It has become very clear that the mood this election year has transcended the frustrated voter into the angry voter, but many are outraged at what they see as an all new low from a North Carolina parking lot owner. The parking lot owner decided that any cars with Barack Obama stickers are no longer welcome to park in his lot.

Although in an interview the parking lot owner states he was just “trying to make light” of the election year, he also made it very clear that Obama supporters are not welcome, and he has no intention of taking down the sign until after the election in November.

This outrageous behavior is just the tip of the iceberg of what has lately become a very polarized election year. Many are attributing the increase in anger among voters by John McCain and his running mate Sarah Palin, who have openly been encouraging ideas that are divisive and Read the rest of this entry »

As a middle-aged women, I implore all my follow middle-aged brothers and sisters (okay, friends) to realize just how important it is that we ALL vote this election year.

Growing up I recall hearing how the generation after us would be the “new frontier”, a new century of technological wonder and excitement as everywhere on the news people focused on the children starting kindergarten who would graduate in the year 2000. The generation before us was the “age of exploration” Read the rest of this entry »

The most significant thing about tonight’s debate between Senator Barack Obama and Senator John McCain - McCains vain attempts to try to use Obama’s own words to confuse voters. But more about that later; most significant now is - did this debate make a difference or change a course for the next four weeks before election day? Nope, not at all.

What the candidates did right.

First, McCain controlled his facial expressions better during this debate. He was able to come across more naturally in a format that he is very comfortable with and seems to enjoy. That doesn’t mean it always came across well for McCain, but at least it was a far better showing than the last debate.

As for Obama, it took him the first answer or two to warm up, but once he did he showed a marvelous Read the rest of this entry »

The vice presidential debate this evening appears to have been a win for both sides of the fence this evening. For Joe Biden, he performed better during this debate than I think I’ve ever seen him perform before. And for Sarah Palin, she certainly was able to overcome the past couple of weeks worth of bad publicity.

But overall, was this debate enough to change how Americans feel about who they will vote for this election year? I think the answer is a resounding no. So let’s look at where the candidates went right, and where they went wrong, then I’ll give my two cents on what this means for the election overall.

First Sarah Palin showed some actual abilities this evening that many didn’t believe her capable of. She was able to keep her sentences coherent, she expressed herself as an “energy expert”, showed Americans where she’s made some executive decisions, and generally came off quite well in terms of likability.

Joe Biden on the other hand, didn’t make any major gaffes, as was expected of him. He stayed on his Read the rest of this entry »

With all the hype this election year about how “pork barrel spending is out” and “a new age of reform and doing business” is in for government, it sure didn’t take long for Washington to revert back to old habits. In fact, the election hasn’t even been held yet, and both presidential hopefuls have helped to repudiate their promises to reform government.

If none of this makes sense, maybe it’s because you haven’t yet heard of the huge pork barrel spending that went into yesterday’s bailout deal. In one of the largest economic crisis’s this country has seen in decades, our venerable senators passed a $700 billion bailout package that included more than $1.7 billion worth of targeted tax breaks.

Of course, how will these tax breaks help you and me, average American workers, small businesses and individuals? Well unless you produce wooden arrows, make rum, Read the rest of this entry »

All week mainstream media has speculated about tomorrow’s pending Vice Presidential debate between Senator Joe Biden and Governor Sarah Palin. From all appearances, this will end up being the most widely watched Vice Presidential debate of all time. And with good reason.

Considering the instability of the U.S. and global economic systems right now and what appears to be building aggressions by rivals abroad, more than ever the VP position is being held to a higher standard as voters try to get a handle on which candidate will do the best job once they are elected to office.

For Sarah Palin, convincing voters that she’s prepared will be as easy for some, as it will be difficult for others. With the “Palin bubble” wearing off since the Republican National Convention last month it was only a matter of time before critics and those uncertain of her qualifications began digging for more substance from her candidacy.

Considering how cloistered Palin has been since the RNC that hasn’t been easy to do. But many Read the rest of this entry »