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 was listening to Sarah Palin on TV today during McCain and Palin’s visit to Ohio..oops, I mean Iowa.  In it she shared that John McCain had been talking with her about some of the responsibilities that she would have as Vice President.  I’m sure there will be more things revealed over time, but here is what she shared today (nice to hear some specifics, by the way!)

• Help lead the mission of energy security.  She shared how the cost of energy is affecting many aspects of our economy from the price of food, living (up)  and paycheck (down).   Her experience in Alaska will help in the area of providing energy within our borders.  It is now a matter of National Security, we need American resources provided by American ingenuity and produced by American workers!
• Reforming Government - making government more transparent, more accountable, more acceptable for those who want to  serve.  Will recruit the best people to run agencies, regardless of party affiliation or Washington experience. As Alaska’s governor she put Alaska’s checkbook online so people could see where money was going, will bring that kind of transparency to Washington.
• Funding for students with Special Needs - she shares that this is an issue that touches her heart, starting 13 years ago with the birth of a nephew with autism, and then of course the birth of her own precious special needs child in April, their son, Trig.  (Personally, as a sister to a special needs brother who is now in his 40’s, I am especially attuned to this need, after spending several years researching what was out there, and learning what was needed to make sure that my dear brother was placed in the best group home setting available where we live…and he was this past June.)  She is going to make sure that government is working on behalf of special needs families.

These are just a few things she shared, I look forward to more of this, actual things that are going to be done, from all of the candidates.

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.

No, I noticed, have been taking a break from blogging over the weekend.  But I didn’t miss the fact that McCain had more viewers of his comparatively humble but powerful acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention.  Yes, it was a great night for Obama when he spoke, a great show, I really enjoyed it and as I have shared, commend him on his accomplishment as far as being the first black American to run for President, but the winds have shifted a bit as far as who is in the lead in the race to the White House.

Obama is a wonderful man, but he is out-experienced by McCain, and it is going to show in the days to come. More on that another time, here is John McCain’s acceptance speech in 5 parts. No, he is not the power speaker Obama is, or Sarah Palin is, but he has a LOT of content:

Part 1:

Part 2:

Part 3:

Part 4:

Part 5:

Here’s the woman that everyone was waiting to hear from telling it like it is in her own words. I am going to find the speeches by Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee and will add them later.

Wow, what a speech!  I am speechless!  I am in awe.  Literally, I don’t know what to say.  I will be back to add Sarah’s speech in case you missed it, and to give credit to the person who gets speeches up on YouTube faster than anyone I know.

Sarah spoke clearly, with poise, never cowering under all the attacks she has received in the press, and clearly showed her experience and that she is the right person to stand beside John McCain when THEY BECOME President and Vice President of the United States.

History has been made again this week as Sarah Palin is the first female Republican Vice President to ever be nominated.

Wonderful, brilliant evening…and Fox News, I did watch it on your station, your still my favorite in spite of my earlier post.

I’ve had to change to MSNBC so I can listen to Mitt Romney give an excellent speech because you, FOX NEWS, are to busy keeping up your usual programming.  I love FOX, but you’re disappointing me tonight….and now here’s Mike Huckabee, and you’re skipping him, too!

There’s more to the Republican National Convention than Sarah Palin!!