Politics (I can't help it)

Okay, I just have to say that this whole campaign is getting (and actually has been for a while) ridiculous. I just saw a guy on a CNN panel (a truly independent guy who is not partisan) say that we should put this stuff in context because back in the late 1800 the candidates were saying things like their opposition's wife/mother/sister were prostitutes and accusing each other of crimes against humanity. Really? We need to put all of this nastiness in perspective?

I don't care if it is small or insignificant compared to what happened in campaigns over 100 years ago. It's petty and is dragging everything down. I was looking forward to this election because I truly believe that this is going to be the most important election in my lifetime (so far), and now I can't wait until it's over.

I have coworkers ranting about how they don't want to live in a communist country. Since when are communism and socialism the same thing? Don't get me wrong - I'm not saying that I want the country to become a socialist state. I do, however, believe that certain things should be rights of citizenship, like health care and post-secondary education. Does that make me a socialist? Maybe, but it seems to be working in other advanced countries around the world, so why not give it a try here?

My husband heard a Democrat (who voted Republican after 9/11, but is supporting Obama this year) call into a conservative talk-radio program today. He explained why he was supporting Obama - that he felt that Obama has what's needed right now to get the country back on track. The host asked him to call back on six months and give them an update on how he was feeling if Obama gets elected. He responded that he absolutely would and that he hopes he's not eating crow. The host responded to him, "I hope you ARE eating crow."

Was it just me or did that sound like the host wants the country to continue in a downward spiral if Obama is elected? Hopefully he was thinking very narrowly and only in reference to his party and how he wants his party to win. The bottom line is that no matter who is elected president on November 4th, I hope that everyone - Democrat, Republican, Independent, and Other - is pulling for the United States to come out of this economic downturn (because they haven't officially labeled it a recession yet) quickly.