Pops! for President

Let me start by saying that most of my life I have been a conservative Republican. I have voted for every Republican nominee since Jimmy Carter. I voted for good 'ol Jimmy. I got caught up in the peanut pickin' down home charm of good 'ol Jimmy. Maybe it was the Carter administration that turned me into a Republican because prior to that time I was opposed to the war in Vietnam, opposed to the politics of the racist south and a BIG fan of John Kennedy and Robert Kennedy. In my mind, at the time, Robert Kennedy would have become one of our greatest Presidents. As a young adult, I became "taken" by the JFK assassination. I actually read the Warren Commission on his death. I still believe that there are many unanswered questions about his death. But I digress...

This year I am not voting in this Presidential election and let me count the reasons why.

1. In an economy that is fraught with homelessness, poverty and diminishing retirement accounts we are spending hundreds of millions of dollars in order to assume the post of the most powerful position in the world. Just think of the human despair that could be eased with this money. Campaign spending must be limited dramatically.

2. We have two political parties that cannot find ANY common ground. It is absurd to think that supposedly two "good" men in McCain and Obama cannot find ANY common ground. When both candidates villify the other on the campaign trail but during a light moment during the Alred E Smith dinner can find nice things to say about each other suggests to me the basic dishonesty of both parties and candidiates.

3. Special interests run our parties and our country. It matters not whether it is big oil or big trail lawyers lobbyist or any group in between, we are run by big money not big ideas.

4. Both candidates lie to us incessantly. Nightly, on the media outlets, we are told both candidates misrepresent the positions of the other.

5. John McCain supports continuing to pour billions of dollars into a war when our economy at home is on the verge of collapse.

6. Obama blames McCain and Bush for the near collapsing economy when it has been the leaders of the Democratic party that have failed to heed the warnings of many, including McCain, concerning the effect that sub-prime lending would have on our economy.

7. John McCain has admitted that he is weak on the economy.

8. Barack Obama is weaker on the economy. You cannot raise taxes on anyone during the current economic crisis. It will lead to less jobs, higher interest rates and ...

9. Abolishing secret voting during Union organizing(everyone knows how evryone votes) will lead to more unions which will be the death knell for many small businesses. I know, I run a small business, and we cannot afford what it would mean. The big companies than can would simply swallow us up. This is part of the Democratic initiative.

10. John McCain knows that we can't continue the war and it's economic costs AND pay all his new spending without raising taxes.

11. Obama's plan calls for one trillion dollars in new spending and even by ending the war in Iraq, it cannot be paid for other than by raising ALL our taxes. You may get a "payroll" tax decrease but don't think for a moment that "other" taxes won't be raised. He is a Democrat and that is what Democrats do.

12. What do we REALLY know about Obama? Not enough.

13. What do we REALLY know about McCain? Too much.

14. How can I vote for the candidate of either party when both parties (through big money) stop the voices of those in minor parties? They cannot even participate in the debates. I sure would like to have had Paul and Barr in those debates, they would have at least made the two major candidates face the REAL issues.

15. The candidates cannot agree on an energy policy. One wants more drilling and one wants more alternative energy sources and the one guy(not a politician) that has put his money where is mouth is says we have to do both. Maybe T Boone Pickens needs to be President.

This list could go on and on but the point is that we are all fooling ourselves if we think that either candidate is good or right for this country. Until our political system finds a way to stop the incessant media campaigning we will continue to be bought and paid for.

Here is my simple and maybe redneck solution. All media(paid advertising will be outlawed). Candidates can only campaign(speak to the public) through public forums. No more ad agencies doing slick media campaigns. No more 527's or whatever they are called. All candidates will answer questions from THE PEOPLE at public forums. These public forums will not be organized by the media but by local citizens groups, whether they are the PTA, Chamber of Commerce, or Civic Clubs. When we take the media out of the center and require the candidates to answer our questions and we have a chance of rebuttal then maybe we can finally elect a candidate that is of the people and for the people.

That is my platform. This has been approved by me. If elected I will gladly serve.