Today is my birthday

[Horse with no Name]

and as I reflect...I reflect how shitty the last few years have been.
I am not a racist, I am not a sexist...but I despise Clinton and am coming very close to despising Obama but not for the aforementioned reasons. I hate them for their policy. For the seeming ease that they are willing to hand our victories to rabid partisans to help eke out milquetoast policy.
Make a note...I will NOT vote for a candidate I despise.
If I do that, then my vote serves me no better than if I voted for a republican.
As many around here will be quick to tell you...their vote counts, however, I am "wasting" my vote if I vote my candidate.
I give a hearty "Fuck you" to them.
After being reminded by the folks in Washington and the folks here, I have come to find my voice in the political process is insignificant.
So...since I am "insigificant"...at least I will sleep at night and not cast votes for any candidate that I despise.
That is the wonderful thing about being insignificant that these folks are failing to understand when they cast us aside.
Maybe my candidate CANNOT win--but he has enough delegates that these vultures from the other campaigns want...so that AT LEAST gives us a voice in the process. Isn't that how it is supposed to work?
If Clinton or Obama want our damn votes soooo bad, WHY aren't they changing their rhetoric to win ME over?
Simple answer. They don't care.
I have also come to find out that we are very vocal about the possibility of stolen votes or rigged machines...unless our candidate wins.
I find that disturbing, but also very telling.
It tells me that our democracy continues to be up for sale to the highest bidder.
I don't know where I go from here. I WILL vote my conscience...and I don't give a damn if someone thinks I am wasting my vote. At least I will be able to tell my kids that I stood firm and TRIED to change things. I won't have to tell them that I compromised because I didn't care enough about their future to vote against status quo.

[smokey nj]

1. Happy Birthday Horse with no Name!!!!

:hug: :party: :toast:
I agree with you completely! I refuse to be bullied into supporting a candidate other than the one I support and the candidate I support is John Edwards. If his IS a pandering phoney, as all his critics contend, at least he's pandering to me!! Go JOHN!!!!

[saracat]

2. Happy Birthday Horse! Beautifully written.With age must come wisdom, eh?

:party: :toast: :party: :party: :toast: :party: :toast: Or at least a few beers! Happy birthday to you !~ Happy Birthday to you!

[mother earth]

3. Happy Birthday, Horse With No Name. But don't waist precious

time in the hate dept. Let your life be ruled by the positive. We've all been fed up these past 7 years for all the things you mention, but the minute we give in to it, we are in a prison that they helped make. We're all tired, HorseWNN, but we are going to reclaim our voice, you aren't alone in how you feel, but stay positive and never, ever feed the monster. :hug:

I'm right with you, the status quo never did anybody any good. Edwards all the way!

[AndyA]

4. Happy Birthday, Horse with no Name!

Hope you had a great day, and we'll all have a better year next year with President Edwards in the White House.

Doesn't "President Edwards" sound good? :thumbsup:

[MzNov]

5. Here's looking at you kid.

:toast: :party: :bounce:

[Two Americas]

6. happy birthday

Where do we go from here?

We keep going the same direction we are started on, no matter what, and if we will do that I promise you that when your birthday comes around again things will be much brighter.

There is everything to be hopeful and optimnisitc about and no rason to be discouraged. So enjoy your birthday!

[Lugnut]

7. Happy birthday!

:toast:

[waiting for hope]

8. Happy Birthday fellow

Capricorn!

[lisainmilo]

9. Happy Birthday Horse with No Name!

Please don't give up on JRE. I am sticking with him and I hope you do too!
Happy Happy Birthday to you! :party: :)