>So who are you voting for? My vote is still in “wait and see” mode, though I much prefer change over status quo. In that sense I would be for Obama (some change) over McCain (more of the same). But these two are not our only choices. Here is a list of who’s running for president. It is interesting and disconcerting that there are so many candidates, so many hopeful and, dare I say, brazen individuals who would seek the highest office in the land and yet their voices are almost completely silenced by corporate media. Most U.S. citizens only know of McCain and Obama, and some additionally know of Nader. What of the others? Below are videos of just three of those “other” candidates.

Gloria LaRiva: Party for Socialism and Liberation

Bob Barr: Libertarian Party

Kat Swift: Green Party

It is easy to dismiss any presidential candidate who does not stand a significant chance to win. There are many who will vote for Obama because he appears to represent something very different than the current administration and because he has a chance to win. In all likelihood, though, Obama will not bring about the kind of change this country truly needs, but he will likely be a superior president than Bush.

There is still a big problem in U.S. politics, for what we have in our nation’s capitol is more like a single party with two factions than any substantial differences. That party, whether it’s the Democrat faction or the Republican faction, is still pro big business, pro lobbyists, pro U.S. imperialism (rough and tough, or kinder gentler), and pro power politics. We are told to love our country, but should not the command to love one’s neighbor ultimately triumph over love of country?

The truth is, the revolution that started this country, and has continued in one form or another (abolition, suffrage, labor rights, civil right, etc.), is a threat to the current status quo. How much of that revolution are we willing to give up as long as we are promised personal peace and prosperity? How long will we continue to describe our form of government as a democracy but desire that someone else do the heavy lifting? Are we willing to both seek and accept real change? Personally I find this a real challenge, and I don’t have any clear answers. Which begs the question: Who (and what) are you voting for?

[I’m not really asking for your answer here, I’m just posing the the question as a thought experiment.]