Buying the Presidency

November 2008 - I cannot recall when there was a more critical election in my lifetime. I think the first time I was old enough to vote in the general election was the year President Nixon was elected. I've cast my vote on local and federal ballots every time since then, not taking for granted the ease in which Americans can exercise their right to do so.

This election has me tired, for one thing. Well, tired of all the media coverage, I guess. What has me thinking is the amount of money the candidates have spent trying to get to live in that big house on Pennsylvania Avenue.

Barack Obama is now running around the country with Hillary Clinton encouraging the folks to donate ching to help her pay off the debt of millions of dollars she spent on her campaign. John McCain raised nearly 22 million dollars last month to fund his ongoing campaign.

Don't even get me started on how much money our country has spent on the Iraq war.

Selfishly, I'll mention that I have two children with an uncurable, and untreatable neuromuscular disorder. (See that Gotta Buck on the left top of my blog???) Can you even fathom how much research for a cure could be funded with 22 million dollars? Staggering, isn't it? Sometimes, I wish a celebrity would have FA, and then the money would roll in, wouldn't it? Not taking anything away from Michael J. Fox, whom I love, but it really hits home when it HITS HOME. Anyway, you get my point. And, I don't really wish FA on anyone, so relax.

Campaign reform? I'm not even sure what it means. Common sense tells me there must be a swifter and easier way to elect a leader of the most powerful nation on the planet.

Hold tight folks, the roller coaster ride will be over in a little more than three months. Until then, we do have the wherewithall to simply change the channel, turn off the volume and close the pages. The trade off is, unless you already know who your guy is, and who they are appointing to key positions, ya gotta stay tuned.

The one with the most money wins.

Sad state of affairs, isn't it?