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Friday, October 31, 2008
Happy Halloween. To me the Holiday Season starts with Halloween. I tell you
Halloween is becoming a gigantic holiday celebration. It seems like everyone,
people of all demographics including age, go all out of their way to celebrate
Halloween. I don't think it's the meaning of Halloween that people get excited
about. After all Halloween really is kind stupid and scary. I don't think it's
the freight factor. I think it provides another opportunity for people to step
outside their daily routines and do things differently. It's an excuse to be
happy, giddy and celebratory. In these trying times I think that this is
probably good for everyone. We need time to unwind, to feel young, and to
celebrate. The reason: Just Because We Can.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Five more days...of course I mean 5 more days until the most important
presidential election of our time. Maybe it's the most important election of
our lifetime. I can not stress the importance and significance of the 2008
presidential election. Whether you favor Obama/Biden or McCain/Palin, this is
an historic election. This election has the potential to reshape the political
landscape in the 21st century. Did
you watch the Obama infomercial last night? I sure did. I was so impress. It
was major. It made the Obama sale for me. I will definitely vote for Obama/Biden
on Tuesday. It was inspiring. It was one of the most optimistic presentation
by any candidate in this campaign. We do have a choice in this election. The
choice is truly between Change and Status Quo. Obama is the candidate of
change. He has a message of optimism and support for the poor and middle class
as well as the wealthy. McCain represents four more years of the same old
Republican approach to government. McCain will support the wealthiest of the
wealthy and tolerate the rest of us . Let's face it. Most of us will never be
a part of that wealthiest of the wealthy Americans. We are the middle class.
We will spend our lifetime in the middle class. But that is not bad. All
Americans must strive for the best that life has to offer. That best does not
always mean financial wealth. Yes, financial wealth is a great motivator, but
so is personal satisfaction and a respect for all people. We must continually
strive for the best in life. Many of us are living that lofty goal. Many of us
have achieved a successful, rewarding and motivated life irrespective of our
financial worth. The message here: money is not the answer to happiness or
success. The answer to happiness and success is a personal accomplishment. It
is an attitude. It is a way of thinking. It is a responsible commitment to the
success and betterment of all Americans. I think this is the simple message of
Barack Obama and will be the way he governs America. I am proud to be an Obama/Biden
supporter and I am proud to be an American Democrat. Again,
a note of caution - we can not afford to be overconfident concerning the
election of Obama/Biden. Each of us must still work for the success of the
Obama/Biden ticket. We must work to elect the democratic ticket on November 4.
We must not give up, falter or become complacent in our goal of victory on
Tuesday, November 4. We can do it.
Remember
Jeb Bush, the former governor of Florida? Yesterday in a McCain/Palin rally in
Florida he said, "Oh heck, this is Florida, vote twice". Of course
he was joking, but how could he joke about such an important election and such
an important American responsibility? This is a blatant example of the
attitude of the Republican machine nationwide. They are extremely frustrated
about the McCain/ Palin chances of winning the election Tuesday. They are
becoming poor sports. They are attacking each other and each is trying to distance
himself or herself from the ticket. In fact, Governor Palin herself is seeking
to distance herself from the Republican machine and John McCain. By the way,
Palin isn't so much a maverick, she is more of a loose canon. Too bad
Republicans. If you lose on Tuesday, do so with grace. Is the Republican Party
imploding? Are they destroying themselves from within? In any case, show good
sportsmanship no matter what happens on Tuesday. Perhaps it's the Democrats
turn at bat. The American people will evaluate the performance of whoever wins
the privilege of governing our country. The 2010 Midterm Elections will be the
instrument for the American people to decide if the party in power receives a
favorable or unfavorable job evaluation. The American people do have an
enormous responsibility in the selection of those who govern the United
States.
Speaking
of "turn at bat", did you watch the final game in the 2008 World
Series? The game that took 46 hours to complete. What a situation. Weather
conditions affected the completion of the game. In any case, the Phillies did
pull it off. As if anyone was watching? The series was a little disappointing
this year. No, not because of the contenders - Tampa and Philadelphia, but
because of the attitude of the fans. Not too much interest or support from the
fans of the favorite American pastime. Both teams earned their
respective places in the series. Maybe they weren't the usually big time
favorites, but they made it and they deserved our interest and support.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
There she goes again, Sarah Palin of course. Palin said in an interview today
that one of the jobs of the vice president is to be the head of the Senate.
She said the vice president gets involved with making laws, etc. Wrong. The
only time the vice president ever gets involved with the Senate is to break a
tie. Otherwise, the vice president has no business with the Senate. The vice
president is called the president of the Senate, but as I've stated, the vice
president's only job in the Senate is to break a tie. This woman is in no way
ready for a national office. I wonder how she managed to be governor of Alaska
and even mayor of her small Alaskan town? Let's be clear Mrs. Paylin, the vice
president has two responsibilities under the Constitution: 1. assume the
office of president, if needed; and 2. break a Senate tie if one exists.
That's it Madam. Just ask Joe Bidden.
McCain
is really losing ground in this campaign. Currently, Obama has enough
potential electoral votes of states leaning his way to win the electoral vote
and the presidency. Polls are going Obama's way, too. There are two weeks left
in this campaign. Obama and the Democrats must not become complacent and
overconfident of any kind of victory. And they will not. The Obama campaign is
playing full press till the end of the campaign on November 4. The supporters
of Obama must do the same. They must support him and most importantly , they
must vote. Vote early, vote absentee or vote at the polls on Election Day. We
must vote. We all know the reputation of John McCain. We have seen him come
from behind and then become victorious at the polls. We must not let this
happen. We must not let up on our support for Barack Obama. The Republicans
are grasping at straws and attacking Obama in the most absurd manner. They are
desperate. The supporters of Obama must maintain the course and vote for Obama
as president because he is the right person for the job.
Monday, October 20, 2008
This morning I read, among others, two interesting bits of information in my
local daily:
1. OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) members are trying
to put regulations into play so the price of oil doesn't drop below $80.00 on
the stock market. The 12 country oil cartel says that if the price of oil
falls below $80.00, it would be hard to pay the bills in their respective
countries. Duh? That is the effect of the economic crisis - worldwide.
Governments all over the world are finding it hard to keep government funded
and operating. The United States and individual states are having the same
problem. Why should OPEC countries expect any difference in the way the market
affects oil as well as all other commodities? The United States must become
energy independent from those international oil hogs. We must hold all countries
to the same economic, political and social standards irregardless of their
impact on America. America can no longer do business with economic terrorists.
Everything happens for a reason. Perhaps
the current economic crisis will teach us, including our leaders, the error of
our ways in conducting international business. A bigger supposition, will we,
including our leaders, learn the lesson?
2.
Something we don't really hear about much concerning the economic bailout or
rescue - many of the provisions contain in the bailout expire. Many expire
December 31, 2009. Just an example, the increase in the amount of funds (from
$100,000 to the new level $250,000) insured by FDIC expires on December 31,
2009. This expiration date applies to personal assets, retirement funds,
business related, etc. Bummer. In other words, if you are fortunate enough to
have a total of $200,000 in individual account funds in a particular FDIC
institution, it will now be insured (up to $250,000) until January 1, 2010. At
that time the maximum FDIC rate will revert to the original $100,000. The same
applies to the parameters regulating retirement and business accounts. I
wonder how many other provisions in this bailout are unbeknownst to the
general public. It's politics, politics, politics. And then politics. The
solution is simple. Be proactive and you secure the financial integrity for
yourself and your family. Do not depend on the government for any relief,
support or assistance. The government irregardless of the party in charge,
looks out for itself and their players first and foremost. The average
American is always last; therefore, be informed and act in a responsible
personal manner.
Are we ready for an Obama/Palin administration? It could happen. If the
election produced an electoral tie, 269 - 269 the House and the Senate would
determine the president and vice president, respectively. A
tie is not too likely. Obama and McCain would have to win the states currently leaning
in their respective favor and McCain would have to win all the
remaining so-called battle ground states except Nevada. He could do it. McCain
has come from behind before. And the current battle ground states usually go
Republican to boot. I read an article in the daily paper yesterday about
the determination process of the president and vice president in a tie
situation. If there is an electoral tie, the Constitution says that the
current House determines the president by a majority of state delegations and
the Senate determines the vice president by a senate vote. The House will
probably go for Obama due to the fact that there are 27 Democratic majority
state delegations and 23 Republican, but the Senate stands at 49
Dems, 49 Republicans and 2 independents. The article says that the 2
independents would spilt, one for Obama and one for McCain. Another tie, 50 to
50. Vice President Cheney would have to cast the deciding vote probably for
Governor Palin. If this happens, we would have an Obama/Palin administration.
Of course this is unlikely, but with this campaign anything is possible. The
2008 Presidential Election is so fascinating. In fact each election cycle in
the last few cycles has been anything but usual and predictable.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
You go John McCain. McCain came alive in the debate last night. But not
enough. He had some good points, but he didn't follow through and make the
sale. It's still Barack Obama's election. Obama is still ahead in the polls
and he's not letting anything get in his way of a strong win on November 4. He
can not take anything for granted. He must press on with real gusto until the
results are tabulated and announced. I still worry about the race factor, but
I do think the economic crisis will trump any fallout from the so-called
racist vote. It looks like it's going to be President Obama come January 20,
2009. But anything can still happen.
I
digress from the political arena for a minute and talk about the driving
habits of many Americans. I guess many people drive like they do anything
else, "Get out of my way and give me what I want, now." A lot of
people, perhaps a majority, drive like selfish, egocentric idiots. Most seem
to think that they are the only drivers on the road. They drive as if the
owned the road and in complete control of the right of way. They do not abide
by the traffic regulations. They speed, ignore traffic signs and drive with no
regard for anyone's safety, not even their own or their passengers, even
children . This is abominable behavior. The bigger the city, the more
impulsive, erratic drivers. The more developed or "trendier" parts
of the country, the more irresponsible driver behavior. It's a miracle that
there aren't way more accidents and injuries than reported. This is a problem
for all drivers. Our roadways must remain safe. Responsible and defensive
driving must return to the highways. There is no excuse.
While
I'm at it, let me complain about people's behavior in restaurants. In restaurants,
as well as in stores or in many public domains, people are
"me-centered". They are interested in exactly one goal - satisfy me,
no matter what it takes. They are rude, inconsiderate, loud and totally
oblivious to those around them. What makes things worse, the establishment
allows it. In fact in this time of economic uncertainty when shop owners are
in desperate need of patrons, the workers seem to cater to the customers and
accept their rude behavior. I've seen it happen more than once - customer
becomes irate due to no one's fault but their own, store worker attempts to
appease them in any way possible disregarding the customer's actually
liability in the situation. I think those involved should be more considerate
of each other and the situation. What happened to all the nice, considerate
people? They are gone. People are so stressed these days that they forego the
common courtesies that were once a natural and automatic part of their lives.
Chill out people. Think before you open that big fat mouth. We are not here to
satisfy your insecure, desperate and egocentric demands.
Of
course in the previous venting concerning drivers and customers, I do want to
make clear that there are many people who are simply a delight to experience.
There are still people who are considerate and empathetic in their daily
relationships. However, I do believe that the inconsiderate people do get
their way. They are catered to by most people who must deal with them.
Sometimes I think that I will smile and go my merry way and ignore those
people who are not deserving of my attention. That's the wrong attitude, That
kind of attitude will make things worse or keep the status quo. We,
considerate people, should show our consideration and compassion in subtle
ways when dealing with stressed people. I have found that a little kindness, understanding
and for sure a smile will go a long way in making a potential stressful,
unpleasant situation a doable experience. Most people are good people, but the
stresses of daily life seem to get in their way and affect their dealings with
others. I guess it's up to each of us to make the world a more livable,
pleasant place. We do that by thinking, reflecting and treating all people
with respect and dignity.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
The third presidential debate is tonight. Will John McCain throw the
kitchen sink at Barack Obama? Will John McCain attack Obama's past acquaintances?
Will John McCain abandon his "straight talk" and his personal code
of ethics and succumb to making attacks based on innuendo and misrepresentations?
I think not. I believe that McCain has recognized that these types of attacks
will undermine his political campaign. More than this, it will adversely
affect his legacy, personal and public, forever. Sarah Palin has said that she
has nothing to lose in the manner in which she is attacking Obama. Sarah Palin
is no John McCain when it comes to ethics and morality. Palin is taking her
responsibility as the vice presidential candidate attack dog, a bit too far. I
think that she is showing a total disrespect for human morality and ethics,
even as related to a political campaign. If the Republicans lose their bid for
the presidency,
John McCain will continue being a valuable and highly respected member of the
Senate. Palin will return to Alaska as governor and face the wrath of the
Alaskan status quo. Her long term political ambitions may end. Senator Barack
Obama is acting presidential in all aspects of his current political campaign.
All he has to do is maintain his status during tonight's debate. He is ahead
in the polls, as if that means anything. At least his standing in the
political polls is comforting and positive. The next 20 days will be the icing
on the cake. Or the next 20 days could be the start of the end. In any case,
the American people will make the final decision in this political campaign on
November 4, Election Day. The candidates must remember, life goes on after the
election.
Friday, October 10, 2008
The stock market is not doing too badly today. At the moment it's down some 65
points. Not too bad, but not good enough. We must remember that the stock
market is a reactionary agent. It rises and falls at the whims of it's
investors. It reacts to the economy by way of the mood or feelings of the
investor. The state of the economy is reflected in the movement of the market,
but the market does not increase or decrease necessarily because of the
economy. Again, the human beings selling and buying in the stock market
determine it's movement - healthy or not so healthy. Personally, I never
dappled much in the stock market. 99% of my financial holdings are tied to
high interest only bearing accounts - savings, money markets, annuities, etc.
I may not have experienced the boom of the stock market in the 1990's, but now
I am not currently feeling the devastation of the market either. Even though
my personal assets are not invested in the market, I along with all Americans
do experience it's wrath. Interest rates, credit availability, job loss, price
increase, etc. impact all people regardless of their individual stock market
participation. This is the main reason why the current economic crisis is so
devastating - all people are and will be affected by it for a long time. The
government had to step in much like it did in the 1930's. Let's talk about the
people who have major investments in the market. Retirement accounts among
others are being affected by the dropping market. America has loss trillions
of dollars in the recent actions of the market. Individual Americans have lost
money in their market based investments. An important thing to remember: this
loss or gain (in a bull market) is on paper only. The loss is only realized if
one transfers accounts or pulls his or her money from the market. Stock market
investments are time based - long term investments. People who are younger
than 50 years old have plenty of time to regain their holdings over time. If
these people overreact and withdraw their money, close their accounts or
transfer to interest only options, then they will realize the loss immediately.
The loss will not change. Don't overreact. Don't pull your investments. Ride
out the storm. You have time to recoup. That is the way the market works. If
you are over 50 years old, then you have some options to think about. I still
think you should not overreact. You have time to let it ride and regain some
of your investments. You may opt to work a few years longer. That is the
current trend, even before this latest crisis. I think this should be a lesson
to all Americans. The lesson: diversify and opt for safeguards in maintaining
your financial condition. Picture this scenario - your are heavily invested in
the market (stocks, retirement, annuities, etc.), you have been living beyond
your means for many years and to make matters worse you are in danger of
losing your job because of the economy. Now that is a dreadful scenario. But
it is one that many Americans are facing or will be facing. Again, don't
overreact. The plan is survival. Work with your family members and other
resources and survival will be achieved on a daily basis, one day at a time.
This is the time to put into practice all of your spiritual, community and
personal resources available. At this very moment in time, start being
financially responsive to your situation. Respond with care, empathy and realistic
expectations. I do want to make a major point here. Many times I speak of
living financially irresponsibly and the devastating effects of such living. I
want to emphasize that in today's economic condition many people who have been
financially responsible are in major trouble nonetheless. Bad breaks, illness,
loss of employment and a host of other factors have caused financial trouble
for many otherwise responsible Americans. This is dreadful, but we are
Americans. We have seen this before and we will rise above it. Whatever your
situation, it is not entirely your fault. The key, do something positive about
it. Even if the stock market recovers quickly, the economy will be in serious
trouble and in the state of recovery for years to come. We must plan for that
recovery.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Let's talk about the economy today. Yes, it is in the tank. The American
economy has been freefalling for a long time. It started many years ago,
before the tell tale signs were obvious. Financially responsible Americans
were concerned about the economy well before Wall Street and the so-called
experts were even clued in on it's demise. Americans who have been living well
within their means were conscious of the credit crunch well before there was a
credit crunch. These Americans knew the value of living within their means.
They knew the pitfalls of living on credit, in good times or bad. They also
knew the value of saving money. My Dad was one of these people. He was a toddler
during the Great Depression, so he didn't have first hand experience of it's devastating
effects. My Dad's family was a poor immigrant (legal by the way) hard working
family. He felt the effects of the Great Depression by the economically restrained
financial lifestyle of his family in the aftermath of the stock market crash
of 1929. His family never had much money before or after the crash. His father
and mother lived a simple live where money was held in esteem but kept in
perspective. As an adult my Dad knew the value of earning a good credit portfolio.
He understood the function of a good credit standing. He did not believe in
using credit in order to secure those things in life that one could otherwise
not afford. My family was never a monetarily wealthy family, but we were
secure and had exactly what we needed to prosper in live. A successful
American economic system starts with economically responsible families and
individuals. In the last 20 to 30 years those economically responsible
families and individuals have decreased in numbers. Greed and corruption
invaded the American economic value system. As a result, today those Americans
who lived beyond their means, financially irresponsibly are the ones who are
suffering the most. However, the system has gotten so bad that the entire
American constituency is suffering to varying degrees. Don't blame the problem
totally on the CEO's and other economic leaders. Don't blame this problem
entirely on governmental lack of oversight. The blame for the state of the
American economy is squarely on the shoulders of every American who has
contributed to it's demise. That said, "What can we do about it". In
short, immediately we must remain clam. Next we must recalculate our
individual and family economic condition. We must start living within our
means. As a country, we must refocus our sense of wealth. We must take the
responsibility for this mess and vow to make amends and move on with our
lives. This economic disaster affects the middle class and the poor in a very
inequitable way. Those who can afford it the least are those who are being
affected by the crisis the most. Jobs will be lost, homes will be lost,
savings will be lost, but we must remain vigilant and hopeful. We must realize
the seriousness of our economic problems and cope with the situation. We must
remain calm and realize that this too will pass. As a nation we must respond
to this call to reorganization. We must preserve the value of the American way
of life. We must return to fairness and responsible living, financial and
otherwise. This is our problem. The solution will be our solution. In the end,
it all starts with the behavior of individuals and families and that is where
it will be solved.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
The second presidential debate and the second win for Obama. Senator Obama
has the truth on his side. He is the candidate of change. He has a plan. His
plan is real, appropriate and unyielding. Obama is to be congratulated for
conducting himself with poise, patience and humility throughout the debates
and the campaign. Senator McCain is a mess. He picks and pulls at every
conceivable option in his obsession to win the presidency. He seems like an
angry old man. When he makes those devious giggles and conceited, condescending
remarks against Obama, he seems to look like a losing, old school, 20th
century candidate. McCain is to be pitied for his actions, words and mindset
thus far in this campaign. I still maintain the possibility of cultural sabotage
against Obama encouraged and precipitated by the McCain campaign, i.e. Sarah
Palin et al. Too bad for America if the better candidate, Barack Obama, is
denied the oval office because of inappropriate and misleading innuendo and
outright lies.
In
the world of health care: I read an article in the morning daily that
challenges the preventative maintenance practices of many Health Care Plans.
Most health care companies encourage it's members to frequently and on a
strict one size fits all schedule, to undergo preventative measures to early
detect illness and subsequent treatment. Some health experts are challenging
this position. They maintain that some regular preventative tests are a waste
of time. Most results are negative and a drag on the resources of the health
care company. They maintain that when symptoms occur, then that's time for the
medical tests. I tend to agree with this thinking. However, I do think that
routine examinations and regular screening for known health problems should be
maintained, but at a more realistic rate. In other words, the individual
should be the determining factor in these preventative screenings. The health
and medical disposition of the individual including family disease traits and
pre-existing conditions should determine the regularity of preventative
testing. It seems that the doctors want to test, test, test. They are so
intent on the testing that they sometimes overlook the reality. Yes, cancer
screenings, heart monitoring among others should be done on a regular basis.
However, they don't need to be conducted every six months or year. This
determination should be at the discretion of the physician with the specific
individual in mind. Tests should never be done just for the sake of testing.
Did you ever think about the effects of all that testing on the body and mind?
If we approach the health of our being in an holistic manner, then we should
be concerned not only about the outward signs of the body, but the inward
signs of the mind and the feelings and attitudes that connect them. In short,
a person should be in command of his or her total being - body, mind,
emotions, changes in these and the relationships among these. Examinations
should be more of a dialogue between the individual and the physician. The
resulting action should be based on the total health picture of the
individual.
Friday, October 2, 2008
The vice presidential debate is history. How did they do? Senator
Biden was excellent. He was himself. He was real, on target and respectful.
Joe Biden was Joe Biden, no pretence. He is one of us, an average American. He
has felt and experienced many if not all of the emotions and feelings of the
middle class. He epitomizes the plight of the "everyman" in America.
He is knowledgeable, capable and eager to start a new phase in his political
life. He is and will always be a representative and spokesperson for the
middle class as well as all Americans. Can you tell who I support? Governor
Palin, on the other hand, was folksy, cute with her winks and utterly out of
her domain. Governor Palin is in no way ready, in any regard, to be vice
president of the United States. She is not prepared to assume the role and
carry out the responsibilities of the office of vice president. I feel she is
a ruthless tyrant interested in her way only. She does know how to be
perceived as a nonpartisan, working across party lines, but in truth she is
committed to Sarah Palin's ideas and beliefs with no real regard to the views
or feelings of other people. I think the American voters recognize her
liabilities. Americans want a real leader as vice president and in fact as
president. We do not want a cutesy, folksy, down-home type, ill prepared and hypocritical
novice. I believe that the Obama-Biden ticket is poised to win the November
4th election. Thank you Governor Palin.
The
House will vote on the bailout, I mean Rescue Bill this afternoon or evening.
That bill is full of pork and misguided appropriations. I think we need a
rescue measure for the American financial system, but this is not the
appropriate plan. The Senate should not have added all of those amendments to
the bill. This is the way Washington works. I just don't think change in
Washington is very likely. In any case, the Rescue Bill should be a measure to
improve the financial situation of the American financial system, not an
enabler for misguided monetary rewards. This bill was a big mistake for the
Senate - Democrats and Republicans, a bipartisan misjudgment. I feel that the
House should not pass the bill. It should be rewritten and contain only the
provisions that will truly shore up the American financial situation.
Most
people recognize the fact that Washington is a dismal, political and
mismanaged entity. The government is not in error, but those who run the government
evidence signs of error and mismanagement. The excuse that this is the way
Washington works is not acceptable any longer. We must change Washington, but
this change must be part of the operation of government. The human factor in
Washington has mishandled the management of the people's government. That
human factor is the thing that needs to change. I doubt if real and lasting
change will ever be realized, but the American ideal will force us to
continually seek that change, even if we never achieve it. In spite of this,
America is truly a great democracy. Change, yes, it will come in bits and
pieces. The mismanagement will change, but it will change in the process of
governing. America is truly a work in process.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Now it's called the Rescue Bill. And quite frankly the public is responding
with increased support of the bailout, I mean rescue. The American people
are so easily manipulated. I wonder how many of them function successfully in
life. These are the people who have the responsibility of making major life
decisions? I guess they don't always function successfully as evidenced by the
state of our country. The American public generally is so misinformed and
under-involved in the real issues in the American system of government and in
life. Don't get me wrong, Americans can be very keen on important issues, but
many times they choose to be oblivious to anything in the political arena.
Sometimes this is due to the repeated frustration caused by politics and the
operation of the American government and sometimes it's caused by ignorance,
non-interest and lack of concern for what does not seem to affect them or be
of importance to them or worthy of their time. This election may change all of
that, at least for this moment in time. The 2008 campaign for president has
politically awakened a good number of ordinarily uninterested people. Senator
Obama is the major impetus for this change. He has awakened a spirit of awe
and excitement that only a persona who rivals President Kennedy's enthusiasm
and vigor about the American situation is capable of doing. Today's major
political polls show that Obama is widening his lead over John McCain. The
national numbers as well as the battle ground state numbers are moving
collectively in Obama's favor. Perhaps the results of the first presidential
debate paired with the naivety and presidential non-preparedness of Governor
Sarah Palin are the reasons for this change. The vice presidential debate on
Thursday along with the next two presidential debates will either close the
case for Obama or will cause a shift to McCain's favor. It is still early and anything
is possible, but it's looking good for Barack Obama. However, we must be cautious
about the reliability and validity of political polls. I agree with the
statement that the only poll that counts is the poll taken on election day.
The final results of this election may be uncharacteristically undermined by
the polling process. Polls are compilation of the expressed preferences of
people. These preferences do not always represent what the person is really
thinking. In the case of race, I believe that people who are racist or will
not vote for Obama because he is an African-American may give a different or
misleading response when polled. However, in the privacy of the ballot box,
the person functioning on racial judgments will be free to cast his or her
vote anonymously foregoing public ridicule or questioning based on his or her
racially motivated vote. Race should not be a factor in deciding who will be
the better president for all Americans. Americans must put aside old ways of
thinking and stereotypes in their selection of the next American president. I
think the vast majority of Americans are capable of doing this, but there will
be a small percent who will not. The unfortunate point in all this, in a close
election a few percentage points can make all the difference in the world. We
must promote fair and unbiased elections free from all discrimination
including the mishandling of the precious results of the American election.
Every vote must be freely cast in an nondiscriminatory manner with the
presumption of correct and appropriate determination of results. As it stands
now, the election is up for grabs - either candidate could win. Americans must
act in a responsible manner in choosing the next American president. The integrity
of the American system of government is at risk.
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