Election Day

This will be the second presidential election I'm not able to vote.

The last one, I didn't have registration done and was in the middle of Abbey litigation, and this one, I moved to D.C. and didn't get registration switched in time and have been consumed with trying to finish TTSOMLs, work, and get my son back (which, by the way, no one is helping me with and it's been close to a month and a half since the Judge ordered services, and after all of my attempts, I've heard back from no one. Not once has anyone called me to let me know how things are moving along.)

I guess it dashes any prospects of my running for a political office. "Hmm...well, what's her voting record? Oh! I guess she...doesn't have one."

I would vote for Obama. It would be the first time I would vote Democratic. I put in my two cents in the beginning, when he and Hillary were running against eachother. I felt he needed my support more then. I think he's going to be fine now, and I'm not worried, although I do wish I could vote.

I'm also proud of McCain and his independence. He doesn't get enough credit for being a drastic difference in his own party, and he's gone against the flow even more than Obama has (within HIS own respective committee). However, I just can't go along with Republican policies this time around. It's really the party itself that does it for me.

I think all parties should be sort of revamped.

The thing is, is one man going to change the whole country? A president has some limited powers: powers to pardon, powers to elect federal judges...A few things here and there. But they are essentially a symbol. One man in office is not going to change the structure of the justice system, or the people in intelligence, law enforcement, social services, and in other places. If it's an extraordinary leader, perhaps he can motivate these groups to change or want to change, and inspire them, but really, unless these other groups are willing to change and come up with better ideas for government, policies, and fixing the system, it's just going to be another face, albeit a fresh one, in office.

No president is responsible for economic calamity and war and prosperity and everything all at once. There are far too many factors to lay the blame or credit, upon just one man.

It would be good for a lot of people in America, though, to have something to hope for, especially those who have seen the worst of it. If that hope is turned to something both personal and national, faith of finding a "better country", maybe people will be motivated to get involved in turning things around. It will be more important to be involved after the election, but the changing of the garter or whatever you call it, may be the spark some people need to feel they can also make a difference.