Official Presidential Endorsement

Ladies and Gentlemen,
Taking my lead from newspaper editorial boards across our great land, the time has come for my official presidential endorsement. While I do not wish to tell my fellow Americans how to vote, I do wish to express my opinion on the candidates and reveal who I'm going to vote for.

First I need to look at the candidates and what they stand for. It's hard sifting through the lies and propaganda unleashed by both party machines. Amazingly there have been no "swift boat" like ads like the ones that help sink John Kerry's presidential bid.

So one has to look at public record, stated opinions by the candidates, consider debate answers and sometimes go with a gut feel or instinct on who the better candidate is.

First the falsehoods out there. John McCain and his operatives contend that Barrack Obama will raise taxes on the middle class. Simply that is not true. Obama is on record saying he will reduce taxes for the middle class. McCain also charges that Obama will lead us to socialism and socialize health care. I see nothing on Obama's platform that looks to make us a social European-style democracy. Besides, if it were done, he and the Congressmen that did it would likely get voted out of office at the next election cycle. Obama has stated nothing to the fact that he will socialize health care. He's stated that he will help make it affordable for uninsured Americans. McCain also likes to style himself as a Washington maverick. Voting nearly 90% of the time along party lines isn't a maverick. Joe Lieberman, as much as I don't care for his politics, is more of a maverick than McCain.

Further, I look at McCain's VP candidate AND factor in his age. While not trying to be morbid, age is definitely a consideration I have to look at. Were McCain not able to finish out his term would I feel comfortable with Sarah Palin? And the answer to that is not "no" but a resounding "Hell NO!" Palin is scary. Her lack of understanding of issues or failure to educate herself about them is unfathomable. Her interviews with Katie Couric were appalling. Merely stating party mantras and showing no knowledge of issues is not my idea of a candidate for VP who would be a heart beat away from the presidency.

So then I have to look at Barrack Obama. What do I know about Obama? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. All I know are the propaganda that the Republican machine has put out. The Democrats have failed to effectively get Obama's message to the people out. They haven't directly challenged McCain's falsehoods nor have they countered with any specifics of the lies. The strategy they take is to pin McCain to President George Bush's failed policies. While it's a good plan, I need more substance than just saying McCain is four more years of Bush. I want to know what will be done differently. Change is a pretty message but it doesn't mean changing is
any better than what we currently have. Obama is getting by on his speaking skills and charisma. I view Obama as a smooth talking wind bag. All talk, no substance.

So it makes me think what do I want in a candidate? The first thing I think of is the government's duty to protect the citizens. Next I think about protecting the civil liberties of the citizens. I also think about how huge the federal deficit is. Taking in all the social and political ideas that are dear to me, what is my ideal candidate? I'd like a government that doesn't try to legislate morals, allow maximum freedom of choice in personal issues, the rolling back of some of the nanny state laws, a reduction in the size of government and in the deficit.

I don't see either party fitting the bill. Republicans want to tell me to believe in God, the family is a the foundation of America and that I'm not smart enough to make some personal choices. Democrats also think I'm not smart enough to make some personal choices, want me to pay for the mistakes of others and in some cases just flat out pay for others.

So in my search and debate for how I want to vote for, I'm turning to a third party. I full heartedly endorse Libertarian Bob Barr for president. I agree with many of the planks of the Libertarian Party platform. I believe a smaller government is necessary, an individual's rights are paramount as long as they cause harm to no one or infringe on another's freedoms, abortion is a personal choice, what consenting adults and what lifestyle they chose is also a personal choice, the right to self defense and bear arms and many other party beliefs.

While I support many of the party beliefs, there are some that I don't believe. The Party calls for the elimination of the IRS and federal taxes, the legalization of all drugs and the end of U.S. support for the U.N. and economic aid to other countries. While I believe taxes can be reduced, the IRS and taxes are necessary for government to function and to pay down the insane national debt. The legalization of recreational drugs is not a solution to the current drug problem. Finally, U.S. support is sometimes needed in order to prevent some nations from falling to those who wish to harm the United States and our citizens.

While I don't believe Bob Barr is the best candidate that the Libertarian Party can put forward, I do believe that the Libertarian Party is the closest to my personal and political beliefs. Further I cannot in good conscience vote for either Barrack Obama or John McCain. So when I go into the voting booth this election, I will be voting for the Libertarian Party ticket.