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As the clock ticks closer and closer to the primary frenzy that we seem to have been endlessly leading up to, the National polls have indicated a few surprises. The Republican voters have indicated that they are not too happy with their field of choices, which is a surprise based on past elections where the Republican candidate was well supported. Maybe there is a spoiler out there somewhere hiding in the shadows, waiting for the right opportunity to jump into the game. Texas Governor Rick Perry is a possibility, or maybe even Newt Gingrich.

Whether it’s the way the war in Iraq has been handled or other foibles the administration has made, many voters appear to be leaning towards a Democratic candidate. The war in Iraq still tops the list of issues of importance related to the direction of this country. The economy is a close second place and surprisingly the environment, immigration, and health care are further down on the list. The candidates are well informed about the issues that are important to voters. Right now it seems like many voters know about the candidates or have heard their names at least, but don’t have a really strong grasp of where the candidate stands on issues. This part of the game seems to be more about getting people to know who you are and after that, they can work on crafting well-written speeches designed to push the emotional buttons of the electorate. That is the job of the speech writers. They follow the polls and make sure their candidates have opportunities to spew out sound bites.

The reality is that the election results have probably already been decided and the actual election part is more of a rubber stamping process to placate the masses into believing they were a key part in the decision processes that impact our lives. Back room deals and brokering determine the outcome of elections and the lobby organizations have a stronger influence on the outcome. My favorite terminology is “public policy sold to the highest bidder.” The decisions made by the President of the United States can be very profitable if you are in tight with the right folks. Look at the gas and oil industries as a result of the war in Iraq. Their profits have skyrocketed while Christmas retail shopping is down over 20% so far because people are tapped out from increased gasoline costs and other related increases.

The candidates are not concerned about public opinion polls in general. They are concerned about the registered voters. If you are not going to vote, then they don’t care about your opinion. Iowans have rejected the “inevitability” statement made by Hillary early on.

The really big question is how will people take another year of campaigning? If one of the top Democratic hopefuls wins the nomination, then we have a greater chance of ending up with a Democratic President in 2008. Either way, we stay glued to our TV’s, waiting for more updates and briefs about the candidates and they have been getting as much if not more attention than the beloved Britney Spears or Lindsay Lohan. The candidates have been waging an American Idol like contest where their every move is documented as if they were movie stars.

More people voted for American Idol candidates than the Presidential election. Countries around the world are experiencing the growth pangs of democratic evolution. People are dying in other parts of the world to attain the freedoms and rights we hold so dearly in this country. I may not appear to be very faithful in the current state of affairs, but I do believe strongly that a massive turnout of typically non-registered voters could tip the scales in any direction. I could care less about a little sticker that says, “I Voted” or getting my finger dyed purple. I care about people getting over the attitude that their vote does not count or that they are not voting as a way to protest the out of touch nature of all politicians.

If we give up and turn our backs on the democratic process, then we are condoning the continued unfair influence the business interests maintain over the common good. Stop complaining about the way things are and start getting involved by registering to vote and at least make a choice on a party you feel supports your goals.

You can get voter registration forms at most libraries, DMV’s, and even online. It just takes a second to make a difference. We have seen the erosion of lots of civil liberties and freedoms under the guises of national security and we may even see the erosion of North American borders as Canada, the US, and Mexico merge into a union similar to that in Europe. If you turn your back, the situation will only get worse.

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