Who Am I?

Well, it looks as if Hillary Clinton has finally bowed to the inevitable and conceded the Democratic nomination to Barack Obama. This allows the Democratic party to stop bickering internally and begin bickering at the Republicans, led by John McCain, the presumptive nominee of the GOP.

Yippee.

I hope I didn't embarrass you with that unseemly display of raucous celebratory glee.

If you've been reading my moaning for the last year or so, you know that I am about as disgruntled a voter as can be imagined. Neither of the major parties and none of the minor ones speak for me, none of the candidates are qualified to be president, and I'm looking forward to an election season marked by shouted oversimplifications and a lack of policy specifics. It's sad, but it's the modern American way.

I don't know what to call myself any more. I consider myself an Independent because there are some elements of both the Republican and Democratic philosophies that appeal to me, and very many that don't.

I could be a Republican because I'm a fiscally conservative retired military officer who believes in a strong defense, I'm almost 60, and I believe taxes should be held to the minimum necessary to perform essential functions that "provide for the common defense (and) promote the general welfare." I couldn't be a Republican because the party panders far too much to the single-issue partisans of the Religious Right and the NRA, and is far too deeply in the pockets of Big Business.

I could be a Democrat because I'm a socially liberal individual who believes the government has certain responsibilities to its citizens, that paying taxes is a civic responsibility, that government policies must balance the good of business and the welfare of the citizens, and that prosperity is not inconsistent with protection of the environment. I couldn't be a Democrat because the party takes too many positions on too many issues which are overly simplistic if not downright silly. And who needs a bunch of dumbasses like moveon.org?

I'm not whiny and simplistic enough to be a Democrat, and not arrogant and self-righteous enough to be a Republican.

So who do I vote for?

Barack Obama may be a fine man, but he is utterly unprepared to be president at this point in his life. This has nothing to do with his race; in fact, his race and the possibility of bringing black and white citizens closer together, is about the only thing I believe he has going for him.

John McCain is a true American hero, but he's too closely tied to the failed political and economic policies of George Bush. I admire him, but I can see what eight years of Republican administration has done to the country, and don't think the country can stand four or eight more years of the same.

Bob Barr, the Libertarian Party candidate, isn't even worth mentioning.

I hope you have more luck than I do reconciling your personal beliefs with the available political parties and candidates and the reality of the modern world.

I think I'll move to Australia. Maybe Amanda has a spare room in Brisbane.

Have a good day. More thoughts tomorrow.

Bilbo