No Pressure...Really

I am a Florida voter.

(But I wasn't a Florida voter in 2000 during the Bush-Gore debacle).

I've received questions along the lines of "How are you a Florida voter? You were living in North Carolina...now you live in Nebraska. Shouldn't you be voting in Nebraska now?"

So I'll point you here to discuss the laws that govern how military members vote, particularly in federal elections.

Florida has traditionally been a Republican state, but things seem to be turning. I don't want to focus on the left-lean of her blog, but the Huffington Post points to some recent numbers that suggest that Florida will once again be at the center of attention this election season.

That being said, I'm starting to get wooed by folks suggesting that indeed by vote counts! My military absentee ballot will help drive the electors one way or another. And electors in Florida the Swing State might actually count for something...again.

But which way to vote?

I don't know. Really, I don't. To be honest, for the first time in my life, I'm not naturally drawn to the Republican candidate. There are many things important to me that the Democratic candidate is offering a better outlook on Iraq policy, energy, Veteran's affairs, Social Security, helping Americans through our recession/depression, etc. But the Republican's platform on immigration, health care and education are more appealing to me.

I don't know what to do -- I want to get my absentee ballot mailed off at the end of this week...this decision will be haunting me till then.

Operation Marriage

A Good Read. This doesn't endorse one candidate or another, but reminds us of the few in America who are fighting for the freedoms of the whole country.

It's a tough place to be in: on the one hand, I'm grateful that I'm only going to the Middle East for a very short time, and that in 2003 Dave was only in Iraq for a very short time also. But on the other hand, is it fair that those Soldiers, Marines and Airmen who have been on multiple tours carry my family's burden?