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Well, here we go...time for another election. Here's who I'm endorsing. But a few notes first.
If you're a partisan Republican or Democrat, and looking for a blanket endorsement from me, stop reading. You're not going to find it here.
If you're voting based on campaign promises on the "issues", you need a reality check. Few of these promises ever came to fruition. Just go back and watch debates from years past, and listen to the promises made by the candidates. Guess what? They never do. Far too many new issues appear during the term of an elected official, so these promises get lost by the wayside (if not completely broken).
If you're voting based on campaign ads, then you probably also think that McDonald's makes you "happy"; that Budweiser is "the King of Beers"; and you probably subscribe to the Lifeline emergency medical service ("I've fallen, and I can't get up!"). You've been hypnotized by the advertisements of commercial broadcasting in America. You need to get up off the couch, turn off the T.V., and get a life. There's a lot more going on around the world than what you see on the 24-hour news channels.
Finally, because I live in Chicago, my comments are based my own ballot. Still, a lot of this may be useful to you, especially if you live in an uncontested state like Illinois. Democrats rule the state of Illinois, so John Kerry and Barack Obama will win hands-down. If there's any place where we have no choice, it's the Great State of Illinois.
Given all that, here's what I'm doing this Tuesday:
George Bush's "War" on terror is a joke. He's applied fuzzy logic to a world that isn't Western at all. Now Arabs are all ticked off at us. Meanwhile, just look at the endless sons and daughters of our working class who are getting killed in Iraq. That's the real "shock and awe" that we're in. Mission accomplished? Not even close, George.
Even though many feel disenfranchised by Bush, I, like so many others, have been underwhelmed by John Kerry. Sure, he's looked "Presidential," and riled up those who dislike the current administration. He's given up plenty of reasons to vote against Bush. But I still don't know why I should vote for him!
Nader's not on the ballot in Illinois because he didn't file his papers on time. (D'oh!) But Libertarian Michael Badnarik is. I don't know exactly what he stands for, but I know the Libertarian Party, and I'm generally cool with their platform.
In Illinois, there is no contest; Kerry is going to win...but not with my vote. Bush's time is up. I'm supporting Badnarik.
Of all the races, I love this one the best!
Barack Obama is the darling of the Democratic Party right now. His speech at the Democratic National Convention has become a defining moment in party history, making him the 2004 poster child of the Democratic Party.
Because of his popularity, the arrogant Illinois Democrats really thought they were going to walk away with a victory here, too...just like the Presidency. But the Illinois Republican Party was going to try anything to revive their party, which is deader that Abraham Lincoln himself! So they went for a "Hail Mary," selecting Maryland resident and former Reagan official Alan Keyes.
Keyes is tremendously articulate, bright, and very nutty. He can out-debate the most articulate liberals in the country, including Barack Obama. Because of that, Obama's camp got scared, declining Keyes' invitation for more debates. They wanted to control the race themselves, but Keyes loves messing around with the Democrats' idyllic plan for Obama.
It really makes no difference. Obama's going to win, and Keyes is going to lose. I don't like the idea of Democrats waltzing into the senate without a fight, so I'm not supporting Obama. Keyes is just nuts, so he's not getting my vote, either.
Just like the presidential race, I'm supporting Libertarian Jerry Kohn.
Former Chicago Alderman and current loudmouth Luis Gutierrez is seeking re-election. We also have a Republican and a Libertarian who's running, but they're gonna lose because the new Democratic Machine is going to carry Gutierrez back to Congress.
I'm tired of Democrats getting the easy ride to all these seats! Gutierrez is so arrogant, that he doesn't even have an election website! These dopes have had it far too easy! Meanwhile, Republican Tony Cisneros has effectively conceded the election, too, because he doesn't have a campaign website, either!
I'm voting for Libertarian Jake Witmer on Tuesday.
I never vote in uncontested elections, and the candidates in each of these races run unopposed. These guys should never feel like they have a free ride to the seat for which they are running. I'll either not vote, or write in shock jock Howard Stern or "adult" actress Jenna Jamison.
yawn...At some point, Democrats have got to face some competition. Allegations of corruption and mismanagement in county and city government have swirled around for years. If we keep voting these guys into office, nothing will change. There's an enormous budget shortfall that no one seems to care about. Meanwhile, taxes keep on going up, but where's the cash going?
Chicagoans can't remain complacent forever; I'm voting for the opposition, whoever they are.
[For those who live outside Cook County: we vote to retain judges here. A judge needs 60% of the voters to say "yes" in order for the judge to retain his/her seat on the bench.]
You never know when you'll be in court. Hopefully, my attorney will face a judge that has integrity. So on election day, I look at the full list of endorsements listed in the Sun-Times from the litany of Bar Associations...the Illinois Bar, the Chicago Bar, the Asian-American Bar, etc. If they support the judge, I'll vote for the judge. And from time to time, there will be one judge across the board that will be "not endorsed." Far too many people skip this part of the ballot, but it's really easy to vote in these elections. Just bring the newspaper into the booth with you. Don't worry; it's totally legal.
After reading this, some of you may think that I'm wasting my vote, or not voting my conscience. I totally disagree.
In the Democratically-controlled state of Illinois, I'd argue that if you're voting a straight Democrat ticket, then your vote is more of a waste than mine. Kerry, Obama, and the rest of the Democrats are going to win by a large margin with or without your vote. My vote says that I oppose any candidate being a shoe-in to the office for which he/she seeks. Their proposals and ideas should be challenged by the electorate, and that's not happening in Illinois. That's why I'm voting against them.
My parents came from a country where they had martial law for a while. Now they live in America, as American citizens. I have witnessed first-hand the empowerment that they feel being able to vote.
All Americans have the same power. No matter who you are, or what you support, I urge you to vote this Tuesday for whomever you want.