With the US elections less than a week away I was wondering how different people decide who to vote for. I'm not necessarily interested in who, and don't want to start any political arguements, but more interested in the why that makes you vote the way you do.

For me I try to vote for the person I believe most qualified to do the required duties of the office, be it school board, mayor, Senator, or President. I don't vote based on party, conservative or liberal, or even on a specific issue position that I feel strongly about. I look at it almost like I am choosing a Doctor. I want someone I believe is able to make the right diagnosis, and perscribe the appropriate treatment, and has the integrity to change medications if needed. Someone who will tell me what I need to know, not what I want to hear.

I would much rather vote for someone than against someone.

Well.. usually, whenever I have to vote I look at what each candidate has done for the military. That's my biggest deciding factor. There are others, but the biggest is "How has ______ (Insert name here) helped the military?" It's a touchy subject... I know about ten guys that are holding off on their reenlistment, because they wanna see who wins. I also heard there are about 5000+ soldiers, airmen, marines and sailors that are doing the same. In the big picture, that's not alot... but it's enough to get the brass to say WTF?

~Ranger

So which way are those 'waiters' leaning? Just out of curiosity.

For the sake of curiosity, I don't really have a problem noting that the 'waiters' are almost all leaning towards Bush. In all services. Granted, there are those who are facing the other direction, but the majority is what you wanted, I think.

I'm hoping that doesn't start any sort of debate over who is better because I'm sure everyone who is going to make a decision about who they want for president has already done so. Heck, I voted last month.

~Ang

Like Ang said... All he guys that are waiting, said they're waiting because there is "No way in hell they will serve a President Kerry."

Me, I'll serve whatever President gets elected or re-elected. I serve the office, not the man.

~Ranger

I'll vote for the anyone who will be there for our military.



I'll back anyone who defends me, mine and ours.



If you are willing to die for our country then I shall do whatever I can to support you and yours.



I am willing to die for our country, it's believes and its freedoms.



The same believes and freedoms which so many of it's citizens take for granted.



All I ask is that my body be buried on its soil.



Leave no man behind.



Chance.



God bless you Ranger.

I'll stay away from politics south of the border for fear of being ostricized. The Canadian electoral system is quite different from the American one, so we don't actually vote for our Prime Minister (PM) -- we vote for a member of parliament (MP) in our riding, and those votes get tallied up for the PM. At present we have a minority goverment, meaning that the current party got more votes than the other two, but that they did not get the majority. It makes for some tricky politics.

When it comes time to vote, I vote for the MP, not the PM with whom he or she is associated. I live in a left-leaning riding and I'm a left-leaning person, so I safely vote for Libby Davies, who has represented us very well for three terms now. She holds one of the few New Democratic Party (NDP) seats that currently make up our government, and I will continue to vote for her until she retires. Makes my life easy!

dp

No matter what your leaning or who you vote for this coming Tuesday, you will see a mess of unfathomable proportions. This election is so close and the two sides are very angry and passionate about who wins, which has a lot to do with what happened in 2000. Thousands of lawyers on both sides are flooding into swing states to contest hundreds of thousands of ballots, delaying the outcome for possibly months. The Electoral College (which is a stupid and outdated institution in its own right) could actually result in a tie, moving it to the courts again, with one Supreme Justice possibly dying while it all takes place. Fasten your seat belts is all I can say...



Sigh. It's sad that any president would let the country become so divided after we were so united after Sept. 11th. I had the pleasure of meeting Ronald Reagan and spending extended periods of time at his offices in Century City. He'd be appalled by the levels to which this race has sunk and how the country has been allowed to rupture so badly, philisophically.



In reality, BOTH candidates suck, so we're all being forced to pick our poison and watch as our democracy continues to degenerate.







Here's to you, President Reagan, from a Liberal who came to know, respect, and admire you greatly...

I served under Reagan in the Army. Good man, Good Commamder in chief, Sorry he went out the way he did.

I would have loved to serve in the Reagan Army.. instead, I got to serve in Clintons Army.

As far as I'm concerned, Reagan was the best President we had in my lifetime (30 years)

I have a lot of respect for the man, when I was in grade school, we had to write a politicl figure for project, I wrote Reagan and everyone else wrote congressmen. They all got back form letters, I got back an actual hand written letter from Reagan. Was kinda cool, I think my mom still has it around somewhere. Wasn't til later that I learned while he was in office he did a lot for Army Special Operations.

~Ranger

I don't really pay too much attention to politics because I am unable to vote. I'm one of those damn immigrants and as such can't vote here in Canada nor in my " home country". My darlin cowboy has the urge to get into politics and Has a whole bags of plans for when he gets into government. Makes me a little scared!

First Lady Tigz has a nice ring

Or since you are Canada would that make you "Sex Minister"?

Click Here for Michael Moore's final message before the big event tomorrow.



And before you all accuse me of being the left-leaning pinko commie that I am, you can Click Here for Rush Limbaugh's final statement as well.



No matter what the outcome tomorrow, this will certainly be one helluva ride...

Thanks, Freddy.

If I can give my 30 seconds...

On Sept 11, 2001, the rest of the world saw that we were human. Geography and a bad attitude had forced a wedge between the U.S. and the world for so long. But they offered their support and their true condolences for our loss. We were at last vulnerable. On this day we had an opportunity to rejoin the world. At this moment a global effort could have been pursued to fight the terrorist movement.

However, the current administration chose to alienate us from the world. They chose to drive that stake in ever further and lash out at the easiest and most convenient target they could think of (and not the right one at that). Now we are once again alone and engaged in a fruitless war. What�s more, this administration shows no remorse or accountability for its actions.

The U.S. is a young country by dynasty standards. Consider how long the Greek and Roman empires lasted before they went corrupt and failed. If this administration chooses to reinstitute Imperialism and go about taking over (I mean liberating) other countries at will, it will only be a matter of time before it meets its bitter end.

I am not proud to be an American right now. Make love, not war.

Sorry if this pisses people off. Freddy, you can delete it if you want; use your discernment.