CNN.com - It's voting day in seven states

It's primary day here in the Palmetto State. We've tended to skew republican and conservative in recent years, but it looks like we've been targeted as a "must-win" as the first state in the south to cast votes. I've also tended to skew republican and conservative, with one twist - I hate politics, and I hate voting.

I've put this off long enough. It's an election year, and I've kept my blogging tongue quiet (for the most part) on my own views and opinions concerning the political climate of the day. But here it is for anyone interested - both of you. I hate to vote.

Here's my underlying predicament: if you're running, that fact in and of itself probably reveals an underlying defect in your character that shows you shouldn't hold the office.

In the early 90s, there was a heated US Senate race here in SC. That's where I "fell off" the campaign wagon. Both sides had nothing good to say about what they wanted, only that the other guy was a crook and shyster and couldn't be truested. HINT TO CANDIDATES: You'll win my vote by showing my why I should vote for YOU, not by pointing out the faults of your opponent/s. I'm not going to vote for you because you're not the other guy - I'll vote for you because your values most closely reflect my own thoughts and leanings. As much as I can help it, I refuse to vote for the lesser of two evils. I didn't vote for either candidate in that particular race. I've since voted in elections, but most of the time I still leave some sections blank - I won't vote for someone I don't know, and name recognition is not enough to get my mark.

Another defininf moment in my anti-voting persuasion was the '92 Presidential Election. Most of my friends and cohorts voted to re-elect George Bush, Sr. - but I had a few friends who felt strongly, christianly that Bill Clinton would do a better job. I lost friends over that one - they had been so torched by our group taking potshots at them, arguing and debating every little thing, that they left and never really came back. I've since come to understand that there will be Christians on both sides, following their hearts as best they can. I don't mind the debate, but if we can't be friends afterwards, I'd rather skip the discussion and be an encouragement to you. I trust God that He will lead me, and lead others, on who we should mark on the ballots.

So what do I look forward to most from today's Primary in SC? Finally - the political ads will stop airing every ten minutes. Finally, Edwards will stop demonozing the rich while playing up his own "humble beginnings". Finally, Clark will stop claiming to *not* be a politician (see above, "the fact you're running..."). Finally, there will be some news other than the halftime "show" - and hopefully by tomorrow they'll both be in the tank and we'll be able to move forward.

Finally. Until the Conventions later on this summer. Dang.
- posted by Rick @ 12:27