The American Voter

Well, we've just passed the one year point to the next general presidential election. We have a field of Democrats who all want to do more for us and increase the power of the nanny state by instituting more cradle-to-grave entitlements and, on the other hand, we have a field of Republicans who are fighting to explain how they are more Republican than the other Republicans who are running.

All the candidates have one thing in common - the American voter decides who wins. Well, hopefully anyway; unless the American voter sleepwalks until next November! Also, I have a sneaky suspicion that this will probably go down as one of the most crooked voting periods in American history. There's way too much opportunity for cheating. But, I digress...

Most voters are impelled to vote based on a single reason. Generally speaking, just based on personal observation and experience, I'd say that the second largest slice of the pie chart would go to fear.

Think about your own situation. The last time you voted, did you vote to put in the best candidate or did you vote against someone whom you were afraid would: raise taxes, support George Bush, not give the local public school system every stinkin' thing they asked for 'for the children', or be just too controversial for your delicate tastes?

Now, I could list a whole litany of reasons to fear one candidate over another, but, you get the point.

I reckon the next largest slice of that chart would go to knowing or rather thinking you know the candidate. The familiarity syndrome - which is often linked to the incumbency syndrome - is one to think over as well. For example, how often have you heard, "I don't know much about X, but Y has been in there one term. He/she wasn't so bad, better a devil you know than a devil you don't know!"

Ain't that a killer! Forget finding out who they are, what they believe, their political philosophy, etc., hell, just vote for the other one that is 'Not too bad.' God forbid you would expend a minute particle of gray matter to actually get a little information. It's too much like work to track down a little more information on a candidate - where he/she stands morally, philosophically, politically? How many terms do you give 'nottoobad' before they become 'too bad' and tax you out of existence?

This one always gives me a similar sensation to kicking a chestnut burr barefoot. I've heard comments at local or state elections like, "Well , I don't know much about him but he goes to the same church Aunt Hazel goes to , I guess he'll be alright." That's about as irrational as voting for/against someone whom your daddy's half-neighbor went to the same school with ten years apart!

Thanks. It is so good to know that voters such as this so carefully weigh the future of their city/county/state/country as well as my future. Which leads me to the next one...

Appearance/personality: GodAlmighty folks! Since when did the future of Western Civilization get boiled down to who looks good in a suit/pantsuit or who has such a charming smile? When did the future of the greatest nation in western civilization boil down to a beauty contest? Miss America mentality. 'Nuff said.

Probably the one that annoys me the most as a Southerner is the party faithful. You see, after the Civil War, The War for State's Rights, seems like everybody in the South wanted to punish Abe Lincoln so they all became Democrats. That was okay, then. Southerners wanted to make a statement. They had followed the war and the politics up to, through and past the war and they chose to continue their defiance of Abe in this manner. But we are getting into the 5th and 6th generation after that period and too many of us are still registered as Democrats and the only reason you get from them is, " Well, my daddy was a Democrat and his daddy was a Democrat. If I was to register as a Republican, they'd roll over in their graves."

Hello! The platform of the Democrat party is only about 180 degrees from where it was during the War for States Rights!!! So let grandpa roll. We lost the war. Get over it! Sherman's dead, Abe's dead. Get a fix on your political philosophy and make a decision on your own before we become the new France. SOCIALISM is the new Democrat platform...Period!

Sexism. Now, it has been stated that white males are intimidated by Hillary because she is a strong, take charge kind of woman. Yeah, so was Margaret Thatcher, so is Condoleeza Rice, so is and Kay Bailey Hutchinson. It is the policies not the ovaries. Southern men married women who could plow, chop wood, and cook a full meal on a woodstove in the middle of August without air conditioning or electric fans long before MS. Rodham-Clinton came along. If MS. Rodham-Clinton is too strong, it is like the strong of coffee that has sat on the burner from 6:00 a.m. til noon. Unpalatable and bitter. Run a woman that is a southern momma and you'll find that issue melts away. And if any of you ladies are voting for Rodham-Clinton just because she's a woman, you're thinking with your reproductive organs which is what you accuse men of doing!

There are, of course, another half dozen reasons why people vote one way or another, such as the single issue fixation, i.e., taxes, abortion, 'free' health care, ad infinitum. Nevertheless, figure out into which category you fit and do a little thinking. If you aren't too busy watching reruns because of the writer's strike, get some information about where candidates stand. Get a grip on your political philosophy and make a written or a mental list of the likes and dislikes of a candidate you're leaning toward.

Do a little investigating. Virtually every community has both a local Democrat and Republican headquarters, or at least a local party chairman. Seek them out for more information on a particular candidate. Most national or state candidates have websites while they are running for office, check out the website. Read newspaper articles, magazines, talk to your neighbor, seek out alternative media but don't just rely on the network from which, "More Americans get their news than from any other source." They will only tell you what they want you to know!

A little homework won't kill you! It didn't send you to Forest Lawn in the sixth grade, it won't now. An ignorant voter is a detriment to himself, his children, his neighbor and his nation. Don't be an ignorant voter.