So it seems that today is the last day of normality, since both main candidates, and their millions of supporters, are constantly telling us that this is a life changing election, with unprecedented implications, the results of which will leave our world forever changed. The implication here is that today, November 3rd, was a bad day. Of course I am assuming each candidate means "improvement", in place of the word "change", which could also imply "degeneration", "atrophy", decline", "deterioration", or "devolution"....but hey, it's a semantics game, isn't it?
So, moving on to the real point of my this blog.....undecided voters.
The bane of this whole year, and the depressing trillion dollar propaganda-fest, can be traced back to these undecided voters.
Sometimes in life a decision needs to hastily be made, and a person then has to quickly weigh odds, evaluate pros and cons, and choose the best option. Sometimes a person is given plenty of time, and these evaluations can be made with less haste, and the options can be better thought through, and perhaps you can come to the best possible conclusion. This is relative to the current election because Obama has been the official nominee since the end of August, and McCain since the beginning of September. Palin has also been part of the ticket for two months. Biden for more than that.
Having said all that, it now seems incredible that around 10 percent of of voters still haven't made up their minds. Obama girl has had her crush for over a year now.
Obama and Hillary have been the only two viable democratic candidates since the beginning of the race, two long years ago, and until June when Barack was the presumptive Democratic nominee. With the republicans it has been a little different. Eight different versions of John McCain started the race, each one being steadily beaten out by 'the Real John McCain'. With the obvious exception of Ron Paul, the RNC's eventual choice is a sort of stir-fry of all of the primary candidates. I'm sure everyone remembers that race that took place a year ago. McCain has been called 'the presumptive nominee' (I just love pop catch phrases!!) since at least February.
It is time again to stress how ONE TRILLION DOLLARS (ominous chuckle) has been spent to advertise for these 'oh-so-important' people. For over a full year we have learned more about these people than all of the American Idol finalists combined. I bet that same 10% of voters knew exactly who to vote for in each season of Idol.
So that is what I think about 'undecideds', now comes the question.
Having spent $1 Trillion on those people who can't make up their minds, we now see poll numbers so close between John and Barry that this election will be decided ultimately by that same 10%. Now think about that. Really think about it.
Does that make ANY sense???
50% of eligible voters will turn out.
That is about 150 million people. (105 mil in 2000, and 122 in '04)
10 percent of those eligible, likely voters STILL have no idea who they support.
That is 15 million people!
That, my friends, is FIVE times the difference for Bush's popular vote from the '04 election, and 14.4 million more than the difference between Gore/Bush in '00.
So, yes, you can infer that McCain has a very good chance of winning, given that Bush never got better than even in all his polls, and the media didn't even particularly like Gore or Kerry (add to that the fact that Socialist nominee Róger Calero from Nicaragua received barely a fraction of a percent of the votes in '04), I think it is safe to say that a Socialist like Obama, poll advantage notwithstanding, doesn't stand a chance in my country.
But, and this is a very bittersweet but......it's those 15 million undecided that have me scared. If they are that stupid to not be able to decide until now...what other insanity are they capable of??
After not having an answer with 10 months and $1 trillion in campaigning poured on their heads like hot coal, I will not be surprised if these mental heavyweights end up choosing a half American whose only traceable past includes controversial liberation theology, radical guerilla liberalism, relative inexperience and ineptitude, a sketchy birth, and unequivocal support of abortion, and not one shred of evidence of doing anything in the State and National Senate....not one bill, not one change.
Please excuse my lack of excitement in this election. I just keep thinking about those 15 million Americans who are going to decide our next President.
(that is, if they can reach a decision in time to drive to the poll, or not)
