The Outsiders' perspective

(Brian's blog) Here in Australia the election is on every one's mind. I get questions daily about who I am going to vote for, who I think is going to win, and what I think is going to change. Let's just say I am glad the circus is finally coming to an end. Politicians have a very difficult job to do, with many pressures and incentives pulling them in every direction. Because of this a politician gets very little time to do what they want, or even what they say. This makes it difficult for me as a voter to truly identify who might be the best candidate, and even more difficult to identify why. And what if Democrats have Issue X just right, but Republicans have Issue Y nailed down? And furthermore what if I disagree with them both on Issue Z? Why should we as Americans be forced to vote for the lesser of two evils? You will still end up with evil. Why can't independent thought or libertarian ideals be brought in front of the American people without the candidate having 300 million dollars to spend over the next two years? Why should lobbyists be allowed to provide money for campaigns when we all know they are competing for a controlling stake in Americas future. And why should lobbyists have any say in our future? Nobody elected them. Remember in school when you were supposed to vote for a class president and the teachers kept telling you "It's not a popularity contest."? Maybe Washington never attended high school.

Neither Obama nor McCain will even attempt to change the status quo of our government for the good of Americans. Why should we be forced to decide between the typical partisan leaders? Why is America so convinced that changing the system is impossible? When will America realize that with the advent of mass communication the "Electoral College" is outdated and opposed to the Democratic ways of "Popular Vote"? Instead it is pushed further along with some hokey BS called "Super-Electorals"?!?

America needs to take a look at such basic things as Democrat vs. Republican and realize that as long as we are separated into diametrically opposed parties America will continue to inflate by congesting the bureaucratic system with meaningless and inconsequential legislation brought forth by the opposed, partisan "talking heads".

So how do you decide who to vote for? Do you follow Obama's charisma? Do you vote with your wallet and trust McCain to lower spending? Did you make up your mind with the appointment of Vice President? Maybe you are a Republican and you vote Republican regardless of the candidate? Maybe your friends and family convinced you to vote with a barrage of emails, facts, articles and other indirect campaign media in your inbox? Or has the millions of dollars worth of marketing, advertising, campaigning, news and media found it's way into your subliminal consciousness while you were sifting through the two years of political promises?