No Party for Me

Since the election is just one week away, I figured I should get in my last politico-minded post before I shift gears to making fun of the new president (Obama by a killing, I predict. I also predict that when McCain sees that he has lost Pennsylvania and Ohio, whatever is growing inside his left cheek will finally break out like in that scene from Alien.)

OK, so here is really why I am writing this post. I know who I am voting for, but it is not who I want to vote for. The truth is, I don't have anyone I really want to vote for. A good buddy of mine is going to write in Mickey Mouse. I sometimes feel the same way. In this election, I feel like I am choosing between two people I dislike, and going with the one I dislike least. How is that an ideal society?

I admit, that the person I dislike most is a whole lot more disliked than the lesser dislikee. In other words, it is not a close race in my mind. However, it is still a sad commentary on the state of affairs in American politics that the system as it exists today, forces me to pick between the lesser of two evils. (see some of my previous political rants)

Thinking about this has lead me to try to define exactly what my politics are, since I am clearly not a Republican, and neither can I identify with the Democrats. I have friends who are Libertarians, and I think they are nut-jobs. So what am I, exactly?

I have decided to label myself as a Bleeding-Heart-Moderate-Conservative. BHMC, if you will. Sounds like a carcinogen, or a preservative, or likely both. Here is what being a BHMC means: I am a proponent of governmental assistance against poverty, but also against high corporate taxation. I am green but I feel greenness is best accomplished by private companies being able to develop competing technologies without government assistance. I am anti-abortion, but I don't believe it is correct to legislate morality. On that same note, I am for the traditional definition of family, but I don't think the government should tell two consenting adults what kind of relationships they can and cannot have. I support the death penalty for criminals who have no chance of parole. I am pro gun ownership, but would like to see tighter regulation. I am tired of America being the world police, but I am in favor of us stepping up our humanitarian aid to other countries. I think it should be illegal for politicians to accept money from anyone, period. They should all be paid out of a central pot and be answerable to their constituents only. If anyone wants to make a donation to a politician, they have to donate to the central fund.

Essentially, I don't have a political party. I am too much in the middle. I don't even agree with the Independent party enough to join. So I will have to decide on the lesser of two evils on Nov 4th. It makes me sad. I can just hope that my less-repugnant choice turns out to be only half as lame as our president from the last 8 years.