Living Undecidedly

Aaaargghhh!

Does anyone have any real idea who to vote for in the upcoming presidential election? I have been watching and reading as much as I possibly can, and I'm still undecided. I've never been undecided this late in an election process. But there are certain factors that are influencing my decision.

First, I think the Republicans are both one-trick ponies. Palin took on the oil companies in Alaska and McCain is a "war hero." I'm not knocking McCain's accomplishments and I deeply appreciate those people who put their lives on the line in our armed forces, but just because you are a member of the military does not make you a "hero." I will keep the rest of my opinions on the subject to myself because I do not want the two people who actually read this blog to get upset and start sending out the Office of Homeland Security labeling me as an insurgent of some sort.

On the other hand, the democrats are smoke and mirrors. What have they done? Have they done anything? I think the real wild card in my decision-making process is Biden. It's obvious, after watching the VP debate, that he is much more polished than his counterpart. Like others, I really liked the idea of Palin when the Republicans announced their selection. But the more she speaks, the more I realize she doesn't really understand. Obama may be as inexperienced, or more so, as she, but he at least comes across as knowledgeable and intelligent when he speaks.

Then there are the issues. McCain is all about the war effort in Iraq. That's all his campaign talks about ... war, war, war, war, war ... did you know he was a "war hero?" It makes me wonder how quickly he would attack a middle eastern country if he had an itchy trigger finger. For some reason I think Obama's idea of talking to people might just work after what we've gotten ourselves into in the last eight years. Obama, on the other hand, sometimes comes across as too weak on foreign policy issues.

On education, I like Obama's stance on K-12 public education, but I like McCain's ideas on higher education. As an employee of a private institution of higher learning, I think Obama's ideas would be dangerous to private schools.

I lean toward Obama on the tax plans. Call me weird, but I don't think more tax breaks are what our country needs right now. In fact, I think we need to be paying more taxes. Everyone wants to benefit from the services that government offers, but nobody is willing to pay for it. What we really need is to reform the tax system. It's not fair that people who don't even qualify to pay taxes still receive tax returns and "economic stimulous" checks. Which just for the record, I think the economic stimulous refund that we all received recently was one of the dumbest things of which I had ever heard.

Then there is just the personal enjoyment in making Hillary Clinton squirm. I would vote for Palin just to tick Hillary off because she would not be the first woman in the White House, but I would vote for Obama just to keep Hillary out of the White House for at least 8 years, and possibly as many as 16 if Biden were to run after Obama's tenure.

Oh well, I guess I'll watch another debate and maybe then I will make up my mind.