Politics for an Undecided Voter

[greatestmommy]

It's coming up quick...the election. And I've never missed voting yet. Usually it's clear cut for me. But this year, I feel totally out of the loop. Neither candidate seems like the best choice, and so I remain undecided.

How about you? Have you made up your mind? When did you make it up? What issues are most important to you.

Education is a biggie for me, which tends to lean me towards a more liberal stance.
On tons of other issues, though, I'm very conservative. I'm a liberal conservative. Is that an oxymoron?

[Stacey]

Don't skip voting! Check out the Libertarians and the Green party. Look for the independent candidates on your ballot. If you don't vote your unhappiness with the major parties goes unrecorded. They won't know & since you didn't vote, they won't care. I've been voting independent for president for 20 years. I am not happy with the state of affairs with the 2 major parties. I think a third or even fourth are needed to better represent people.

I'm probably voting for Bob Barr, though if Ron Paul turns up on the ballot I'll vote for him. I like the idea of smaller government.

[Jennifer A.]

thank you! I'm hoping Ron Paul shows up too on the ballot. I'm torn between McKinney(green) and Barr(Libertarian).
I've always voted even if I have to write my dad in for president

[M3]

Since McCain selected Sarah Palin, he swung me back firmly into his camp. Like most of the posters, I've felt my whole history of voting has been "lesser of two evils" voting. I am a liberal conservative, too (doesn't that just make us moderate, temperate, etc.?). While McCain is still not my first choice (I don't think my first choice exists!), I was truly uninspired by the Obama-Biden ticket and I am tentatively enthusiastic about the McCain-Palin ticket. Also, I never skip voting! I figure if you don't exercise your responsibilities as a citizen, then you shouldn't complain about how things are done.

[Susan]

I felt like my choices were the lesser of two evils...until I read the transcript from Saddleback. I stopped listening to most political speeches ages ago and started tracking down the transcript. I can be swayed as much as anyone by an eloquent, well-spoken speaker, so I found that the best way to see what they are really saying is to read the transcripts. In some cases, it is self-defense...I cannot watch the Congressional Medal of Honor presentations..often the media ignores them...youtube often has them, but I find the transcript on the White House website...as I am in tears by the time I am 1/3 of the way through.

But reading the transcript lets me go back and re-read something and think on it or look something up before I go on...Obama did not impress me at Saddleback. He's a great teleprompter speaker. Off the cuff, not so much. He is charismatic (but so was Bill and look where that got us). But I want to see experience, past actions, etc. What was something that our moms told us (and we tell our kids?) You are known by the company you keep. First impressions. Actions speak louder than words. Old chestnuts, but oh, so true! I'm not crazy about all of McCain's past actions and associations. My grandmother lost quite a bit of money in the Keating mess...lot of people did. Don't like his immigration policy, but I don't like President Bush's either. In fact, the only one whose stand on illegal immigration I do like is Tom Tancredo, but that's a moot point ;)

Even if I liked everything about Obama, the deal breaker for me is the late term abortion and born alive...I consider it murder. Our medical technology has progressed to the point where we can save preemie babies at 22 weeks...and that is still within the permissble time for an abortion. What is wrong with us as a nation where this is acceptable? I am pro-choice and pro-life and it is possible to be both. When I was around 30 I found out about an aunt I never knew existed. My grandfather's little sister. She was married and her husband was overseas. She got pregnant and rather than deal with the shame, whispers, etc., she went for a back alley abortion. She died and her name was never mentioned again. And that is ALL that I know about her...I don't know what she was like as a teen, her sense of humor...all of that was lost. I'm not condoning what she did...she made a really bad choice - but did she have to pay for it with her life?

Education is important to me...enough that my kids are in a charter school as part of our local public school...they use a classical curriculum, i.e., reading, writing, 'rithmatic, literature, history...what was part of the curriculum when I was in school. Their HS is one of the top 3 in the state and was the top HS 2 years...and it's only been in existence since fall 2001. Pay the teachers, make them accountable! Our first year there my oldest daughter was kept back in 5th grade. About a half dozen kids that year were kept back....the teacher lost her contract. She was not effectively communicating and teaching to the kids...she was held accountable.

And I am seriously psyched about Sarah Palin...I like what I read about her, I'm impressed by her career moves, her stand, etc....and she's making a LOT of people excited.

I think I am actually going to get a yard sign and bumper sticker!~

[greatestmommy]

Wow! You ladies are amazing. Such strength and intelligence.

Why don't they just let you guys run the country?

A few thoughts...
I agree that we have to look at what we believe will be best for the country, regardless of political affiliation. I was thrilled to hear Senator Lieberman say that last night at the RNC. What I'm going to have to sort out is which issues are most vital to our country. For me, John McCain's approach is the way to go on many issues, while on others I'd have to choose Barack Obama. I've got to rank those issues.

About not voting...I take every opportunity to learn as much as I can about elections. That goes for local elections to national ones. I vote when I have something I can vote for, or vote against. There have been times when I either didn't know about the issue, or didn't have a preference one way or the other...so I didn't vote. I think we have the right to not vote...not out of apathy, but because we cannot say we are for or against anything definitively. It doesn't happen often for me, but it does happen. I believe I'm still exercising my choice and my freedom.

And I still think I have the right to complain/call out politicians who make promises and later go back on them. I'll never give up my right to complain...it's one of the only things I'm good at. :)

The truth is, we're voting for more than just a candidate. Our system of government makes it very unlikely that either candidate will get more than 50% of what their platform says they'll do, actually done. We're voting for the person who can do the best for our country. That includes getting other people to work with them.

I'm hoping things become clearer for me in the next several weeks, and I love hearing your opinions. They help me begin to solidify mine, not matter which candidate you support.

[Karen]

a liberal convservative is a moderate ;)
I am happy about Palin, good choice. I hope they can accomplish what they say they want in DC during their term.
karen

[Lisa Sharp]

I would be voting for Baldwin but he didn't make my ballot so I'm not voting for anyone. My first pick was Ron Paul. I don't want to vote for a lesser evil.

I'm an environmentalist libertarian republican lol.