Voting

I've long been an advocate of making sure you go out and do your civic duty to vote. The political process is intriguing and my husband and I have enjoyed participating (in a limited, not-too active, definitely not carrying signs way). We lived in New Hampshire for the first primary in 2000 (we voted for Bush even though NH picked McCain). My husband was a state delegate this year. We watch the debates. We talk about it--constantly with anyone who will listen or pretend to listen. We stay up all night watching the results on election night. And we definitely vote.

This election year started out great. Our favorite candidate in the Republican Primary was coming on strong and he looked good. We were excited and knew that he would be great for America (Romney, if you didn't already know). And then the news media (FoxNews) chose to promote McCain and the Huckabee mess in the South forced our candidate out of the race and left us with the unpleasant choice of McCain who hardly represents my values and political ideals. I was sad and angry with my party.

Over the past few months, I had nearly talked myself into supporting McCain, not because I agreed with him on much of anything but at least I trusted him a little more than the other guy. When McCain chose Sarah Palin as his running mate I was temporarily excited. She, at least, has a little more of the character and ideas that I have been looking for in a candidate. But she's running for vice president--who has never had much influence on anything.

We watched some of the debate last night. I got sick--physically ill. I had to turn it off. Both candidates had ridiculous and/or scary plans. In the face of serious economic crisis (brought on by the GREED of everyone from average Joe who bought a home he couldn't afford with a shady mortgage loan pushed on him by shady real estate agents and dishonest mortgage brokers from banks willing to take big risks to try to make a buck because they were run by CEOs who had huge golden parachutes because Congress was more interested in campaign contributions from banks than decent oversights...) I am wishing that America had been willing to look past a man's religion that they didn't understand and vote for a man who had the knowledge, wisdom and integrity to handle the economic situation.

I'm not sure if I can vote for either of the presidential candidates. I'm not sure if I could look myself in the mirror in the morning. A write-in! It might be the only thing my conscience can handle.