Either way

I am very excited that the election is so very close. In part it is my usual, "I can not wait to stop hearing about it." It hit me today how strange it is that the headlines are touting the high campaign spending totals and we are in the midst of an economic free-fall. Surely some those campaign dollars are helping some folks out. Right?

What I am excited about mostly is the possibility that hope may be close. I am supporting Obama without reservation next week. While I don't think he will fix everything, I think he will instill some hope in a generation or two that have honestly NEVER known a time they trusted their government. I read that is the easiest way to tell when the Baby boomer generation ended was asking the question, "do you remember when you trusted your government?"

For the first time it feels as if we who answered that question with"no" might be able to say "yes" at last. I have found myself enthusiastic about it even, but reluctant to try and sway others. Even discussing it with members of my family that vote Republican without fail makes me tense. I am unable to maintain a rational perspective when faced with the sort of blind following the McCain ticket seems to have. Every argument from the right seems not so much to contain actual ideas of fixing the problem but accusations on how Obama can't do it. It is so reliable, it has become as annoying as noticing when someone consistently says "um or "like" when they are speaking. It rapidly is all you hear.

Then there's Palin. I am astonished how she has not become an out and out deal breaker for even the most devote Republicans. To me there seems to be a difference between conservative and Palin. She is in favor of BANNING BOOKS!! How is that in anyway close to the Republican "less government" some of my family speaks of. If McCain were not such the elderly statesman, this might seem as non-issue, but he would become our oldest president should he be elected. There is every possibility he could not survive a term in office, making Palin our new president. Librarians and state troopers everywhere should shudder at that prospect.

More than anything, I hope that we seen record turn outs next week. It is embarrassing how few voters take advantage of the option. Next week, I will be putting my country first and voting Obama.