Until this election, I’ve never voted.  Some reasons for never voting include that I don’t believe that my voice is heard.  I.E. the Electoral College which is way over due to be dismantled.  I’ve got to admit the truth that to me, it never really mattered that much.  It seems that the person elected is the one who has the most money, etc.  In the end, I don’t believe that the choices the elected officials make are made for the betterment of society.  How can it with political action committees, etc. lining the pockets of these officials?

So, the year I finally decide to vote, I’m given some tough choices.  Do I favor risking going back to the time when it was illegal to have an abortion?  How deeply do I want the church to be involved in the state?  Do I believe that what’s offered is any different than what’s in office today?  Or, do I vote for an unknown, who gathered an unheard amount of money with knows what sort of strings attached?  I’m also concerned with his ties to his old church.  How can someone who says they are closely tied to their church not deep down have similar beliefs to the views of their minister?

With both parties preaching and wanting to tie federal money to churches I question just how they plan to maintain the separation of church and state.  I do think that churches are a valuable part of society.  I think that they can do good things for those less fortunate.  That said, today most of what I see is churches taking in money, building grand buildings, and doing things for their own congregation.  What I don’t see as much is the local outreach.

As I watch things moving forward, I see the cabinet members being chosen and yes, I’m jaded but here comes the first round of favors being called in.

The new administration is also going to face the 2010 census.  How will we as a society handle the changing demographics?  What sort of games will get played to get the results that the strongest party wants to hear?