Imaginary Conversations and Random Thoughts

Not many, really.

I wasn't careful when I dropped out of the Republican party. I checked Independent, which in my silly brain meant I wasn't with any party.

Then my sample ballot came, informing me that I'm registered with the American Independent party. So I could choose from three people I've never heard of. I was at a loss. I was at a crossroads. I asked myself, what would Jesus do?

In that moment of silent contemplation, the answer came to me. Write-in.

You're looking at one Californian who voted for Megatron.

But I'm not the first to vote for a Transformer in this election year. My election worker source tipped me off that a couple of days ago, at least one ballot came through with a write-in for Optimus Prime. Screw him. I really had no other choice.

And then there's Obama, briefly. I haven't been to any Democratic rallies. I haven't watched any Democratic debates or speeches. Tonight I saw my first one. It was Obama, I guess in Chicago, at the end of the day. What struck me was the audience. They were actually chanting U-S-A! U-S-A! U-S-A! I fully admit that this may be evidence of my own closed-mindedness, but I honestly didn't think this was the sort of thing you hear at Democratic speeches or rallies.

I always thought the U-S-A! chant was the sort of thing you heard when Hulk Hogan took on Nikolai Volkoff, kind of a red state thing to do. Again, this may just be my own ignorance, and maybe it happens all the time and I just miss it, but I never really got the feeling that Democrats were all that excited about America. Excited about winning elections, yes. Excited about hating Bush, yes.

I may very well be missing critical context in the short bit of his speech that I saw, but if Obama's got his supporters chanting U-S-A! U-S-A! U-S-A! he can't be all bad.

For full disclosure, I haven't seen any Republican events, rallies, or debates either, and I don't really know if their crowds chant U-S-A! or not. I would not want to have to defend the notion that McCain or Romney aren't just all about winning elections, without a higher ideal or purpose. Maybe Obama really is a different sort of candidate. Why can't our side get someone like that? Someone I could vote for and feel happy about it.

I mean genuinely happy. If I were to end up voting for McCain in November, or any of the other Republicans, it would be a vote for what I felt was best for the country, not a vote for someone who inspires me or shows a charisma that allows for true leadership. If I thought Obama's ideas were best for the country, I would vote for him, and I would feel like I was part of something greater, something more than just doing my civic duty by voting.

When was the last time you voted for someone that made you feel that way? Who was it? Why are these sorts of candidates the exceptions to the rule nowadays? Is it just me?