Republicans, Democrats are the problem

When we go to the polls to vote for our leaders in public office, we usually go in with our minds made up that we have selected the right candidate for the job.

We've heard the speeches, suffered through the non-stop political ads, researched the candidates' facts and figures, and we ultimately hope that our selections have helped that candidate win the race for public office.

More often than not, those who go to the polls vote their party affiliation. Many of us consider ourselves Republicans or Democrats and vote accordingly. Some will step away from the party line on occasion and vote for a candidate on "the other side."

I've been registered as an independent for most of my life, which allowed me to vote my conscience without regard to political party. While most of my votes over the years have been for Republican candidates, I felt that I ultimately chose the individual I felt was the best person for the job, regardless of whether or not that individual was Republican or Democrat.

This time, though, I made a change in my voting patterns. Some would call it radical. Others might call it worthless. Still others wonder if people like me should be allowed inside a voting booth.

Tuesday morning, I walked into my voting precinct, signed my name in the register, took my ballots into the voting booth and, without a moment's hesitation, avoided voting for any Republican or Democrat in the federal and state multi-party elections.

Johanns or Kleeb for Senate? I voted for neither.

Terry or Esch in the House? Neither guy got my vote.

Obama or McCain for President? Please . . .

The fact of the matter is, there is a common thread in the tapestry that is what is wrong with America in 2008. And it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure it out, really. Hell, if THIS GUY can figure it out, certainly SOMEBODY would have picked up on it by now.

The common thread is that Republicans AND Democrats are screwing up our nation, spending our tax dollars uncontrollably and whoring themselves out to special interests like there's no tomorrow. And it's time BOTH parties be neutralized by a third party or independent representation that is not beholden to the whims of the powers that be within the Democrat and Republican parties.

But you're wasting your vote by not voting for a Republican or Democrat, some have told me.

Really? I'm the one wasting my vote here? Not voting for a Republican or Democrat is throwing a vote away?

Au contraire -- if I see the problem, I'm not about to contribute to the perpetuation of said problem with my votes. If there's a fire in my backyard and I have a garden hose and a hose connected to a gas pump to douse the fire with, which one do you suggest I use?

With all that ails this great nation right now, and with all the problems that have come before it, the only thing I've seen is the two parties spending every constructive minute bitching about what the other side is doing to create the problem. The Republicans are spending too much. The Democrats want to tax us into oblivion. And we're stuck in the middle waiting for SOMEBODY to do SOMETHING.

So I've actually DONE something about it -- by not voting for a Republican or Democrat.

Now I'm not delusional in thinking that my vote is going to bring about change. Unfortunately, there are about 100 million people in this country who continue to act like cattle headed to the slaughterhouse and continue to vote for Republican or Democrat candidates, thinking THIS group will be the one that turns it around.

Guess what? It's the same sad song, with a brand new verse. And four years from now, we're not going to be anywhere closer to a solution because one party is going to control things and we will reap that which we sow because of the decisions made yesterday. And just so you remember where you read it first -- the harvest is not going to be a bountiful one.

Maybe the decision I made today is one that will open the eyes of enough people to make them realize just where the problems lie. Once we see the end result of Tuesday's election, it will make people realize what I've already figured out -- the Republican and Democrat parties do not represent the wishes of the American people.