Ramblings ~: Pre election mash up

Ugh! It's all been said. We've heard the stump speeches, the "debates", the pundits, the polls & predictions, the commercials. Americans feels like it has a political hang over from way back when all this election year business started, when the initial parade of unvetted fools began the race for the White House. Holy Hell! These were the GOP's finest?
So I am cleaning out my photo files of election debris, as food for thought.

For the record, I dislike the two party "system". But I will admit, if all the hype is right, & this will be a tight election, I find myself not willing to vote for a 3rd party candidate, because I do think it will be thrown away as a "spoiler" (no hope of that candidate actually winning), and worse, the possibility of the greater evil candidate potentially winning. Oh hell no. That is not a risk I am willing to take.

I am appalled regarding the amount of money wasted on elections, approx $6 BILLION- each presidential election, exceeding the previous candidates record spending. I will admit, last election, I bought in to the Hope & Change pitch-- who amongst us, after 8 dreadful years of the Bush 2 regime was not in need of both hope & change?
However, I do not drink the Kool aid. There are many things about the Obama admin that I am not happy with-- including the prolonged war in Afghanistan (what are we fighting for?), the drone assassinations. the fact he holds a Nobel Peace Prize (along w the likes of Mother Theresa, & MLK jr.), and engages in violence as a solution, which also has killed our economy. I think Obama should have cleaned house of Bush admin personnel, because if you keep doing things the same way, you will keep getting the same results.
I wish Obama would step up w making Federal law marriage for all - not this piecemeal/makeshift, state-by-state business we have going on now-- cross the state line & your marriage will no longer be valid? I also hold in contempt the entire Democratic party-- for as much as the GOP, walked in lockstep, demanding tax cuts for the rich... why were the Dems unable to unite & fight back?
Why did they not use the press & withhold votes & approval, counter demanding an end to tax cuts for the rich?
Maybe because most of them personally benefit from it?
We get lip service... but the tax cuts for the wealthy go on, and bog oil & big pharma get subsidies they do not need or deserve.

The list goes on.... but Obama has done good things--- our family personally benefited w "Obamacare", I used the Clunker car gas guzzler trade in, and also did a whole lot of weatherization to our home, using rebate programs, to make them affordable. In that sense he helped us walk the walk of actually doing tangible energy saving things that result in us using less gas, & power for our home, and my College grad (seeking employment), is getting much needed dental care. when my kid applied for college loan money under the Bush 2 admin, he was approved for a 14% VARIABLE rate loan! (promptly filed in the shredder)... Obama took the student loan money out of 3rd party baking & did student loans direct. College loans under Obama were @ 5%, fixed rate. Average 2012 public college, In-State tuition is running $89,000 (that is tuition only, food & housing not included). You do the math-- do you want to pay 14% variable rate interest or 5% fixed rate? Plus Obama allowed an ongoing tuition tax break, whereas Bush had a HOPE tax break for education that could only be used 2 years.
Literally, our hope ran out in the Bush 2 administration! I'm just saying there are many programs Obama has put in place that are good. Planned Parenthood funding, a push for having birth control a covered expense, and funding for many social service programs, including care for Veterans, and educational funding . I realize that is a bone of contention, because many schools are hurting & underfunded & understaffed (a local elementary school asking for a funding bond, currently uses books saying Bill Clinton is the current president!)... I'd like all the troops removed from Afghanistan, and schools fully funded! There is no nirvana when it comes to politics. Someone will always be discontent about some thing or other. But actions speak louder than words. Ryan voted to cut funding for things like security for foreign embassies, and now points fingers at the Obama admin for not doing enough in Libya. He also disses the stim program, but actually asked for some of the money for his State!
Romney achieved a balanced budget in MA by gutting funding for higher education (60% rate increase under his watch), and raising fees & cutting local program funding (social services).
Pay attention to what they have done, not what they say.

Also, the final icing on the cake... how can someone want the highest job on the land, but not love the country enough to pay a fair share of taxes, at a time when the country is in financial distress?
Imagine Romney running for president in the 50's with multiple offshore money accounts?
He would have never made it past the primaries, a laughing stock amongst patriots.
As much as our election process is a huge headache, believe me, waking up to a Romney presidency would be a 4 year disaster we don't want to experience.

Please Vote, damn it--

~~even~~ especially when it comes down to choosing between the lessor of two evils.