Mike Gravel will be getting my vote. Anyone else would be a catastrophe.

I am voting for Obama because Oprah told me to.

#32 – Fair enough. After all, there will be plenty of people who vote for Romney because Limbaugh, Coulter, etc told them too.

As a moderate Republican, I believe the best bet is a McCain ticket. If you are ANY type of Republican, you HAVE to vote McCain. Vote for anyone else and we lose. No doubt. Run Romney against Obama or Clinton and WE WILL LOSE. You may like Romney better, but for the hope of your party, DON’T PICK ANOTHER Bob Dole. (Even if Romney would make a great Viagra commercial.)

But really, let’s be honest. “ANYONE BUT HILLARY, 2008″. Let’s unite for that slogan. Pease vote, you lucky Missourians, I am a St. Louis girl down here is Texas. So I have no say!

Since my boys both dropped (Richardson and Edwards) and John McCain made his statement about being in Iraq for a hundred years, I guess I’ll vote for Barack, not because I like him especially but I am definitely “anybody but Hillary”.

I find it interesting that all major news media have been covering the economy like a hound on point with a quail, and ignoring the grizzly bears about 10 ft. away (Iraq and Afghanistan.)

Amen, Cindy #21. Yes, I get jaded, disgusted, and disheartened by our political process, and I sincerely hope that some day we will arrive at a methodology not controlled by powerful lobbiests, Madison Avenue promo and glib faces on deceptive ads. And yes, I would like to think that someday our nation’s average voter will actually know something about the candidates and actually think about something besides who looks best in a suit and who might put a few dollars in his/her pocket for beer and cigarettes before going to the polls.

But your point is so well taken: we get the leaders we ask for, when we can’t even go to the trouble to use our power as citizens of a democratic republic and VOTE. The more people stay home, the more we wind up with lousy public officials who do not represent the will of the people they govern. And yes, the decisions these people make do have a tremendous imnpact on our lives.

Bottom line, to me: Until we replace or drastically change the system we’ve got, the only thing we can do is choose - among lesser evils, if we must see it that way — and get out there and vote. If we can’t do that, we have no right to complain. If you won’t play the game, you have no right to gripe about either the rules or the outcome.

I like Romney for a number of reasons, first and foremost being that I think he is the best bet at stabilizing the economy. If Clinton or Obama win, the economy will take a turn for the worse. Taxes will increase across the board, and government spending will decrease. A full recession will set in and new government subsidized programs will wave away personal responsibility and growth and create a complete nanny state.

That being said I’m not voting. I have reasons for supporting McCain as well and at this point my conflicted vote will not help the process. I would want to be sure of who I support before I make a primary choice. I’ll leave that matter to the people who do have a firm grasp on their man.

I’ll also make a choice by the time the general election rolls around, and considering Obama and Clinton are the only choices for Democrats I won’t be voting for that party. I had prefered Joe Biden. He had experience, and an actual plan of action on a number of issues including Iraq. Hillarys campaign seems to be just to get Hillary elected and Obama speaks to hope with out experience or planning. I need something a little more firm than an emotion to vote on.

That fact that people are voting based solely on emotion scares me. I think it isn’t our duty to vote. I don’t believe in “Rock the Vote” or “Vote or Die”. I want people to vote if they are firm on their choice and have a conscience reason for doing so. I don’t want an American Idol pop contest. That ruins our nation. Apathy is a shame but an apathetic person voting just because is a crime (figuratively).

At this point Romney or McCain.

Mitt Romney!

AS a note on Teresas statement, Iraq and Afghanistan aren’t the grizzlies 10 ft. away. Iraq security has been stabilized. It’s now up to the citizens to fashion a government and take over their own security. If they don’t get that done its on them. Afghnistan is moving slow but there is still progress. I think a new administration will make the appropriate adjustments that the Bush Admin is failing to make. Those adjustments in both cases, however, is not to pull out instantly and willy nilly. (I love that phrase.)

Biden had the best Democratic strategy, but people went with the glitz of the “First” candidates and the lying charm of Edwards. What can you expect from Teresa anyway, she seemed to like Edwards. Anyone that bought what he sold (and that lawyer was selling) can’t read through anybody. Edwards was a smooth talking one trick pony and we’re all better off that he failed.

Iraq security has been stabilized, and when RCJ says stabilized what he is saying is that when Blackwater forces gunned down 17 Iraqi civilians in Baghdad’s Nisour Square and wounded more than 20 others. they were stabilizing that “town square” by eliminating terrorists (or) potential terrorists that disguised themselves as innocent civilians.

“Mohammed Hafiz was driving four children when Blackwater mercenaries riddled the car with bullets. His ten-year-old son Ali was shot in the head. Mohammed had to gather up pieces of the child’s skull and brains for the burial. During one point in the massacre, Blackwater operatives concentrated fire on a passenger bus. A small boy fled the bus in terror and was shot down as was his mother who ran after him.”

Iraq, you’ve been stabilized!