I've been avoiding this.

I don't care. Honestly, I don't. Its sad but true. I have given up caring about this election! Don't believe me? Well, you're right. I do still care, but not in the traditional "I'm backing my guy" sort of way.

This political season has been frustrating me more than most. Last election (rich white guy vs. other rich white guy) was bad enough, this cycle is sinking to lows not seen since probably the 19th century when fact checking was non-existant.

Our country is in a mess and I don't see either party saying what actually needs to be done to fix it. We are spending ourselves to oblivion. We cannot keep it up. You know how if you run your credit cards up and eventually its all you can do to make the minimum payments? Yeah, we're nearing that point as a nation daily. But does either candidate say the hard truths? Nope. They have some nice ideas and such, but most of which will actually cost MORE money.

Oh, and Republicans, please don't delude yourselves this is the Democrats fault. You've had the White House for 8 years, a majority in Congress for 6 of 8 years, and you've successfully passed two of the biggest entitlement/spending programs ever, the Medicare pill plan, and No Child Left Behind. Oh, and got the country into a war that has cost about 2 trillion dollars so far, give or take a couple billion.

I'm not a Democrat. I might vote for Obama, I might not. Living in Illinois means I don't have to worry about it much. But McCain's choice of Palin frustrates me on a number of levels.

First, it was an obvious desperation move (which just might work). Up until a few days before the Palin choice McCain was still considering Joe Lieberman, an independant Democrat but the party hacks convinced him that would sink him. So he gives up on his principles for the party, like he as so much this campaign season. (Obama has too, but McCain has a much longer record to go against.)

Second, Palin is NOT ready to run the country should McCain die in office. Obama is new, raw and under-qualified in many areas so he picks a running mate with lots of experience to shore him up. Biden can give advice to Obama if he is the president and if Obama would die in office Biden would step in ably.

McCain has the qualifications sure, but if something happens to him we would end up with a President who knows less about foreign affairs than I do! That terrifies me! Sarah Palin is a smart capable woman who has shown herself to be a quick study. But the way she talks, and it is only talk, of going to war with Russia to defend our ally Georgia is insane! I mean, I could understand a couple of old guys at the local diner saying things like that, but a VP candidate? I realize, she's raw, she's new, and she should have time to learn. But we've had 8 years of a president learning foreign policy on the fly. And he didn't surround himself with trustworthy advisors.

This is such an important election, I'm sad that I don't care like I should. Part of it is the fatalism that comes from living in Obama's home state. My vote, should it not go to him, will not matter as there is no percentage breakdown of votes. (No people, we do NOT want a popular vote. Trust me on this.) But it is also having to suffer through another Karl Rove led Republican sleaze session, that honestly McCain is better than. Obama has attempted to take the high road, and his attacks back have been whether through design or lack of experience not quite as sleazy. I just wish we could have a campaign on the real issues and have "straight talk" about the hard work that is necessary to get this country righted again.

(Oh, just a note for any conservatives out there that are happy that Palin is staunchly pro-life. Bush is too. He's appointed one of the most conservative courts ever. Have you seen a single step forward in that area? Abortion is a tragedy of massive proportions, but it is not going to go away by electing a Republican. Karl Rove just knows how to play you for your vote. Keep that in mind. You are being used. You don't have to vote for the other guy, but don't delude yourself into thinking the pro-life side will make any real changes at all. They won't.)