Electoral angst. Pretty boring.

This morning Cook and I were pondering our voter information booklet, and discussing our voting options. Turns out we're both voting for Obama, Cook for some well-thought-out reasons that I kind of listened to, and I for the Gas Tax Reason. I'm dubious that it's possible to really make an informed choice in candidates. You can't really make a decision based on whether you like the candidate "as a person" because they'll never let you know who they are, and anybody running for president kind of has to be a self-centered jerk by definition. And there are just so many freaking decisions. Even when you make an uninformed decision based on a single issue (like... the gas tax!), things get confusing. For example, I'm struggling with choosing between the Democratic US Senate candidates (who will be tackling the Eeeeevil Gordon Smith in November). They come down pretty much the same on lots of stuff, but on different sides on some of my personal hot-button issues. I'm thinking I'll pick the one who is opposed to the death penalty, JUST BECAUSE OF THAT ONE ISSUE. That seems kind of nuts, but I don't really see how I can make a decision without spending the next two weeks doing intensive research. So... I'm making decisions pretty much arbitrarily.

Looking at the booklet also reminds me about how little I know. Cook and I were puzzling over things like which state district we're in, which regional district we're in, etc. I've never heard of the people running for various judge positions. I frequently end up in the voting booth (something I'll never experience again, because Oregon only votes by mail) making decisions based on whether or not the candidate has an interesting name. And I'm supposed to be an educated person.

Anyway, that Senate primary race is exciting because I have actually SEEN one of the candidates (he lives in our neighborhood), and Cook has seen them both! Politics is so thrilling!