The Presidential Election

Regardless of where you might stand politically, I hope you'll acknowledge that it's a hopeful sign for our society when a woman and a black man are front-runners in the presidential contest. A generation ago, that would have been a fantasy.

I don't get into discussing politics much, whether here or in a face-to-face conversation. Nowadays, too many people focus on who is supposedly right, instead of what is probably right. That mindset creates a climate poisonous to a genuine exchange of views. Truth too often takes a backseat to agenda.

I'm an independent voter. I'm not a registered Republican, and I'm not a Democrat. Never have been. Like many people I know, I'm a little conflicted in my political leanings: I'm a liberal in my heart, a conservative in my head. I call myself a "half-assed Libertarian." (Half-assed because I'm not so sure that privatizing dang near everything is the best answer.)

But here's the thing: I believe in the Constitution of the United States of America. I also believe the Constitution has been under assault by the Democrats and the Republicans for some time now. And, in today's world, it seems that the Republicans, the so-called "conservatives," are a greater threat to the integrity of the Constitution than the Democrats.

Here's a quote from columnist Charley Reese: The hard truth is that if you are a genuine political conservative, you don't have a party. The Democrats are practically socialists; the Republicans are closer to corporate fascists. Neither one offers conservatives anything but rhetoric.

That's why I plan to vote for Ron Paul. Although he's running as a Republican, his platform is more aligned with the Libertarian school of thought. He probably won't get elected, but to me, he's the only potential savior of the Constitution who even has a chance. (My hope is that he'll choose to run as an independent, should he be denied the Republican nomination.) The idea that the Constitution could have a dedicated guardian in the nation's highest office is one of the most hopeful developments in U.S. politics I've seen.

Look at this video of Jay Leno's "favorite interviews." Although only two of the people interviewed are political figures, after viewing it, you might agree that it's time to try someone besides another Democrat or neocon. (Didn't want to end this on a serious note.)