Where did I go wrong?

I sense that I owe you an apology. I feel like I've been talking about Rather/CBS exploits since the beginning of time. While I still see the importance of shining the light on the biased, unethical, elitist faction the media has become; one can only handle so much(including me). All that being said, we've got a Presidential election going on here, people!

I guess the big question is for whom to cast one's vote. Well, there are only two viable candidates, and by viable I mean "has a chance to win the election." There are no perfect candidates. Do I wish Bush would stick to his conservative guns on issues like the NEA, smaller government, and states rights? Of course. I may secretly long for New Zealand. But that seems "pie in the sky." I try to remind myself that nothing happens in a vacuum. Also, I carry around in my head something that I have been told since my first government/history class in middle school. That one of the main tenets of politics is compromise. I hate compromise. If I have a belief I assume that I'm right and there's really no need to consider other possibilities...ergo if small government is better we should have a smaller government. Why compromise? Something tells me the President doesn't exactly get to think the same way.

Many are worried about the war, why we're there, and when we'll get out. I'm not one of those. We are there because we believed that Saddam and Sons had become too chummy with terrorists (true), had WMD's (true, though expected more), had the capability begin production of weapons when we stopped watching (true) and had refused to cooperate with U.N. sanctions. Honestly, the latter gives more credence to the first three. Why else would inspectors not be allowed to enter? Saddam's principled stand for the sovereignty of nation-states? Where was this principle in '91? As for getting out? Well, we have a duty and a responsibility to, as my mom used to say,"leave things better than we found them." If we walk out on the Iraqis a second time they will never forgive us...and I don't know that I could blame them.

Now, as far as the other guy goes, that's all he is...the other guy. For you ABBer's out there, have fun. This guy stands for nothing. Or at least, the things he does stand for are so shockingly liberal that even he recognizes that he can't mention them. I read today that the newest Swift Boat ads will focus on his meeting with North Vietnamese leaders during the war. The thought that such an event would be "unprecedented" for a future commander in chief does not instill in me a confidence in his Foreign policy potential. I think arguing over if it was secret or not might be "burying the lead." I trust nothing about this guy...ok, except that he will say whatever to get a vote.

I guess I must amend my earlier statement. There is only one viable candidate in this election.

(BTW, there's nothing like writing something twice. It always seems so inferior to the first draft.)