Go ahead and deride me. I’m an undecided voter. I, too, once looked with scorn on voters who couldn’t make up their minds after months of political rhetoric. Haven’t they read and heard enough to choose a candidate by now? Well, perhaps they have heard and read too much – and what’s more, done so with an open mind. Here’s how I came to that conclusion.
Not deciding right out of the gate this year to back my party candidate has been totally liberating. It has had the surprising effect of allowing me to see all the candidates with amazing clarity. The rose colored glasses are off and so are the gloves. Every misstatement, embellishment, and diversion to inanity on either side is sharply defined. If a candidate says something stupid or wrong, I am free this year not to defend him. I don’t have to squeeze my candidate’s views like silly putty to fit back into the Truth Can. If the facts don’t fit, I don’t acquit. Just let that lump of stretchy, over inflated verbal dough lay there for all to see. Oh, the candidate’s faithfuls will quickly pick it up, fill the center with a rock and hurl at the opposing candidate.
At this point neither party represents my beliefs, or if they do, they don’t adhere to them. I would like to see our election process overhauled to allow those outside the two monopoly parties to have a fighting chance. Perhaps more of us would take a more critical, non-biased look at candidates who represent our ideas more than an ass and a pachyderm.
We need to be addressing real issues like: economy on the brink from bailouts, energy needing big shot of ingenuity and attention, and danger from uncontrolled borders, to name a few. I don’t give a flying f*&% about pregnant daughters, community organizers, gay marriage, or whether a VP can field dress a moose, etc. As far as I can tell the only useful issue anyone is addressing (McCain) is earmarks. That’s a part of the whole big economic issue, but just a part. What ever happens, if we, the taxpayers, continue to bail out uninsured organizations like Freddie & Fannie and let the CEO’s who ruined them walk away not only without penalty, but with $9M, this country will be bankrupt. We might be rethinking that whole “too big to fail” mantra.
Meantime, I’ll be standing on the political street corner, arms crossed, peeking from under my hat brim at every pathetic attempt by the candidates to shape and reshape themselves into an image I can rally behind. Save your pompoms.
A N H I N G A 
You are not alone at the political crossroads. You state “The rose colored glasses are off and so are the gloves”‘ maybe we all need to put on emerald color glasses and vote Green Party and hope to improve the “big E”‘s. Environment and Economy.
It is a sad state of affairs when the two major political parties do not have a platform to support our nations needs. It is all mud flinging rhetoric or more like pig and moose s*^%. I only wish I was convinced that Joe Biden could make a difference. If the ticket was switched, I would have no doubt on who I would vote for.
Hi, Penni: So glad you are standing on my street corner. I have a feeling it is going to be more crowded here than we ever imagined.
I understand your bent toward Biden. His verbal gaffs I see as honesty bubbling out. Measure his words, struggle to get a thought out? I don’t think so. That may not work so well talking to Aminididajad, but it works for me.
Biden is not a bad guy, not at all. I am worried, however, that his charisma may not win the day. It is sad to see society is so stuck on charisma rather than substance.
@Penni: I must have dozed off. What’s wrong with the environment? And, our economy hasn’t had a single quarter yet without growth.
@Beda: I read a few days ago that someone has proposed an election wrinkle that will allow you to vote for a third party without helping your third choice win. I won’t go into the lengthy details but it involves ranking the choices. Instead of simply selecting a single candidate you mark them first, second, third, etc.
Carson: That is how voting is done in Australia. It makes so much sense. It allows a voter to vote for their real choice first. IF ONLY——
You’re right on-point, and I really appreciate your thoughts and opinions on this election. I, too, am not crazy about either candidate. But, I’ve recently decided to vote for Obama, because he’s actually quite intelligent and most of his agenda seems to be on the right track. I just think that McCain is too “out-of-it,” and Palin has integrity issues and may be easily susceptible to being used as a puppet by who knows what corporate entity. Just in case you’re curious, here are my thoughts on Palin:
http://culturepress.wordpress.com/2008/09/12/palin/
Thank you, Culturepress. You are doing a good job for the underground Obama campaign. Too bad I didn’t just fall off the turnip truck.
Yes culturepress, she didn’t just fall off the turnip truck yesterday – anyway, with Lehman brothers falling apart, possible taxpayer bailouts of insurance financial, auto, housing, (gee, as if we didn’t have any sign this would happen when that stupid ass ‘business man’ Bush, the guy who only had failing businesses unless his daddy came to bail him out with the Saudis or Poppy’s big money friends,) Bush suddenly wanted everyone to be a homeowner and encouraged Wall street and the lending institutions to bypass any employment verification and everyone get in on the adjustible rate screw you over mortgages. Now he will be credited with the biggest loser title because under Dubya, so many have lost everything, (can we say Enron the first sign)?
Let’s write in Michael Bloomberg, he would be the best at leading us out of this financial mess! McCain and Palin are dumb and deaf about financials, (McCain is thinking hey, Cindy has millions what me worry) and the Democrats listen and don’t do crap either, we either need Ross Perot or Bloomberg!!!
Wow, anhinga! Fiery, and point on. We have different outlooks on politics, but I think you’re a terrific political commentator. Scoot over, Hannity and Colmes, you boys are so yesterday.
Well said. I too am undecided. I really like Hilary, when she didn’t get the nomination, I declared myself undecided and I’m reading everything I can get my hands on. I will be glad when the election is over.
methinks you use that word, “ancient” a bit loosely, maybe in America this is an ancient city? You must go overseas to see real ancient cities, but this is still beautiful anyway.
I’m sure Europeans will agree with you, Abbe. That is what they call that part of St. Augustine to distinguish it from the newer part. I capitalized it to help. People from other parts of the world will still laugh, I’m sure.
Earmarks make up $18 million out of a total federal budget of $3 trillion.
I don’t care about moose-dressing skills either but earmarks are only marginally more important.
sixsuperfluousdimentions: $18 million here and $18 million there—pretty soon you are talking real money.