10

Let's get this one out of the way...

I'm an independent voter. I believe in third parties. The country is making history with this past primary election and the current presidential election. The next historically political ground breaker will be a third party candidate in a tight (and realistic non-Ross Perot, non-Ralph Nader) primary race. I believe in the third party because I decide my vote based on my own personal agenda. I've gone through periods of questioning whether or not this was a moral stance. After all, I do believe in socialized health care. Most importantly though, I believe public education should be paramount. Magnet schools and charter schools are okay too. I didn't go to a good public school. Some would say that West Philadelphia has none anyhow. I did go to a school where ethnic diversity was almost utopian and I did have a few stand out teachers that shaped my teens. The content of my classes lacked but the context saved me. There was no art program (which was a serious minus) and I was forced to think outside my situation (which was a serious plus), make lemonade you know? I was lucky. Most kids in lower economic neighborhoods are screwed by the first day of kindergarden. You all know how shitty this scenario can get. So in my questioning of whether or not voting on my personal agenda was selfish, just recently I realized that the personal and the social are not so mutually exclusive. I'm right in tune with the problems that need to be addressed right now! Hence my official endorsement of Barack Obama.