yes, two evils. like this or not, our country runs on a two-party system, and very likely will for many moons to come. so while you may be thinking, "i'll vote, i'm gonna vote for nader or write in oprah, that will express my distaste for these candidates and the two-party system," that's not the case. ugly truth time: it really won't. you may as well stay home. the simple fact is either barack obama or john mccain is going to be the next president of this country. why on earth would you not have your say? you're going to complain about whoever the next president is and what he does, so why not at least be a bit proactive here at the beginning, perhaps leave yourself that, "i voted for the other guy" grumble that people are so fond of. or have that moment to say, well yes, this particular thing he's doing makes me unhappy, but it's sure better than what that other guy would've done. if you don't vote, you have no right to complain either way. you had your chance and you didn't take it, you chose not to express your opinion on election day, you really shouldn't for four more years. yes, that's harsh and not totally right, but it's not totally wrong either. how could i be mad at ben for picking a green shirt instead for me of a brown one when i offered no thoughts of my own?

if you're unsure about exactly where they stand on some things, or even unsure about where you stand on certain issues, do some digging. investigate where both candidates stand on the things that are really important to you. do this for yourself, don't count on john mccain to tell you about barack obama or vice versa. don't count solely on obama to tell you about himself or mccain about himself. granted the candidates' sites are the easiest places to find info on just about everything they want to do and believe and certainly shouldn't be discounted, but a little more investigation from an outside type source might not hurt. (notice how i didn't say unbiased? ha. i'm not sending you unicorn hunting people). i've watched both debates, they haven't been enlightening, or even engaging, neither person has said anything they haven't been saying for the last six months, they're just getting more repetitive and annoying and snarky with it. (side note and personal rant - we get it mccain, you don't like or respect obama. guess what? right now, he's on the same level you are, a candidate for president. he is not beneath you, nor is he gum stuck to your shoe. blatant slights and refusal to acknowledge his existence do not make you look clever or better, they make you look like a tool, tool.)

anyway, i'll wrap this up i guess, if anyone is even still reading. please, for the love of God, Allah, the Hindu dieties, the Flying Spaghetti Monster, the Great Pumpkin and anything else you hold dear, pick a candidate and cast your vote. rest assured, that whomever lands in office still has congress to answer to and that despite what sarah palin make think, no one person has power over all those individuals (many lobbyists, giant business and extortionists do, sure). but seriously, of all the elections to stay out of, why would you choose one so important and pivotal when our country is in the midst of such a colossal clusterf#@$? for real. things are going to break, grow, shift, die and be born in the US in the near future. surely you have thoughts on that, and surely at least some of those thoughts align even a little more closely with one candidate than the other.

civil and thoughtful discussion in the comments is welcome and encouraged.