Undecided Voter
by Susan
If my dad were alive he would vote for John McCain. If my grandchildren were old enough to vote they would vote for Barack Obama. I'm an undecided voter and as a senior citizen it puzzles me to be undecided at this time in my life. I usually make up my mind early. Somehow, this seems like a very important election to me......more so than all the other presidential elections I've voted in over the years.
Maybe my indecision has to do with increased depression.......I'm not sure. I do know that I feel a certain amount of anxiety associated with this election. This has been one of the most interesting races to date and I've probably spent too much time sitting around watching television and the Internet in an effort to learn as much as possible about the candidates and the issues.
I feel a bit of anger when some of my loved ones tell me who they are voting for and they haven't listened to the speeches of all the candidates. They obviously base their decision on something else.....but what? Have they done some other kind of homework so they are informed? Maybe I'm taking my one vote too seriously.
I found an interesting article about undecided voters at WebMD and learned that I may not be undecided at all. I just don't know it yet.
Posted by ozzieblackcat at 9/5/2008 9:42 PM 
Categories: ozzieblackcat, depression, Women, senior citizens, His and Hers, Anxiety
Categories: ozzieblackcat, depression, Women, senior citizens, His and Hers, Anxiety
If I was American, I'd be really scared. And I am scared even if I'm not. Actually I'm even more scared!
Alex
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Hi and thanks for your comment. Wish you would tell us why you would be scared and which candidate scares you the most. Susan
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Hi Susan! This is the first election that I have ever been passionate about also. And please don't think that you are taking this too seriously, because your one vote is the most important! I too have been stressed and at times sick over this election and where this country is headed. So, I only hope that my story helps you see how I got to where I am.
I have given my time and money to the Obama campaign since the primaries. I live in Indiana and have seen such excitement take over our very Republican state. When I first heard his name, I was scared. But I started to really pay attention and do my research and here's where I stand and why. There are a few very important issues for me. The first are my grandparents. They have worked every day of their lives, and are currently working full time jobs because they can't afford to retire. Well, this year they had to take out a mortgage on a home that they had paid off because they owed our wonderful gov't $5K in taxes. I cannot stand to see them in that kind of financial shape and Obama stands for change that will give them relief.
Of course another issue is my own financial situation, and as a middle-class woman, he stand for tax relief for my family.
And of course, our troops and their families and the future of this country are one of the most stressful things that I think about during this election process. They are thrown into harms way, with no say on where they are going or whether it is a good decision to be there. Our country has become completely alienated from any allies that we once had, and we are no longer a voice of respect or strength in foreign affairs. And McCain just promises to continue the cowboy politics of Bush. We have an opportunity to show other countries that we are not the elitist cowboys that we have been portrayed to be over the last 8 years.
Also, I watched the Republicans get on national TV at their convention and tell blatant lies about what Obama plans to do w/ taxes and such, and that alone tells me that they will say and do whatever it takes to win this election. They don't care about truth and dignity, it's all about winning! It makes me sick and depressed to see the polls today and the impact that their lies have had. And they are proved lies.
Also, just so you know, I am not a die hard Democrat. I am voting for my Republican Governors 2nd term this year. I live in Indiana. It's not about party affiliation for me, it's about what my heart and gut tell me to do. Given that Obama loves his family as much as I love mine, I trust that he will not put his wife and children in harms way anymore. I feel that in my gut, he only wants what is right. Sorry for the book, but again I am very passionate about this, and it also wears on me heavy every day. I hope that you find some peace with this election, and no matter who you vote for, please vote. It's the most important thing you might do this year. Peace to you Susan!
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Thanks so much for your comment. It was good to read about your enthusiasm for one of the candidates. I think we've had much better candidates in years past and that's partly what makes this such a difficult decision this election year.
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I was really undecided too...it's confusing...both candidates seemed to be saying pretty much the same things overall... When Obama talks he makes me feel inspired, hopeful, and I haven't felt that way for a while so I'd love to have a President that made me feel that way...but then again McCain is a war hero with a lot of experience, so that means a lot too. And they both seem really smart and I don't doubt they both love this country. But for me what it all ultimately comes down to is that my life financially has gotten worse and worse for the past five or six years and now I can hardly breathe or sleep at night worrying how to make ends meet. The more I've read, especially Alan Greenspan saying that McCain's economic plan won't work, and this really convincing piece by a former Federal Reserve vice present, for the NYTimes (which I don't usually read because I'm not from NY):
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/31/business/31view.html?em
...that makes it all really clear how much better Obama's economic plan is, particularly for the poor (but actually it doesn't harm the wealthy either) I have pretty much made up my mind.
Unless of course the debates have something really major to sway me the other way. But really I think getting the dems in the White House (and maybe getting rid of a lot of the bad dem and rep congress too!) is the only way to pull America out of this tailspin we're in.
Oh well. I hope no matter who wins it will all work out. This is a great country, and so very young still.
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Btw, I found your blog because my ex-husband (who I'm still friends with) has been struggling with terrible depression and I want to understand better what he's going through. I hope you are well.
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Thanks so much for your comment. I've been watching and reading as much as I can so that I can make a good informed decision come November. I'm so glad to know many others are doing the same. I think this election is one of the most important ones we've had for many years.
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I'm very glad you found this blog and I hope it will help you to understand. Thanks so much for your comment.
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It pains me to see persons vote without researching the issues and canidates. It seems most are influenced by who they would like to sit down and have a beer with. If you're really interested in understanding why our economy is where it is, don't look at the current administration. Take a look at this link.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5tZc8oH--o
I don't think we have two good canidates i think one is standing above the other. He not only predicted the economy crisis in 2005, he also called Putin for what he is (and in both cases the public didn't listen).
May wisdom go with you on November 4, 2008.
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Thank you for your comment. Susan
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Hi, Susan. I was undecided too, for a long time. After voting for Hillary, I was pretty angry with Obama-- I was mad at the media for pushing Obama on us, and angry with Obama for winning when he hadn't paid his dues. He also seemed "arrogant" to me-- didn't really like his speeches-- wanted to hear more content, more brass tacks, if you will. On the plus side, I liked that he opposed the war. On the other hand, John McCain has always seemed like one of the "good guys" in the GOP. And I was intrigued by his choice of Sarah Palin. I also resented the assumption in the media that her resume was too "thin", felt kind of defensive for her.
But, I finally made up my mind, after weeks and weeks of reading. It began with the realization that we are spending $720 million a day or $500,000 a minute in Iraq, according to the analysis of Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph E. Stiglitz and Harvard public finance lecturer Linda J. Bilmes. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/21/AR2007092102074.html Our country can not afford this cost. The U.S. economy is going to hell in a hand-basket, and it's time for us to swallow our pride, admit that we were wrong to go in, and exit as quickly and as safely as possible. This is not a time for pride. There is no such thing as "victory" in a war like this one.
Secondly, I learned that John McCain is not the "straight shooter" that I thought he was: My son sent me a video made in 2000 of a Republican Senator and a Republican Congressman describing how John McCain fought hard to keep all the POW/MIA records classified. He also single-handedly blocked legislation that would have forced the US Gov't to tell the truth about the POW records. After reading more on the subject, I came to the conclusino that John McCain is very secretive. That he was not really the "hero" that he paints himself out to be. According to Republican Congressman Bob Dornan, McCain made tapes for the communists stating that the U.S. military targeted hospitals, schools, orphanages, and churches/temples when we went on bombing missions in Vietnam. Congressman Dornan said: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFM1xqqTX_g
If John McCain is going to call himself a hero, but won't allow us to examine his POW records, then I say "no thanks". These are the kinds of secrets that deeply concern me. After 8 years of secrets from Bush-Cheney, it's time for us to have a more honest administration. Obama may not be my favorite candidate, but I sincerely believe that he is the "lesser evil".
Karen D.
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Thank you for your comment. I sure appreciate you taking the time to write. Susan
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You're welcome, Susan. And thanks to you for the link to the WebMD site. That was pretty interesting! Do you think you might be more decided than you realized?
After last night, I found another compelling article and a clip that backed it up. I keep hearing McCain and
his surrogates say that Obama wants to tax families that make $42,000. McCain even said it in the debate on Friday! That really scared me, so I did some more reading. Turns out that is a total lie! I found an article from the Tax Policy Center, a group of independent tax analysts: http://www.taxpolicycenter.org/numbers/displayatab.cfm?Docid=1968&DocTypeID=2
According to Tax Policy Center, Obama's plan gives the biggest cuts to those who make the least (95% of families with kids and 81.3% of Americans), while McCain would give the largest cuts to the very wealthy." http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2008/06/09/ST2008060900950.html
I found this clip from Fox News-- even they called McCain out for lying about Obama's plan! "Virtually every independent analyst has said that it's not true... if it's false, why would John McCain do that, Tucker?... why say he's going to raise taxes on the middle class when he's not?!" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OviYjJWIYbY
I read the rest of the Tax Policy Center's article. Pretty wild-- they say that neither candidate will clean up the debt we have-- but it's John McCain's budget that is the worst!! His plan will add $5 trillion to the deficit, while Obama's plan would add $3 trillion! Why isn't the media talking about this??
Again, Obama is not my favorite person in the world, but in this race, he appears to be the lesser evil.
Karen
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There are a number of conversations being had these days about the candidates; however one that seems to be missing is the simple yet profound one regarding their basic leadership abilities. I and more than 30 of my co-authors from Berrett-Koehler Publishers are experts in the fields of leadership and change. We have identified key attributes of effective leadership that we have witnessed and fostered in the real world. Barack Obama clearly exhibits these characteristics. These leadership aspects are based on measurable performance and success of our respective clients for decades. To read more about the key characteristics of leadership we've identified go to www.authors4obama.com
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May be this time every American might get confuse for vote, ever worlds other countries also taking much interest than other times this time very curious to what happen same situation here. Lets c wat happens.
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Thanks a lot for your comment. It won't be long before we know what happened. Susan
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This is what mattters to me in this or any other election and I hope you will consider it too...
"You cannot bring prosperity by discouraging thrift.
You cannot help small men by tearing down big men.
You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.
You cannot lift the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer.
You cannot help the poor man by destroying the rich.
You cannot keep out of trouble by spending more than your income.
You cannot further brotherhood of men by inciting class hatred.
You cannot establish security on borrowed money.
You cannot build character and courage by taking away man's initiative and independence.
You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves."
- Rev. William J. H. Boetcker
Thank you. Jannie
Sorry for your depression. I hear it really sucks.
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Thanks so much for your comment. Susan
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I've met the (other) Undecided Voter and she is here: http://tinyurl.com/undec.
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Thanks for leaving a comment and your blog address. I visited and enjoyed reading about the undecided voter you met. Susan
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"Again, Obama is not my favorite person in the world, but in this race, he appears to be the lesser evil". Karen, does Senator Obama's associations not concern you? Most of us have made some poor choices in our lives, but Obama displays an habitual tendency to associate with RADICAL people. Please give this some more consideration before voting.
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Thanks so much for your comment. We really appreciate it.
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campaigns on all sides are always gonna suffer from "selective disclosure". because of how our govt works and special interest influences, nothing is going to radically change, no matter what proposals a prez candidate lays out. congress and its lobbyists write the laws. i guess i just want someone competent who will pay attention to the constitution. i was undecided until i saw this
http://www.mccainfrisbee.com/
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Thanks a lot for your comment. We really appreciate it. Susan and David
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