I've been a registered voter since the '96 presidential election, but I generally skip the "in between" elections. I haven't voted in a primary and that is why I'm all concernicus about the upcoming primary election season. I consider myself smarter than many when it comes to politics, but, I KNOW that I don't know shit about a lot of shit. My voting record is generally independent, but I've been known to vote for the "breath of fresh air" candidate for president (Perot, Nader, maybe Paul). I know very little about the candidates when I go into the voting booth, and that sucks. I know not of Huckabee, Obama, Clinton or others...only of the meager news and word of mouth that I get from varying sources. Ron Paul is the only candidate that I voluntarily researched regarding his platform on all issues. He's a breath of fresh air and his opinions generally match mine.
But, the highly problematic part is my apathy in the present and past is matched by many. I'm in no mood to discuss all of the problems with campaign finance, corruption or PACs. I don't know enough about them in the first place. I DO know that far too many people get their candidate info from biased sources, or not at all. Too many people vote by party lines, their wallet, their medicare, their gay son, what foxNews tells them, what the overly dramatic commericals tell them or god-forbid the poster boy for 9/11. (Bush/Guiliani) I vow to be more educated this time around, but can I say that for the rest of the population? I wish. And I find that highly problematic.
Vote!...but only if you know what you're voting for.
