I have always paid attention to the choices in national and local elections. I have always kept an open mind and have never been a dem or repub ticket voter...I honestly have voted for dems 90+% of the time but that is just because of the nominee not the party.
My husband is a diffrent story. He is very anti-politcal. He still thinks that all politicians are crooked and on the take from any and all if they thin kit is to their benefit. He never bothered to vote until I forced the issue by refusing to let him have any say in ANYTHING political because he didn't vote. It took several years but I can now proudly say he is quite vocal. In 2004 he was very unhappy with either Bush or Kerry so he decided he would cast his vote for the candidate our children were supporting. At the time our son was 16 and our daughter was 11. They were both supporting Kerry. He took the time to vote and made his vote for them, Kerry.
This year is different. Our kids are now 20 (son will be voting in his first Presidential election), and 15 (she signed up for my.barackobama.com before I had the chance!). They are both VERY big Obama supporters. They each have their own reasons/issues for supporting Obama, but they have both come to be strong supporters of Sen. Obama. (At some point I will diary the parental viewpoint of my gen Y kids and how it changes a parents view on the world.)
This year is different for hubby though. He is paying attention to the people, politics, and choices that the rest of us have been watching. He is vocal. He is talking(actually yelling at times like tonight)to the TV and radio when they F-up the story and get things out of context. He spent a good portion of this evening yelling at the TV, Thompson, and Leiberman/Lieberman.
I have spent the better portion of this evening explaining why it is necessary for us to actually watch "these dumb f$%ks" espouse their support for McCain. I don't even try to justify it. I don't have any other reason than I was taught it is necessary for any citizen to pay attention to both parties and make a voting decision based on what we hear from both sides of the aisle.
Listening is free. Freedom is not.
I do want to say a big "Thank you" to McCain, Bush, Thompson, Leiberman/Lieberman, and all the others that will follow tomorrow. I have a been married to my 'redneck' husband for nearly 21 years but you have made me fall in love with him all over again. I know the country will be better without you because you have made him into a near political junkie!