The Undecided Voter

Today I read about the undecided voter. The image of this voter changed based on whose summation I read. "Walmart mom", "uneducated", even "no apparent brain activity". All descriptions of this voting set previously known as the undecided citizen. Each trying to decide why there is very little passion in this Presidential race.

Well, let me introduce you to one more category of the undecided voter.

She is educated, has one bachelors, two masters. Works roughly ten hours a day, sometimes less, as a clinical therapist. One evening, she teaches, college level. She has been a yoga instructor, a massage therapist, worked in corporate america, even painted fences on a farm. She donates her time and money to causes, and will put her money where her mouth is on making sure art can be reached by the poorest and least educated. She is pro choice, because she has realized that in the end, life and death are personal. She also believes Oregan or Denmark are a viable plan should choosing death be a necesary option if her own health is terminal.  She does not care about white, black or yellow, but tends to think that America is an evolving race of diversity, and that this diversity surpasses color, or even stereotype. She is middle class, in a good year. And in a bad year, she works harder. She is lucky because she has a family to back her up. She knows not everyone does. She had a scholarship to go to college. She had parents to fund the rest. She knows there are many smart and talented people who never get the chance. She also knows that there are wasted dollars used on others who quite frankly are a waste of time. She has witnessed people on welfare do the "I got my check dance". Those people annoy her. She has seen more often though the mother trying to balance raising children and stretching very few dollars and even fewer food stamps, all the while trying to help their kids with homework.  She understands that teachers aren't the ONLY problem with our education system, but rather a growing segement of children who have processing disorders, chemical imbalances, and emotional disturbance that may need to lead the way in redefining educational approaches. Because if a kid hasn't eaten, mom got the crap beat out of her, and she has only two pairs of clothing...reading, writing, and arithmatic really don't matter. She knows that abuse crosses socioeconomics....but in a recession, violence goes up, period. She wonders why parents have become the "don't you say nothing to my child" enforcement of child delinquency. She wonders why that PE teacher who kept from giving the little boy a reality check that kicked him, isnt' the poster face for making parents deal with the nightmares they are raising. She knows not all parents are at fault. But she knows some are. She appreciates the oil industry that helps her state keep people employed. She doesn't understand why movie stars have an opinion on fracking, especially an uneducated one. She understands that cement and asphalt raise temperatures in cities and less green space means hotter temperatures. She wonders why anyone is focusing on the farts of animals as an environmental issue. She questions why those who receive disability but are able to work aren't put to work picking up trash in parks and public ways, or using a skill they have in a modified work environment. She remembers a friend who was a great carpenter but due to a head injury would get overwhelmed in the workplace. He wanted to work, just needed an adjustment. She doesn't understand why the other issue of our youth, those who are entitled, or whose parents have little control, can't be put into a service reform program to help them regain some basic self respect...She wonders when the media will realize, it is not that she does not care, or is uneducated, its that neither of them give her faith or hope. She does not care if a gay person wants to marry, because she understands that "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" should not dictate personal choice but rather allow for the widest interpretation as long as no one gets hurt. She doesn't get why the Feds care who smokes a joint. She thinks La Guardia was right forty years ago. Personal choice is simply that, personal. She is still annoyed President Bush had a faith council office in the White House. She believes religion and government should stay seperate, but if you are going to have a religious council, maybe all religions should have a seat, including the non religious minded. She wants to have pride in America. America made. America driven. She worries about our military, so many lives lost...both on the battlefield and when they come home. She wonders when we will realize that maybe we need to rethink our goal to save the world, and maybe work on saving ourselves again first. She remembers what she teaches her clients, if you do not heal your self first, you are of no good to anyone else.

She is listening to the debate and is realizing...neither one have any idea  how to fix our country quickly. She knows, in the end, patience is necessary to fix what we have created.

So to both candidates here is what I am looking at:

Prisons are overcrowded and when people are locked up, rehabiliation is not happening. We need real change here. But violent offendors and true dangers of society are the only people who need to be locked up. otherwise, put the folks into a work program where for so many years they work to pay back for their crime. And they still pay taxes and their bills. Education needs an overhaul, but more testing isn't helping. CHANGE WHAT KIDS NEED TO LEARN. Not everyone is going to college nor competing with China. Get creative in creating a new definition of educated. Healthcare--too expensive, period. But folks, to lower costs we gotta figure something out. Illegals, well you know what America, there are some illegals I would keep here any day over some of our own natural born. But we have to get a plan. If you aren't paying taxes, then honestly, no services. So create a voucher to allow them to work legally while waiting for citizenship. Some mental illnesses make working impossible, but we need to evaluate our system all the way through. Youth violent behavior, gangs, etc...PUT THEM IN A SOCIETY SERVICE PROGRAM AND THEN INTO THE MILITARY. If you want to kill, then lets give you a code, some honor, and remove the mayhem your current style causes. Teenage pregnancy...folks some kids will be virgins, some won't. Make options available...then leave it to the kid and the family to decide for themselves. But know that some families aren't healthy, and they can drive really nice cars and be in the PTA. That doesn't make them good for their kids, they just cover it better. Maybe since people are losing their houses, we should rethink foreclosure, because empty houses and homeless people make no sense. Give insurance cuts to people who work to be preventative in their health self care. Oh, and please realize TV and video games do effect our children...maybe we should have more care in what they see and are exposed too. We should protect our kids innocence when and where we can. I don't mind paying taxes, but when the IRS sends me three letters saying I didn't pay my taxes and I did...are you wasting my dollars with inept staff? And stop identifying yourself solely as the political group you are a part of--WE ARE ALL IN THIS SHIP TOGETHER. The reality is, I will never be pro life. You may never be pro choice. So maybe neither of us should decide that issue for the other. I will never think each person has an equal opportunity to succeed, because I have gotten to know the insurmountable difficulties some people face...they will never have an equal chance. And if they do, its because of a miracle. And as for test studies...maybe let people decide if they want to risk trial studies, not the government. If all I have to gain is a chance to live, why should you decide that for me? And yes, know that I realize my statement makes my pro choice stance seem hypocritical, but I define life as ability to live independently from host body. We have starving folks, why not let resturauts have a donation process for food left over. We have grocery stores who have food that won't sell, why not create laws that allow for them to donate viable food. Another day I will address corporate america and taxes, but today Maslow's Heirarchy indicates basic needs should be addressed.

Govenor Romeny, you scare me. You seem to think everyone has a hidden piggy bank they refuse to use. But you made some good points so I am going to research what you have done in your state.
President Obama, you have frustrated me. But you have also tried to look out for those who really are not able to help themselves without a hand.

Why am I undecided? Because our problems are so layered. And picking a direction is kind of like seeing alot of paths in the woods...you can't see where they end up.

Maybe, if I keep typing, keep talking, keep educating myself...maybe by November one of you will stand apart as the right leader for my country.

And if not...guess a coin toss will work too. By the way---one thing I do know--the tricky, shady, negative ads....they are juvenile and show me your 7th grade mentality. Stop it. It's wrong. And it shows no leadership, just really poor taste.

So why am I undecided?