"And The Choices Become Fewer..."

Unless one has their permanent residence under an outcropping of rock, one knows that the much ballyhooed and equally anticipated Florida primary was conducted yesterday. I, my Judi and daughter Megan all performed our civic duty and voted our conscience....to the best of our abilities, given the limited choice of candidates that appeared on each of the party ballots.

Florida has a "closed primary." That is, if one is a registered Republican or Democrat, one cannot "cross over" and vote in the opposite party's primary. Independents are just out of luck and continue to be left out in the cold until the general election rolls around and they get to vote for whomever won their respective party's nomination. In other word (more so in this election cycle than perhaps ever before) the "left overs." I am a registered Democrat...representing three generations of like affiliation. However, let me make it perfectly clear that were the choice afforded me I would have without hesitation voted for "None Of The Above" on my Democratic ballot...so disgruntled and disgusted am I with the Democratic candidates that are vying for our nation's presidency. Nor am I overly enamored with the slate of candidates that the Republicans are currently embracing, none of whom being capable of doing anything remotely different than their Democratic counterparts or beneficial in advancing their own candidacy without sniping derogatively at their opposition. It's "politics as usual" and that translates into a mixture of trepidation and apathy among the electorate.

And now it's down to the front running four...with Rudy and Edwards withdrawing their Presidential aspirations today. The upcoming Super Tuesday will most likely narrow this field to the ultimate nominees for both parties. What I envision is not a clear cut candidate that rightfully deserves to take on the mantle of the most power man (woman) in the world, but the lesser of two evils. It is sad state of affairs when most of the electorate cast their votes not for a candidate of their liking, but as a protest vote against the other candidate. As far as choices go, this is among the worst reasons to make one's selection. But...it is, unfortunately, what it is.

If I were not concerned that he might shoot himself in the foot and the country in a target a little higher up on the anatomy, I would give Ron Paul serious consideration. I admire his determination to speak out on a wide range of issue that the mainstream politicians make a concerted and deliberate declaration to avoid. But I fear his unbridled enthusiasm for isolationistic conservatism fails to fully grasp the dangers of the real world in which those whom we would wish to leave us alone and let us live in peace have no desire and much zealot determination to do just the opposite.

It's a quandary...and "we the people" are left to try and make the best of it. Good luck.