By Lahle Wolfe

Daniel, it does seem to me as well that more people are taking an interest in this presidential election than in any other I can recall. I am not sure, however, if the interest is in issues and the sad state of our nation and a need for change (we needed one four years ago) or because of the circus-like atmosphere created by the press. And, Palin, our star circus pony of the moment, shunning the press does not surprise me; she has run from responsibilities and confrontation in the past.

I long ago stopped trying to figure out which media service was the least biased (they are all biased) and which valued reporting real news over sensational news because sometimes news is both important and sensational. It can get confusing to say the least, especially news services are not only reporting dirt on candidates but also on each other!

For example, Palin’s personal life is fair game. She is not being attacked with any more vigor than if Obama had a mistress, McCain used Viagra, or Biden smoked dope (by the way, none of these things are even being speculated). In politics, personal lives are public lives. And, some of the “dirt” reporters dig up is truly relevant in understanding the character of a leader as well as what baggage they bring with them to the Oval Office. We are talking about electing and empowering someone to lead this nation. Yeah, I want to know about more than just their professional career, but just how much, even I am not sure. There is a fine line between “should know” news and tasteless reporting.

As a self-employed, single mother of four children, I need to know what issues candidates have and currently support that affect me personally, as well as the nation as a whole, which also affects each one of us as individuals. How a candidate has voted and performed in the past is a pretty good indicator of how they will vote and behave in the future. No, that is not Dr. Phil channeling through me – but he is right about past behavior being pretty good predictors of future behavior.

On every score, I agree with LaToya who demonstrated so effectively that she is not voting for a candidate or a party - she is voting for a future for her children – she is voting issues.

As things stand now, my children will grow up unable to retire on social security. When two of my children turn 19, they will be dropped from my insurance policy (healthcare cost me $1500 per month out-of-pocket because I am self-employed) and they will become uninsurable because they have diabetes. They will have to find insurance through full-time work via some terrible ERISA-governed employer-sponsored plan, which means they can forget college if they want health insurance. Since in almost all 50 states people with type 1 diabetes can be denied a driver’s license, I guess they will be taking the bus, too. Except, that being female, they will make less than my sons will (for working the same jobs) so let’s hope we are no longer a nation of oil-addicts so that bus fare will be affordable.

I really do not care if Palin’s daughter is pregnant but will Palin care when my own daughters are pregnant? Will she (or any of the candidates) drive this nation in such a way that when my own daughters become mothers they will have health care and maternity benefits? That, when they turn 19 – barely legal, they will have prescription coverage for the $25,000 a year that diabetes testing supplies alone will cost them? As for McCain’s 8 houses, as my 13-year-old would say, “whatever.” As long as my kids can afford even one house someday, I will be happy.

For me, voters should not be questioning each other “who do you support?” They should be asking “who supports us?”

This week's previous posts (most recent first): Filtering the Media