Looks like we've got an election here!

While I'm admittedly not very interested in politics, the 2008 Presidential election has been absolutely thrilling. I think perhaps the best thing about this election is that, for the first time in recent memory, it feels like people are going to be voting FOR a candidate, and not AGAINST one. And we now know who the candidates will be: John McCain and Barack Obama.

In my opinion, these two are the best options on both sides, and this was the election that I have been hoping for. The biggest reason why I'm so happy that one of these two candidates will be our next President is because they don't appear to just blindly follow their party's line. As I mention any time the topic of politics comes up, I am exceptionally disenfranchised by the whole two party system. While I understand the mentality of it, I think it's wildly naive to believe that just because somebody is fiscally conservative, they must be socially conservative as well. And I think it's unfair and ridiculous that people have to choose between these two ideologies, especially when they really do not oppose or conflict with one another.

Listen, I'm a straight, white, Christian male, so chances are I'm not going to find myself victimized by an intolerant community (or society as a whole, for that matter, if we want to look at things pessimistically). Therefore -- and this is unfortunate -- matters that I find unfair, like oppressing the rights of homosexuals, will probably have to take a backseat to interests that personally impact me, like how my money is being spent. Yes, that sounds exceptionally selfish, but I'm sure I'm not the only person who votes this way. And that's one of my main problems with the two party system: for the most part, people are put in a position that they must vote for somebody strictly liberal or strictly conservative.

I'd like to think that our society has evolved a great deal over the past several decades, especially when it comes to being tolerant to those who choose to live a different lifestyle. But in my eyes, the ideologies of the political parties haven't changed with the times, and as such, in many ways, the two party system does more harm than good.

My other issue with our current system is that the vast majority of people I know vote for the party and not the candidate. I'm sure people will defend this practice by saying that your preferred party's candidate better represents your beliefs, but I don't buy that. There are loads of people who vote in elections without knowing anything whatsoever on the candidate they're voting for. They just vote right down the party line.

Just as bad, somebody I know -- who is quite intelligent and rather well informed in regards to politics -- who has stated that he likes McCain, but he wouldn't vote for him because he doesn't want to reward the Republicans with another term. What sort of sense does that make? While it's silly to vote for a candidate because of his party, it's just as bad to NOT vote for somebody because of his party.

I will likely discuss more about the election as it begins to heat up, but at the moment I can honestly say that I would be proud to have either of these men as my President. And it HAS been a long time since I have been able to say that.