell you who I will vote for.

One last thought. I find the 'conversion' of candidates that think they may win pretty interesting. I can remember when George Wallace thought he might have a chance and started to promise EVERYTHING to everybody. When McCain ran, the first time (and Bush ate his lunch with seriously silly hate ads), he seemed to display some integrity. This time around however, he has pretty much given up all that 'straight talk' for the support of the very people who wrecked him the first time around! I became discouraged when he first started to kiss the Bush ass, years ago. Desperation makes very strange bedfellows. Obama too displayed some integrity going in. Now that he stands a chance, however, he seems to be parsing with the best of them (he is, after all, a Harvaard trained attorney). Its a shame.

My own dream candidate has integrity, the strength of his/her convictions and is socially liberal and fiscally responsible, irrespective of religion, color, race, or gender. I fear that is never going to be possible. We seem to NEED the wars on drugs and Godless heathen. We consistently elect politicians that seem to work, very hard, proving that they too are human and capable of being silly, stupid, corruptible, unthinking idiots.

Given what the founding fathers, and the constitution, had/has to say about established religion, I am not even sure that a candidate can lawfully even refer to his religion and any religion that takes up politics (backs any candidate from the pulpit) should lose their tax exemption immediately! (This paragraph is, obviously, off point - my apologies)

How does it go? Oh - "Praise the Lord, pass the ammunition, and we will ALL be free!" The problem, of course, is that it just ain't true!

Maybe I'll just write-in Dennis Kucinich. He's about the only politician I've seen so far that meets those qualifications. But...if I "throw my vote away" and McCain ends up as president, I would deeply regret that decision. Alas and Alack!

Obama.

Interesting dilemma for those of us living in swing states.

It's not a dilemma for me. I have the hat.

Alabama will go for McCain--whether I vote for Obama, Kuninch or Tinkerbell.