After that, I decided that I needed to know a little more about my government. I started to listen to the blurbs between the songs and grumbled less about the interruptions. When it cam time, I put my vote in for Clinton. This isn’t political activism. It’s just citizenship. Exercising something that Americans fought for during our first war. We wanted the right to self-determination and we got it.

Some would say that Americans get what they deserve. Once the votes are tallied we live with a leader for several years. Under that leader’s guidance our country prospers or flounders. We can see employment and stocks rise and fall just because of a personality that was put in office. Foreign allies will either warm or cool towards American influences abroad. So much hinges on the decision that Americans make once every four years.

On the eve of another election, America is in distress. We have banks closing, lenders and borrowers defaulting. Our soldiers are still occupying a foreign country with little or no hope of returning. Our allies shake their heads. We lost focus on what was morally and ethically just and sought out to validate lies and feed greed. This is the result of a decision we as Americans made four years ago.

There isn’t a crystal ball that says that the choice we make this November will improve any of the problems Americans face today. Right now there is just too much saber rattling and rhetoric to make a decision on issues. Our politicians spend their time slinging barbs at each other and trying to return the volley before their opponent’s lands. They each have their plan for improving life after the election, but neither can say for certain if their way will work.

Americans are left to their intelligence and intuition. A decision on one day determines the course the country will take for the next four years. It’s a frightening proposition. A lot of faith is put into one person, one vote. There is a lot of fear, uncertainty, and doubt floating around during election season. It easy to sway a vote away from one choice. It is also easy for Americans to place their vote on a person that promises to make it all better as long as the people are willing to give up their right to future decisions.

It’s strange to me to think that we have had only four presidents in the last 28 years: Ronald Reagan, GH Bush, Bill Clinton, and GW Bush. It is the first time in US history that Americans have seen a dynasty rise to power. If it wasn’t for the ability to vote the Bush dynasty might have had continuous power. During this election season, we saw the rise of another dynasty – the Clintons. However, Hillary Clinton’s rise was voted down. It remains to be seen if that was a good decision or not.

Our decision next month is most important. On one side, we have John McCain and Sarah Palin. The other side is Barack Obama and Joe Biden. Both sets of candidates represent the ideas, ethics, and morals of Americans. It remains to be seen which candidates have the majority. McCain/Palin represent those people who want to see change in the Republican party, national and economic security, and fundamental morality. Obama/Biden supporters want to see change in national politics in general, national and economic security, and fundamental ethics. In either case, it is an opportunity to break from the political dynasties.

To be quite honest, I have no confidence in McCain/Palin. McCain isn’t nearly the maverick that he sells himself as. His voting history has proven that. Also a majority of his staff are Carl Rove associates which means that this will be another Rove presidency. Palin was brought on to pander to the Christian conservatives and add some earthy foundation to McCain’s campaign. All of her talk about middle-America, main street, soccer moms and joe six-packs is selling somewhere, but it feels like a lot of patronizing to me. When it comes to real experience, McCain has a long legislative history that has touched all areas of American affairs foreign and domestic. Palin simple can’t bring that much experience to the table. She has never been involved in foreign trade negotiations and her state sees a lot of federal exceptions that most Americans will never know. Her recent debates and interviews hinged on repeating the policies of her running mate instead of showing us what she might bring to the vice-presidency.

Similarly, an Obama/Biden presidency seems a strange match. Biden and Obama have been known to be on opposite sides of policy debates. Obama is a junior politician with a great deal of ambition and enthusiasm. This speaks to the young voters clearly. They should turn out in record numbers. Obama’s youth is tempered by Biden. This is important. Biden’s age lends the appearance of experience to the ticket. Both are knowledgeable about foreign and domestic policy. Both also have clear ideas what the presidency and vice-presidency mean to them.

In the end, America will make another choice. It’s an unusual thing in this world. Most political systems don’t function like America’s. Japanese can elect a new Prime Minister at any time. There isn’t a standing term for the Japanese Prime Minister. The English Parliament and House of Lords is an amalgam of Democracy and Feudalism. The American Democracy is a special privilege in the world. It shouldn’t be overlooked by any American.