First may I extend my heartfelt sympathy to the Obama family at the loss of Barack’s grandmother.  It must be good to know that the election process is finally drawing to a close so that there will be more time with family, time to honor her.

Please know that because my husband and I are not Democrats, and do not agree with many of the things on the Democratic platform, we do not let this come between us and the people around us.  Oh we talk back to the commentators on television, and make a nasty comment or two at something that is said, but the bottom line is that we care about family and friends no matter what the party or who they vote for.

That is something that is concerning me with this campaign…people are so passionate about it, that I’m concerned about what kind of reactions there will be when one candidate wins, and the other does not.  I do like how Obama always speaks of us having to come together, no matter what our differences are, and trust that will be what happens.

Still, as is almost always the case, tomorrow we will be voting Republican, for John McCain, Sarah Palin and those on the ballot in our State and local government.  I guess that is quite obvious from this blog.  At long, long last, it’s the night before election day.  My husband has gone to get his challenge papers (he’s on the local town committee for our party), and we have reviewed our sample ballots.  The yard is “decorated” with signage of his favorite candidates, and we were able to get ahold of a McCain/Palin sign a little while back, better late than never.

For me, election day and evening is almost like watching the Super Bowl, or the World Series, a game with a winner and someone who doesn’t win, but the far reaching consequences are so very much greater.

Get out and vote, everyone, and whatever the outcome, remember, we live in the greatest Country in the World…God has blessed America, don’t forget to thank Him for that, and lets come out of this excessively long campaign season, and the election, caring for one another, no matter what candidate we voted for, and no matter who wins.

I guess this is as good a time as any to have a little fun, and to remind my readers why I started this blog, especially since most of the political news is about negative advertising, negative this, negative that, and I’m not in the mood to write about it.  Republicans, you may like this, Democrats, maybe not.

First, I started this blog because of my husband…he has always been into politics, and I have had only a slight interest.  It’s tough being married to a guy that loves talking about the latest thing he heard on Rush Limbaugh, or the latest thing he heard at a meeting because of his involvement in local politics when frankly, I don’t care as much as I should, so I thought that maybe if I mixed my love for blogging with writing about political things it would help me come to terms.

Here is the latest thing that my husband received from a member of his family that he forwarded to me by email…yes, even though he’s sitting a room away at his desktop while I’m at my laptop.  We have a bear that visits frequently, (visit my New Jersey Baby Boomer blog under the “NJ Wildlife” category for our latest pictures) either our trash or bird feeder, so we loved this for a few reasons :-)  Here goes:

The photo below captures a disturbing trend that is beginning to affect wildlife in the US. Animals that were formerly self-sufficient are now showing signs of belonging to the Democratic Party… as they have apparently learned to just sit and wait for the government to step in and provide for their care and sustenance.

As I’ve said before, you don’t have to be a Democrat to be moved by the significance of this evening.  As I type, Barack speaks as the first African American to be nominated as a candidate for the presidency 45 years to the day after the great Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream” speech. This is a big night, a wonderful moment, a huge crowd in Invesco Field/Mile High Stadium listening to the man they hope will be the next President of the United States.

Tonight Barack is speaking out against the present administration, McCain as our future President, and the usual litany of things that he believes is wrong with “the present administration” we’ve come to expect, so it is time for me to say yes, this is a wonderful, historic night, but this is not my party and unless something changes between now and November, will not be the man I will be voting for.

Now, for the record, here are most of the promises Obama is making, typed quickly as he speaks:

• Eliminate Capital Gains taxes for small biz.
• Cut taxes for 95% of all working families
• Clear goal, 10 years end dependance on oil from the middle east.
• Tap Natural Gas Reserves
• Invest in clean coal tech
• Fuel efficient cars built here in America
• Easier to afford these cars
• Will invest 150billion in affordable renewable sources of energy, leading to new industries, new jobs that can’t be outsourced.
• Provide children a world-class education
• Higher salaries for teachers, new teachers, more accountability
• If you commit to serving your community or our Country, will make sure you can afford a college education
• Affordable, accessable health care…lower premiums if have insurance, if none, same kind as members of Congress, care for those who need care the most.
• Change bankruptcy laws
• Protect Social Security
• Equal Pay for Equal days work, woman as men
• Many of plans will cost money so will close corporate loopholes and…
• Line by line through federal budget and eliminate those things that don’t work
• We must all do our part in caring for our children,

War: and here is where I just have to stop, because I don’t agree at all with Obama’s ideas on the war.  So much is left out of what he is saying.  As for the things in the list above, many are the same as Republicans have been saying.  And on he goes with a list of the things we don’t necessarily agree on…abortion, gun control, immigration, gay & lesbian couples…complicated issues with a lot more behind them than a sentence or phrase can cover.

But it is a good and motivating speech.  The crowd is phenomenal.

It will interesting to see the Republican convention….come on my Democratic friends, I spent a week watching your Convention, take some time to watch ours, and lets compare notes.  My husband watches with his mind made up, I watch with an open mind, and we, for the most part, come away feeling pretty much the same.

September 11th is right around the corner, the big turning point in our Country, a big part of what has brought us to where we are today, I almost wish the Republican Convention was going to take place on that week.

Good night.

I just finished watching the video honoring Hillary preceding her speech, and wow, after the build up today, it really is all about her tonight. The video brought all the memories and feelings back of her campaign, I don’t know how those who voted for her, and still want her to be the Democratic Candidate can come away not being recharged. There’s Bill, in tears in the audience, and saying “I love you”, the applause is not stopping!

It’s a bit hard to read Michelle Obama, she stands to applaud each time the mention of uniting the party is given, but I haven’t seen a smile yet. Ah, there it is, she smiled at “Barack Obama is my candidate”. Now it’s back to “you and me”, focusing on herself. Oh my, is it ever about herself, all the “I will always remember…..” memories from her campaign. Then back to Barack. I guess you could say she’s flip-flopping back and forth between promoting Barack, and herself. Well I suppose she has a right, she did win many, many delegates, and even if I don’t agree with everything, she is a gifted speaker.

Well I’m going to take in the rest of the speech now, and we’ll see how tomorrow night goes…will the 100’s of Clinton supporters that are outside the Pepsi Center holding Hillary signs and saying vote McCain cause a little trouble during the delegate count? Stay tuned…this is getting fun! Oh, the hubby-into-politics I’m married to? He went to bed, has to get up early, and will listen to the details tomorrow on Rush Limbaugh.

One more thing, hubby had a few good laughs at the following video…lines from Hillary that just keep on giving if you’re a Republican: