32 years ago

Jan. 20, 1977 was the day that I started a journal and I addressed it to my unborn child. I told him about how a new President was taking over on that day and what it meant. Tonight I watched the movie "Swing Vote" about how one vote counted in a presidential race. Two weeks ago I had a conversation with someone who tried to insult me because I didn't vote for the person she thought I should have voted for in the election. All these facts bring me to these thoughts.

I began my voting career as a young girl in school. I wasn't old enough to vote but I had classes and teachers that showed me the importance of voting and especially knowing what each candidate stood for and voting for the person I felt could do the best job. As the years went by and I was old enough to vote, I slowly became discouraged. Too many of the candidates didn't please me, yet I had limited choices of what to do. Vote for the least worst candidate or not vote? What a horrible place to get to in life.

I still (and probably always will) feel that the media has ruined America and the world. Yes, I know there are many good things about the fact that the media is "watching" each candidate. I also know that they don't care about good, happy news. The fact that a person is a righteous individual who doesn't sleep around, lie or cheat is not exciting news worthy information and so that means that it doesn't make the news. Instead, they will dig until they find SOMETHING to smear a person. In today's media driven campaigns only the warts are news. { Heaven forbid the candidate is boring. Gonna have to dig for the dirt. } I've heard it said repeatedly that FDR would never have been elected in today's world. Yet, supposedly he was a great President. The media knew things about FDR, health and personal facts, that would have kept him from even being on the platform. The media didn't show that side of him. It would never happen today.

The fact is - I did not vote for Obama. I didn't even vote for McCain. I didn't like either one of them. I voted for the woman so therefore I had to bring ole McCain along with her. Two people on each ticket and of the four I only liked the VP of one ticket. SAD.

I also don't like President bashing. So many have criticized every sitting President for nearly every decision they have ever made. The person that was so hateful to me two weeks ago went on a tirade about Bush and how the *&^%$(*&^* guy was to blame for this and that and well, everything that has ever gone wrong. It's that way with every President. I remember Carter getting so much flack about the Iranian hostage mess and just after the next President took office they were released. Gee, I wonder which administration did all the work on that deal? But who gets credit for a job well done? Yep, the new President. (That's OK, everyone turned on him too.) So, is Bush responsible for the war(s)? Wow, that's a lot of power for one man. I'm sure those folks who work in the background researching every tiny bit of information couldn't have possibly turned that information over to the folks that work for - oh, say - the President?? I do not want the job and I figure that there is a whole bunch of people working for the President and keeping him informed so the correct decision can be made. I was not in the room when ANY of those decisions were made and I don't have the information Bush did. I am not going to second guess all those folks who spend a lot of time and effort to KNOW what is going on in the world.

So - I didn't vote for Obama. Does that mean that I don't support him as the President of our nation? Of course not! He is our elected President and I will support him and all those folks in the background that do their jobs to keep the President informed. I wonder how long it will take before the media decides to slant the decisions he makes into the mud and dirt?

SO - I will continue to vote. Even when I don't want to vote. I will also remember that I live in a country that allows me to have an opinion, express that opinion and not say hurtful things to others who don't agree with me. Oh yeah, and not force me to agree with silly narrow-minded people. So there!