As pointed out, it may not be that people remain not undecided, but rather uncommitted, not trusting their core values as a person.

For myself, trusting myself, what I feel in my gut to be right has proven to be of benefit in my own personal growth as a person, yet an election reaches well beyond that. Many people just pick out of haste, or for a single reason only, without that mental pro and con list that I personally feel is a useful tool in not only making an informed decision, but being able to tie that bungee cord on your ankles and jumping from the safety of the ledge. Some of us are bungee jumpers, some are not.

My own decision was not easy, but it was my decision, one I made on gut instinct, on the pros and cons, the real solid issues of the economy and the war, our position in the world not for one of power, but for one of survival at this point. Backed into what I feel is a corner. In a crisis I react, but in picking out what to wear, I give it much thought and attention, but when I make my choice it is a commitment to that choice and the ability to wear it.

Obama/Biden vs. McCain/Palin, what if things were switched around?…..think about it. Would the country’s
collective point of view be different? Ponder the following:
What if the Obamas had paraded five children across the stage,
including a three month old infant and an unwed, pregnant teenage daughter?
What if John McCain was a former president of the Harvard Law
Review?
What if Barack Obama finished fifth from the bottom of his graduating
class?
What if McCain had only married once, and Obama was a divorcee?
What if Obama was the candidate who left his first wife after a severe
disfiguring car accident, when she no longer measured up to his
standards?
What if Obama had met his second wife in a bar and had a long
affair while he was still married?
What if Michelle Obama was the wife who not only became addicted
to pain killers but also acquired them illegally through her charitable
organization?
What if Cindy McCain graduated from Harvard?
What if Obama had been a member of the Keating Five?
What if McCain was a charismatic, eloquent speaker?
What if Obama couldn’t read from a teleprompter?
What if Obama was the one who had military experience that included
discipline problems and a record of crashing seven planes?
What if Obama was the one who was known to display publicly, on many occasions, a serious anger management problem?
What if Michelle Obama’s family had made their money from beer
distribution?
What if the Obamas had adopted a white child?
You could easily add to this list. If these questions reflected
reality, do you really believe the election numbers would be as close as they
are?
This is what racism does. It covers up, rationalizes and minimizes
positive qualities in one candidate and emphasizes negative qualities
in another when there is a color difference.
Educational Background:
Barack Obama:
Columbia University – B.A. Political Science with a Specialization in
International Relations.
Harvard – Juris Doctor (J.D.) Magna Cum Laude
Joseph Biden:
University of Delaware – B.A. in History and B.A. in Political Science.
Syracuse University College of Law – Juris Doctor (J.D.)
vs.
John McCain:
United States Naval Academy – Class rank: 894 of 899
Sarah Palin:
Hawaii Pacific University – 1 semester
North Idaho College – 2 semesters – general study
University of Idaho – 2 semesters – journalism
Matanuska-Susitna College – 1 semester
University of Idaho – 3 semesters – B.A. in Journalism
Education isn’t everything, but this is about the two highest offices in the land as well as our standing in the world. You make the call.

More information on McIan/Obama according to Gov.Track.US:

Barack Obama has missed 301 (23%) of 1282 votes since January 6, 2005.

Has sponsored 136 bills since Jan. 4, 2005 of which 122 haven’t made it out of committee and two were enacted into law.

John McCain has missed 733 (18%) of 4099 votes since Feb. 4, 1993.

Has sponsored 537 bills since Jan. 21, 1993 of which 340 haven’t made it out of committe and 31 were enacted into law.

Which candidate has the most responsible voting record and which candidate has the most experience in terms of bills enacted into law?

Do the math.

My guess is that these people are not just unable to decide a candidate. I would be willing to bet they are unable to make ANY decisions in daily life too.

I don’t think there are that many undecided, I think there are a lot of people who are very soft in their support of either candidate and the final decision will be made literally at the moment they pull the lever. Who they vote for will be made on a purely emotional basis, no reason, no logic, nothing but a “gut feeling”. And that is because neither of the candidates are fitting into our idea of the “ideal candidate”. There are too many ifs, buts, and what ifs. So everything this week, over the weekend right up until Tuesday will drive them to pick whoever they feel is right, honest, trustworthy enough at that very last minute. And it could be someone totally different than who they are leaning to right now. That’s why I don’t believe the polls. There are just too many voters who are miserably unhappy with both of these candidates and don’t like either one.

To Cathy:
What if John McCain was not born in the USA and had relationships with numerous individuals with terrorist ties and Barrack Obama did not?

What if John McCain billed his legal services to not 1, but at least 2 organizations that were found guilty of housing fraud while they were paying him and Barrack Obama did not?

What if Cindy McCain has finally found a reason to be proud of being an American and Michelle Obama always had?

What if John McCain was spending over 600 million dollars on his campaign while preaching how bad ecomomy is and Barrack Obama was not?

What is John McCain had the American Flag removed from the tail of his plane and Barrack Obama did not?

What if John McCain’s supporters were already preparing to scream discrimination and Barrack Obama’s were not? (Remember, blacks could vote before women could)

What if John McCain were producing ads to emulate Martin Luther King even though he is not African American and Barrack Obama was not? (And no, Barrack Obama is NOT an African-American)

What if Barrack Obama had years of experience and John McCain did not?

Cathy, maybe you should ask a few more questions. . . and perhaps, questions that actually matter.

For all those who claim african americans supporting Obama is a form of racism is not true.

Most black people tend be democratic, and they’ve always voted democratic regardless of the color of the candidates in the past. The only difference this time around is that its a black candidate who is also well qualified.

When white americans ran the country for most of its history and the white citizens always voted for those white candidates, it wasn’t racist back then. So how do you people think its racist when the black people do the same.

The difference b/w the blacks in this country and the racially motivated whites is that black people will go out and vote even if the election is made up of 2 white candidates only. Whereas the white people who are swayed by race will most likely sit out an election if there are 2 black candidates only….that is racism.

I think we have been living in such panic and fear for several years now. We have so much information in front of us that it is hard to be clear about the choices we do make. I feel most of us are going to vote with one eye close and hope that the choice we make, is the right choice. I am really excited but nervous at the same time. Everyone is sitting on the edge at this point and I think we have been holding our breath for way too long. The media plays these games with the public view and it has been up to the individual do thier own research for this election.

Wow! Cathy what amazing points you make. It is sad to see that very few people look at this presidential race with facts in hand. Rather, the choice is based on questions like “who will I feel more comforatble sitting at a bar with or inviting to my house”. What are the chances of the next president showing up at your house anyway.
We will see how this negative bashing and unecessary name calling will pan out.
We need a president who can solve our domestic and international problems which are enormous by the way.

What if Mcain’s wife hated America and was a racist?
What if Mcain actually only voted “present” 90% of the time?
What if Mcain had only 2 years of office?
What if Mcain was a socialist and wanted to increase taxes during a depression?
What if Mcain was the favorite choice of Hamas, Iran, France, Chavez, and Castro?
What if Mcain spent 600M on his election and rejected public financing?
What if Mcain voted against reforming oversight of GSE’s because he and his buddies Kerry, Dodd, and Clinton, were on the payroll of Fannie and Freddie, which led to the housing crisis, which spiraled into the credit crisis, and now a worldwide recession?
What if Mcain was a silver-tounged fox who mesmerizes audiances with meaningless speeches about hope and change?
What if all our international enemies wanted McCain to be preside

Obama will not even release his college transcripts, his long form birth certificate or other basic infomation to which voters are certainly entitled. What if if he did? Why does he does not….? I know lots of Harvard grads and quite frankly I have never met one that i would want to govern anything except themselves.

What’s the similarity between Obama and Osama? They both know someone who has bombed the Pentagon.

Great…..

I am still undecided, sort of. I am pretty certain that I am not voting for McCain/Palin, so my decision now comes down to Obama/Biden or a third party.

Part of the reason I am undecided is because I am one of those terrible decision makers you speak of. I always wait until the last minute to make decisions, no matter how big or small. I’m so noncommittal that I hate to choose one thing over another.

But I’m also just not sold on Barack Obama. I think he’s kind of like a Christmas present that comes in a big box with shiny, glittery wrapping, only to find that a pair of socks rests inside once you open it. The challenges of the next president will be extremely formidable, and I’m worried about his lack of experience (although the fact that he seems to be determined to surround himself with the best possible people is reassuring). There are also a few questions about him that I have not seen answered to a satisfactory degree, and like many independents, I lean conservative when it comes to economic matters but lean liberal on many social matters, so I am concerned that his tax plan will not work.

I’m not at all thrilled with the options I have this Election Day. McCain/Palin to me is an unelectable ticket, largely due to the frighteningly unqualified and borderline incompetent Palin (seriously Gov. Palin, two weeks out from Election Day and you incorrectly answer a question about what the Vice President’s duties are???) and disgraceful, Rove-ian campaign. Obama/Biden is unappealing to me due to the reasons listed above. I’ve done so much more research on these parties than any other election, to the point where I have election fatigue, and I’m just not satisfied with what I’ve come up with. So I think that the main reason I’m undecided isn’t because I’m a horribly undecisive person, but rather I don’t like my options.

Picking a tie is a harder decision than picking a winner in this election. Obama/Biden ‘08

C’mon Dr. Gupta,
You know that the medical environment is differentially tested with an alpha of 0.01, as opposed to the social sciences with an alpha of 0.05… there’s a difference. Psychology is not a hard science, and is in fact the least grounded to reality… people can change their minds, and there are statistical tendencies that show trending patterns to allude to the fact that nothing can be taken for granted with human decision making, unless unbiased samples with large numbers of people are taken.

You know, if anyone still hasn’t got it yet, he/she will never do so.
These are people who will decided impulsively at the last minute, fear might be a factor and in normal times, it would work to move them either way.
Not this time though, the reson being that the Republicans have managed to scare the hell out of the American poeple by mismanaging everything since day one till today .. and there are a lot of reasons to fear that in the remaining months they might even manage to get it worse than it is already.
So, trying to scare the undecided voters either way won’t work, they are already scared.
This means undecied voters will go random, 50 % McCain, 50% Obama.
Conclusion: we do have a new President.

I do think many of the undecided did decide just are not saying.
Not because of the fear of being called racist but many older folks still believe in the idea of secret ballot for a reason.
No matter what the polls tell us night after night that will not sway my decision.
While this blog was interesting, i wonder where those that use to be one party all their lives looked at how a party treated their candidates and decided they just could not stomach some of the party leaders leading the show or how far that party was heading in another direction????
I do think it is possible to change based on current information.

The call is easy. Who best embodies the principles this country was founded on and has created a society of freedom and unprecedented wealth that is the envy of the world? The answer the McCain ticket. Education is nice – and I’ve got as impressive of educational credentials as OB. But one of my greatest revelations in life has been that education does not guarantee success – or preclude it. And real life experience is vital for anyone in a leadership position – as theory is just that. OB is an articulate theorist with a world view that devoid of realism and lacking in the economic understanding and the wisdom gained from tough decision-making. He lives in a world of academia where wanting an outcome is the same as achieving it. A world were indignation and anger is an adolescent, but rewarded, emotion. Where all power is achieved by controlling the government purse strings, not from any personal success or sacrifice. His policies are naive, a recipe for failure and will fundamentally erode what has made this country great. I can only hope the instincts of the American people override emotionalism and individual self-absorption and Obama is rejected despite the best attempts of the media and the corrupt liberal machine that spawned him.

I am still undecided. Who is the lesser of two evils?

Cathy, your post would be more appropriate if you also highlighted some of Obama’s problems as well. It is better to try and see both sides of the issue first. Neither candidate is perfect, but your post makes it seem as if Obama can do no wrong. That may be misleading to some readers.

Wow, Cathy. I decided to vote for Obama back in August, but I don’t think poorly of McCain. There are some McCain policies I think would work better than some of Obama’s proposals, but I ended up agreeing more often with Obama’s ideas. Still, when I read those questions, I realized I would think things of Obama and his wife that I don’t think of McCain, Palin, Cindy, or anyone else involved in this race. It stings.

I have met some exceptional leaders who did not have an impressive educational background. I have also met some individuals who came with every graduate degree, yet had no leadership capability.

Granted, a proper education is your foot in the door. However, would an employer looking at resumes spend much time considering the education of an applicant who had the length of experience that McCain has had?

It might be more fair to consider Obama’s educational background since it’s more recent, and also, since he doesn’t have significant experience of any kind to point to. If I was writing Obama’s resume in applying for a job, I’d also focus on my education, not my experience. In McCain’s case, the argument for or against him should rest with his extensive background as a leader, not his qualities as a student sixty years ago.

Furthermore, McCain’s flight history is about as relevant as Obama’s history selling cocaine: completely unimportant to this election.

It doesn’t make any difference. It has to come from the gut because the republicans and democrats think about themselves, their parties. Nothing is there for the American people. Democrats have the distinction of majority but as of today nothing is being done. All I hear is a bunch of adults bickering like kids. Get your stuff together or get out of politics…

Thank you, Cathy. That’s extremely insightful and I hope helps a lot of people make their mind up based more on integrity and the issues than false perceptions based on race and what color you have to be to be “patriotic.” (p.s., why aren’t more people concerned about Sarah Palin’s affiliation with the Alaska Independence Party – that wants to split with the U.S.?)

Thank you too, Dr. Gupta. I always learn a lot and enjoy watching you on television and reading your articles.

plain and simple, vote Obama, for a better more prosperous america, or vote Mccain and watch those 10 billion a month jump to 20 billion a month with a another war in iran. victory belongs to the families of our soldiers not to john mccain who continues to say he won’t end the war without victory and honor, speaking about “honor” his campaign has been far from that. his VP pick said herself she spread the wealth to the people of alaska, taking form the oil companies and selling that jet, is she a socialist?

Cathy unfortunately, and intentionally, fails to appreciate the disconnect of her comments with the gist of the article. Like many on the left she now wants to apply the charge of racism to those who don’t share her skewed view of the world; I suppose we could add the biases of ageism, sexism, liberalism, and any number of other personal biases to those that oppose the McCain. And let me frame the educational point she’s trying to make – one highly intelligent candidate without a record of any major public accomplishment and one middle of the pack senator who lies about his class standing only give their lawyer brethren a bad name, if that’s possible for our elite American lawyer caste. We of course need more self-centered lawyers running the government. That will do a lot to improve “our standing inthe world.”

True leaders are not located in the academic world but demonstrate leadership in the “real world” . Common sense and guts trumps all educational skills. There is nothing worse then an educated idiot with a high IQ that thinks they desrve the world on a silver platter just because of a piece of paper. Mr Obama may come from a good educational backroud but if he is elected it will be the first job he will hold for at least 4 years. Life experience does count more then what somone did in school 20 or 30 0r 40 years ago.

JFK continued to make only lackluster grades–”gentleman’s C’s,” as the expression went. He wrote occasionally for the Harvard Crimson, the campus newspaper, but had little involvement with campus politics, preferring to concentrate on athletics and his social life.

I agree with Kathy’s very valid observations. I remember a prominent american from a minority community who once said with a lot of frustration in his voice that he has to keep running just to stay where he was. These are prejudices that are perpetuated and will not go away easily.

Linda,
That’s a lot of typing. You should have just said:
1. America is racist
2. If you don’t graduate from the Ivy League elite, you’re not fit to lead the country.

I happen to disagree with you on both accounts.
I would suggest, if you’re trying to come across as unbiased, including negative and postive things about both candidates, unless you’re so deep into the movement, you can’t see any negative side to your candidate. And in that case, hope for you would be lost.
Cheerio.

Cathy,

Our politics may differ but thank you for one of the most well-thought, well presented, non-sound-bite-ideology responses I’ve read in a very long time.

You give me hope as we move into a new era…I fear we, as a country, have abdicated our thinking to the media, on both sides of the aisle.

I hope you have children and can teach them to think for themselves, compare, contrast and make their own decisions based on their beliefs, intellect and researched information.

Well done.

Cathy, I can tell you there’s at least one person who is less favorable towards Obama because of your post. Your attempt to twist this topic into a pro-Obama propganda position with selective facts offends me as a reader. This article has nothing to do with any of the “facts” you bray about.

Though to be honest, I still don’t have any real negativity towards Obama the man, or Obama the candidate – just his supporters and campaign flacks.

Cathy,

What if Sarah Palin was a Plain Jane, sexless left liberal that wore “burlap textured” pants suits? I think you’d overlook the education part then. The women of this country should be ashamed of themselves the way they have treated Sarah Palin. The hardest thing about law school is paying the tuition, but I’m sure Obama had help with that also.

When I look at McCain and Obama it makes me wonder why the Miss America pageant selects a winner from 53 candidates, but we chose our President from only 2 candidates.

We’re screwed no matter who wins!

Thank you Cathy for pointing out the truth.
With G.W. Bush, we elected a similar man. So yeah, he was a Harvard graduate, but spent more time at his frat house getting drunk. A man with a lot of money but limited I.Q.
Same story with Ronald Reagan. A man with C average grades.
Only in America where we find idiots who vote for like minded idiots because they fear anyone smarter than themselves. A person they “can have a beer with”. A friend rather than a leader. A good old boy.
This has become the measure of our political leaders. A nation of underacheivers. Bart and Homer Simpsons of America. And we seem to relish in our mediocrity. But trumpet our patriotism. Flag waving “real Americans” as opposed to “fake ones” Maybe that’s all we have left. The real cynicism here is these right wing extremists. They only see what they want to see. A narrow view of America. They gladly embrace their racism and hatred. Like a badge of honor. For they believe they are the last real patriot left in these United States. “United” being an oxymoron.

That was both cute and meaningful. Thanks,

I already voted. I do remember long ago when I did not worry until the last minute though. I hope the undecideds today take an hour to surf the net, hopefully finding acutal audio-visual so they can judge from the mouths of the candidates themselves. If one is truly undecided, this is at least a several hours process.

But you will never again see a time when a couple of hours was more important.

Tim Gibson [As pointed out, it may not be that people remain not undecided, but rather uncommitted, not trusting their core values as a person.]

I think you’re giving people way too much credit. I think there is a large number of people who simply do not care. They will possibly hear reasons for voting one way or the other, but it will not change their job (or so they think) tomorrow, nor do they think it will change their world.

I was recently surprised to find that several otherwise intelligent people I know, have never voted.

Cathy,
Your point is so thought provoking. Thank you for sharing, I am going to share this link with some friends. It breaks my heart that the racism continues in spite of some good progress we have made. I encourage all people to get to know people who are different than you (race, religion, sexual orientation, ethnicity) and strive to understand where they are coming from. I think this would open many heart and minds. We are all human and have more in common than we do differences. Until then, I will keep praying for an end to hatred in this world.

Thank you again Cathy, you have opened my eyes to this blatant racism.

It’s so easy; vote democrat to restore our economy and end the invasion of Iraq. What’s to decide?

Thank you Cathy… you just helped make an undecided voter decided. Im going to double check all those claims, but they look solid from the few I checked while scrolling through them. Now to print this and show it to a few buddies. Nice to see some clear cut info even if its late in the game.

I guess I am wondering whether the undecideds are undecided on MacCain or Obama, or whether they’re undecided on voting for a third-party candidate, or undecided about voting the top of the ballot at all?

Yes, education isn’t everything. But it shows your commitment to better yourself, learn about the things you don’t know yet (you have to know you don’t know everything) and definitely the core intelligence. That is why college graduates consistently perform better at work places. Let’s say you are a business owner planning to hire someone to be CEO of your company. Who would you choose?

Thanks Cathy – sometimes I’m mad at Obama for not saying some of these things, but in retrospect, he’s shown himself to be a true leader by being termperate. He knows he will have to work with all parties and has won people over with his demeanor. That includes me. I’ve lost respect for J. McCain and I never had any for his running mate.

Cathy, according to you, anyone who graduates with top grades from Harvard should become the CEO of Exxon, huh? When you interview for a job (assuming you have ever worked), are you not asked WHAT HAVE YOU DONE? So to add to your questions:
What if McCain believed in “…to each according to his needs…”?
What if McCain believed in buying votes (read “earmarks”) at the rate of $1 million a day?
What if Palin believed that Obama was an exceptional Senator with whom she would have “…been proud to serve…” and who was a very good personal friend but now she had to drag through the gutter?
The decision is not as easy as you find it. If Obama wins, you may yet live to regret it.

I don’t believe that either Obama or McCain can change the tide of the bad U.S. economy. Who is to blame for the U.S. economic system is both the democrats and republicans and the american system in how people are divided by class in this country.

There is at least one other type of decision maker. It is the person whose mind was formed long ago and will not change regardless of the evidence presented. They are the dogmatists who see the world not as it is but as they want it to be. They do not tolerate subtlety, shun complexity and they are never undecided. They are great at placing blame and slow to accept responsibility. They are, unfortunately, found in great numbers during elections, on both sides.

I take issue with the question “Are you more concerned about the economy or terrorism?” Somehow the media has spun Obama as better on the economy but look closely at the plans…

McCain wants to lower corporate taxes from the current amount that has our companies paying the 2nd highest tax rates in the world to something more reasonable and competitive on the global stage. McCain wants to keep taxes low on small businesses. McCain wants to cut government spending to put an end to our out of control deficit.

Obama wants to raise taxes on our companies, hampering their growth and ability to compete globally. He plans will raise taxes on small businesses, costing the economy jobs just as unemployment is climbing. He wants to dramatically increase government spending (currently his incremental spending is estimated at ~$1 trillion), and yet has not cited how exactly he plans to pay for it.

I think McCain IS the economy leader, and obviously he is also the leader when it comes to national security.

Cathy
Excellent point- “This is what racism does. It covers up, rationalizes and minimizes positive qualities in one candidate and emphasizes negative qualities in another when there is a color difference.

Think about it people

I don’t believe that someone’s education is as important as their life experiences. My father is an engineer. He is actually the head of engineering for his company. He has never been to college. He is an expert in his field and there is not one engineer out of college who can compare to the depth of his knowledge in his profession. I believe if anywhere this is true is in politics. I need a leader who knows what he is up against.

Since days of election shortened and many american have not made their minds yet, this election would remain unpredictable till november 4th 2008. and please don’t count john mcain out yet , there are possiblities for him to come out swinging at the last minute.

when it come to making decision as Dr Gupta explained, people who don’t participate in surveys could tilt scale to unknown direction. for example, i had been mcain’s suporter whole year round but last week i switched to barack when mcain severely criticized Barack that he is socialist. and wealth spreader…. mcain and his runningmate appeared to me desperate and frustrated mean people who were looking for anything to throw at the other candidate.

second reason i changed my support for republican nominee was that they allowed people to used hate comments in their rallies for too long. when i saw mcain supporters chanting bitter words like terorism, arab, kill him, i am mad extremely mad, questioning Barack citizenship many more turned me off. those nasty phrases would translate into action. the infuriated multititudes would view Barack obama like a terorist not their fellow brother who first reject Iraq war.
eventhough john mcain came out against bitter words at last , i personally still hold him acountable because was the first person who told crowds not to trust Barack obama.

I voted for Barack obama

Hmmmm…lengthy dissertation there on education. So…using this logic as a guide we can assume that guys like Benjamin Franklin (just one glaring example of incomplete/failed college education) should have been left out of politics?

And, please, can the racists stop trying to use the race card! It will be much easier to support Obama if his supporters will stop being so offensive to everyone.

Cathy for President.

I’m voting on the information I feel know and feel good about, not becuase “we hate Bush”. California screwed that up.

Obama did well at an Ivy leagued institution, so did Dubya and Bill Clinton. The latter pushed our economy into a grave hole. i also know California drove itself into bankruptcy with a “share the wealth” after a big tent reaction was voted in that got recalled, and the economy and the UHC in Hawaii failed after 7 years.

Palin had a clean budget in Alaska. McCain was a senator of Arizona for 22 years. Biden has a long senate run.

I’m also looking for applied knowledge in experience. Who taxed or removed taxes, how was the state budget in their realm… Again, Palin, McCain and Biden have evidence. Obama hired Furman for his Senior economic advisor and I’m not sold on his campaign. Especially since the forerunner is lacking in experience.

But that’s just me. Most people seem to be voting on emotion.

A lot of people say they are for Obama but when the curtain closes you will see that what people want others to think about them will change when they think about do they really want Obama as president…answer no! A closed curtain hides the racism that will forever be in the minds/hearts of American’s.

Cathy:

Interesting argument, though I think that it would be strengthened by comparing apples to apples (presidential candidate to presidential candidate) and oranges to oranges (vp to vp). Also look beyond race, too, and look at age and gender, and the expectations and allowances that often come with them. I’d say expand your scope and questions. Your argument as it stands is very one-sided.

Many people are listed as undecided simply because they are unwilling to tell pollsters whom they intend to vote for. I have always considered pollsters to be nosey, and I do not answer polls. I guess they would call be “undecided” when I actually made my decision a long time back. I do not watch debates, and pay little attention to advertising. My analysis has been along the lines of the Los Angeles Times.

Thank you, Dr. Gupta. A scientific rationale for the fact that 3-4% of the voting population are actually, really, truly undecided.

So many blogs are incredulous that anyone could still be unsure. Actually quite nasty about it, calling them morons, stupid, idiots, etc. The incivility allowed by the “monitoring” process is not my point. I see no reason why anyone should feel required or be expected to decide early. Take your time, and then vote as you are comfortable.

My difficulty lies with those Americans who don’t vote, not the undecided voter. Not voting is a right, but it is the most uncivil choice possible.

Carty has a great point. Education isn’t everything …. hmmm!! Only in America that brains don’t matter. We have the worse decision making guys in WH and still many don’t want to get the best brains to get us out. It is costly to be indecisive when it comes to where to study and get educated. It is more costly, 1000s of life, when judgment is not prudent. Iraq or Iran, which one to bomb! Hmmmmm, that is like choosing between candies, or lets say, a woman to compete for women’s vote; or lets say which College to attend?

Decisions, decisions, decisions!!!

One week to cast a vote, I’m still confused. I have heard all the negative comments from both parties, however I have not really heard from either party what they are going to do to make change. I want to hear short term and long term idea’s. With a week to go, i’m still undecided, please don’t tell me I don’t trust my core vaules, I do. Why do you think this decision is so hard. It’s called casting a vote dor who you believe will do the best for the country not your party.

I think that there are other factors at work here too. Neither the Republican Party nor the Democratic Party are the same as they have been historically.

Some people find change difficult, especially when it conflicts with long held beliefs. Most people “grow” during their lifetimes and their own philosophies change based on the knowledge they gain, the difficulties they face, their age, their situation in life and the experiences of their friends and families.

While charisma, intelligence, faith, determination, loyalty, patriotism, ethics and open mindedness are important to many in varying degrees, they are not important to all of us to the same degree.

There are many voters that are single issue voters, i.e., the war, abortion, taxes, health care. These are the least likely to be undecided, while those that have several issues that cross party lines have a much more difficult time.

Conservatives and liberals have it the easiest. Moderates have a much more difficult time, especially with so much disinformation and character assassination being tossed up in the air.

Is it just me but has Mcain’s constant disclosures of Obama’s connections with PROFESSORS AND EDUCATIONAL PROFESSIONALS only make me want to vote for him more.

I guess if someone was worried he may not win, then what do they do ?

A Infomercial , like we don’t get enough of them now, should have got the sham wow guy.

Obama is compelling, but….. what modern day politician with field of dreams isn’t . I still feel actions and deeds are counted more than empty word. Plus still feel he shunned the female vote but excluding Hillary. She has more experience than Biden. And that was based on his wifes decision and dislike for Hillary.

Finally , why will Obama not show his credentials to run, such as a valid Birth certificate which is under challenge in a US Court, his RePatriotzation papers to be returned as a citezen by natural birth if he was even born here. His answer to the american people knowing this is needed, was lets wait untill after the election. And for those who say its on his web site, that is not the form being requested, The court wants the long form that has more information. If it comes out this was a forgery, then were do we go if he wins, becasue he would not be eligible for the POTUS position.

Finally his attacks on Palin shows his islamic upbringing, They don;t feel woman should be in power either. I was over there and that is reality..

I am a registered Democrat and since the house did nothing for 2 of the 8yrs Bush was there to include Obama, I will vote for McCain/Palin

Plus Obama wouldn;t even go to Iraq, he cut his trip short… I guess the infomercial part on the service men is false.. he didn’t care then.. so why start now.. The proud who served and fought for this freedom can not be fooled.

1 final thought, that halloween prank that made the news.. what if that was reversed, then some would call that radical and prejudice.. we will get what we deserve if we as a people don’t demand more of our representatives, and hold them accountable.. I lived through the 60’s and served my nation proudly and with honor. This whole election smells worst than the ignorance or people during what the civil rights movement fought hard for. And Obama even mocked it. I think if Dr. ML King was here today he would straighten out this guy and tell him don;t rekindle hate, we worked to hard to move forward.

‘Twas the night before elections
And all through the town
Tempers were flaring
Emotions all up and down!

I, in my bathrobe
With a cat in my lap
Had cut off the TV
Tired of political crap.

When all of a sudden
There arose such a noise
I peered out of my window
Saw Obama and his boys

They had come for my wallet
They wanted my pay
To give to the others
Who had not worked a day!

He snatched up my money
And quick as a wink
Jumped back on his bandwagon
As I gagged from the stink

He then rallied his henchmen
Who were pulling his cart
I could tell they were out
To tear my country apart!

“On Fannie, on Freddie,
On Biden and Ayers!
On Acorn, On Pelosi”
He screamed at the pairs!

They took off for his cause
And as he flew out of sight
I heard him laugh at the nation
Who wouldn’t stand up and fight!

So, I leave you to think
On this one final note-
IF YOU DONT WANT SOCIALISM
GET OUT AND VOTE!!!!

You won’t wait long, for the obama party to come after your share of the wealth that they don’t intend to spread around, read The American Thinker, search, “eliminating 25 million Americans” Oct 23, 2008. THAT, was the socialist, Marxist intent. THIS, is the reeducation, read Bill H.R. 808, The Peace Alliance, they twisted the meaning of our founders words to try to justify reeducation, indoctrination, gun control, money appropriations, (”at LEAST 2%” of the Department of Defense fund,”) creation of civilian monitoring and policing patrols that they will train modeled after our military academy, and much more. This bill is waiting for obama to be elected, as he will appoint all the principal officers. In turn these officers can set any wages for their employees that they want. The minute this Bill is enacted, they will make any “CONFORMING AMENDMENTS” they want and impose those acts on you at once. I love this, the establishment of Peace Day…”All citizens should be encouraged to observe and celebrate the blessings of peace and endeavor to create peace on Peace Day. SUCH DAY SHALL INCLUDE DISCUSSIONS OF THE PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES AND THE ACHIEVEMENTS IN THE LIVES OF PEACEMAKERS.” They will be patting themselves on the back while countries that hate us will be doing every thing they can to destroy us. Those countries won’t have to work very hard will they, the obama party socialists and Marxists are doing it for them.

Do you realize the race card is being played by one side?
There is no race issue. Only a socialist and Marxist issue. Obama is socialist or Marxist and a bully, in my view. The best Democrat for the 3 letter word, jobs, is McCain. He is more of a Democrat than Obama is. I don’t like either of them, but, the color of their skin has nothing to do with it. You old school Democrats who have integrity, better get your house in order. McCain is the best Democrat for the sake of the country.

Era, Cathy you forgot one:

What if McCain hung out with so many shady people he wouldn’t even pass the background check for entry into the FBI?

First, thank you to the authors of the two previous comments. I have made up my mind on who to vote for, the decision came early and with commitment. ever since then I have been weighing my decision against the continuous stream of incoming pros and cons and the scale tips farther in favor of my first decision. What I can not understand is why so many have not come to the same conclusions as I have. It is cause for worry.

The facts spoke for choice. The decision making process was relatively simple taking into account the vast differences between candidates and their platform. In my circle of acquaintances that would voice their choice, they chose early and then used the facts to back their case.

Cathy,

It’s not racism. Some people don’t want a socialist as president. It’s time we reliae that neither party has offered an acceptable candidate.

I trust my brain. I’m anti-war so I’m voting for Ralph Nader. Both Obama and McCain will stay in Iraq (to maintain the 14 military bases) so the killings, torture and beheading will continue. Then they both want to increase troops in Afghanistan. So more war, more waste. I’d like to see the entire Federal Reserve and IRS overhauled if not eliminated. Also, I’d like more money spent on infra structure. Only Ralph Nader is about this kind of massive improvement. McCain and Obama are corporate sucks. I’m anti-war. I’m voting Ralph Nader and Matt Gonzalez.

I have seen for a lot of people their indecision comes from two angles: 1) They favor a candidate but can’t figure out why, so they don’t commit. 2) The candidate that makes the most sense to them is the one in the “wrong” party or the one they have some other sort of illogical aversion to (race, age, etc).

For most undecided voters, each candidate holds equal power when it comes to the issues. For the issues the voter deems the most important, each candidate has exactly the same number of agreements and exactly the same number of disagreements (Well he is Pro-Life which is highly important to me, but the other guy’s tax plan is much better and that’s just as important). They sit and weigh the issues, but the scales come up balanced and they’re not sure what to use to tip the scales.

In these situations, it is usually the advice of a friend and isn’t exactly what the friend says (as we have all heard almost everything at least twice in the last year) but how the friend explains their view that sets off the decision.

I guess Cathy doesn’t work in a big corporation.I have seen people in high ranking jobs with degrees longer than my arm and couldn’t make a right decision if their life depended on it.I have also seen people with no degree remain calm under pressure and perform brilliantly,because of having experience in that situation.
Now,you make the call.

I think you missed making a crucial point here, Dr. Gupta, and I can understand why (lack of evidence). But since I currently have no credibility to speak of, I’ll go ahead and point it out. I know I’ll be making some broad generalizations. Please forgive me, but I do believe these ideas hold true for most of the applicable situations.

The difference between decisions we waver on and decisions we make quickly and well, is confidence, or percieved expertise. You can make medical decisions easily and well because you have made them hundreds, possibly thousands of times, and have seen the results and know what the best course of action for any number of varying circumstances. But picking out a tie; do you see yourself as a fashion expert? I doubt it. And in pursuing your studies throughout your youth, I doubt you were terribly focused on learning what looks particularly sharp on you. So you might lack this confidence. Your wife, who looks at you every day, and is the final say for whether or not you look good (I say final say because I assume she’s the one whose opinion you value most) has more expertise in the matter.

Now, translate this to voting:

Someone who remains undecided in this final week, or someone who refrains from declaring a political party, doesnt necessarily lack knowledge, as you say. But they lack commitment because they do not see themselves as sufficiently expert to make this decision; It is, after all, not a decision to be made lightly, for the wrong decision could lead the nation in a direction they don’t want. Open-ended questions, ones not specifically mentioning the candidacy, work better at gauging political leanings because people are far more likely to have confidence in our knowledge about ourselves and our opinions, which will usually be what guide us in the polls. Committing to naming who we want to lead the nation? That’s a far heftier request, in my mind.

In line with the “evidence gathering” claim, it could be that the choices this election are abysmal, and the “commit” part is therefore unable to be performed.

Like choosing between Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum. In a situation like that, should a choice even BE made in the first place?

This helps a bit, Dr. Gupta, as everyone around me laughs at my indecision and says something must be wrong with me. They think I am, to quote my husband, “not in tune” with myself because a choice is not clear. For me, though, this election stirs a brutal battle between my head and my heart, and when one side is so wrapped up in feelings, it’s hard to simply gather evidence on both sides.

I drove to vote early this morning but turned around because I simply have not reached the commitment stage, and it’s too important to make a panic decision like an undecided restaurant patron. Here’s hoping I get there by Tuesday!

Thanks for the toughtful decision on Decision Making Process.

I believe that we are also trained throughout our educational process to not decide on important questions until we either; 1 have absolute assurance; or we have to, like “time is up”. I know on any timed test I have taken, half the class seems to scribble answers in at the end, even if guessing. Also, on bigger decisions, don’t most of us procrastinate…like marriage, or selection of a job (if we have options), unless we are over the top emotionally, then we hold off and think some more. Thinkers tend to wait, think, and procrastinate more, while “feelers” jump right in.

Because Obama appears to appeal more to feelers, and emotional rhetoric responders (not exclusively), he would tend to have early deciders, as well as early voters. While McCain seems to address more of the logic, and conservative thinker types (not smarter necessarily, but the slower logic responders, so more of his support may come at the end close to voter Decision Day.

So, things should definitely tighter up at the end.

PS> also in polling, I know a lot of deciders, and even undeciders hold off on giving others their preferences before they go in the polls…they consider their vote a very private matter,, like religion. So we will only know for sure on the final Judgment Day …or Nov 4th in this case, what the Mind of the Voter reveals in action.

Cathy: That is so well put! I don’t need my gut feelings on this election. Just look at the qualifications and the “quality” of each of the candidates. Were it not for Obama’s skin color, the election would be an absolute landslide. His superior “quality” is what I’m banking on….

Cathy, you make good points: if the situation were reversed I would support Obama/Biden. But as you point out, Obama is really out of touch with reality and the situations that everyday americans experience. Just like GWB, Obama has been raised to be POTUS and every opportunity and accomplishment of his has been handed to him without merit. When you spell it out as you have, it is a very simple decision to make.

While Cathy correctly points out the subtle dangers of racism, her elitist attitude towards the candidates’ educational backgrounds is equally as dangerous.

First off, I am still undecided. Why? Because of the choices…just about every single one our elected officials are dirtbags who only vote to benefit their lobbyists. Where is the money from? That is all that matters and this has been highlighted by the recent bailout and the lack of oversight.
Now, I said I was undecided…which presidential contender to vote for? Instead of dirtying my conscience by actually choosing one of them, I instead went with Bob Barr. At least I will be able to sleep at night knowing that I didn’t choose one these two corrupt individuals.

What’s interesting is that I’ve had several political pollsters call my home.

Each and every time, I’ve told them I’m voting for a 3rd party candidate.

Each and every time, the reply is “so, should I put you down as Undecided?”

I say, “No, I have decided – but not for McCain or Obama.”

Don’t believe the polls. There aren’t that many truly Undecided voters out there.

To the above poster. Obamas not Black, hes white. Born and raised by white grandparents and mother…wow your biases really came out…

What if Obama is possibly reponsible for the death(s) from a car he drove before going to Viet Nam and in the Navy that appears a cover up in the

What if Michelle Obama was heiress to a beer
company and fortune?

What if Obama had suspected affair in and around 1990?
………
What if the real McCain had indeed switched parties in the 2000s as in an interview reported by a prominent Democrat because he was unhappy being a Reuplican?

I don’t think it is racism. It is plain dirty politics on the part of McCain and the Republican party.

Good comments Kathy.

I believe many Americans simply don’t know how to think about political issues, do not have the vocabulary or knowledge to understand a candidates proposals. The result is candidates are not held to any standard of evaluation. Talking to most Americans is like talking to children, inviting the use of over-simplified hot button issues to get their votes. In spite of much money spent on education, Americans remain among the most ignorant and uninformed people in the developed world.

Someone’s educational background may seem impressive on paper, in reality does not count for much. Many people who transformed our world have been college drop-outs. Technologists/Inventors/Business.
Book smart’s vs. real world experience (or personal drive) is what really counts. I do not care if someone can memorize a text book and get an “A” on a test. Neither of the candidates in front of us have that. I don’t want a messiah or a maverick to govern my country. I want someone well grounded that will take action and actually get something done. There are real people in this country that need this country to be turned in a better direction. People in this country do not want hand-outs, but want real change and opportunities. I remember back in ‘92 when I was in college and voted for “real change”. I was no better off after 8 years…
This campaign seems to just be a re-hash of that one. Other than the “history” of electing the first black American(50%)..this election is the same as the last 20 years. Same lies…same accusations. People do not need false beliefs and hopes(Obama) or care about accusations of the other candidates past(McCain). Neither of the men in front of us are truly fit to lead, and sadly there is no viable third party candidate.

Undecided voters are voters who won’t vote for a black candidate but are unwilling to admit it to pollsters, and possibly themselves.

I understand the trouble with deciding things. I’m a nurse who’s been recently sidelined by my own traumatic health issues and where I once made life and death decisions on a daily basis, now I have trouble deciding whether to let the dogs out with or without a leash; what to have for dinner; whether to do laundry on a certain day or a little bit spread out through the week. Major decisions, like, which kind of bankruptcy to declare or who to vote for are pretty tough to do, but deciding on them is relatively simple. It’s the follow-through of the decision I have trouble with.

Has it occurred to anyone that perhaps neither (or none of the) candidtates are worthy of leading the country on all of the major issues? Social issues, Economic issues, Environmental issues, Internationals issues, etc., are not all going to be the strengths of any one candidate or party. I am undecided and will likely vote independent because I am voting against the two party system. Haven’t we evolved past this, yet? We all essentially agree that we want freedom, education, health, safety, and we want nature and our environment to be preserved. In the two party system, wnen one party makes a mistake, that issue is up for grabs by the other party. How annoying. The party’s don’t look the way they did 20 years ago. So please stop expecting people to look at this in only one way….I’m undecided because it’s an imperfect system and I think we can do better!

The problem is that I have to choose between two bad ties!

To “Cathy” – yeah, I’ve seen that text on the Internet too. What if things were switched? Then the choice should still depend on the qualifications of the candidates for the job at hand. The choice between the most accredited and awarded electrician in the world and an average plumber is clear – and depends entirely on whether you need an electrician or a plumber. Granted the candidates we’re talking about are all politicians, but they’re politicians who stand for different sets of principles.

Yes, there is racism in our culture. There’s even more than many people realize – because the position “if you don’t vote for Obama, you’re a racist,” is itself a racist position.

This idea of many undecided voters still gathering evidence, and then there will be a “tipping point” for them in which they will decide is most interesting. I think we all go through such a process when we need to adjust suddenly to a major life change, such as a job loss.
Not only are we as a country somewhat paralyzed by indecision in our political life, but each family, in all the financial, housing and job losses we have had to deal with this year alone. It is almost overwhelming to try to sort through all this chaos. If we could trust how the candidates will perform on our behalf, we all would be more reassured. But things often have gotten lost in all the wars, special interest groups, legal language, So who can blame people for being undecided? TRUST is a very difficult thing at a time like this.

Cathy,
-What if you voted with your brain instead of your heart?
-What if you weren’t incredibly biased?
-What if you were fair and also pointed out all the negative things about the candidate that you prefer (and there are plenty)?
-What if you weren’t judgemental?
-What if people actually did get jobs only based on their educational background?
-What if for a few seconds you didn’t sound like an angry, bitter, immature human being?
-What if you kept your partisan opinion to yourself.

give me experience over education every time.

experience teaches you how to apply any knowledge that education has taught you about thinking.

There are many kinds of prejudice – racism is just one form – and even racism can cut both ways. Minds that decide to vote for a black man _because_ he is black are just as racist as minds that vote aginst a black man _because_ he is black. Neither mind is gathering much evidence for their decision making. Any factor that closes our minds to consideration of the entire scope of an issue or person is a form of prejudice.

Cindy’s posting appears to be prejudiced toward people with formal education from liberal universities. As far as formal education goes, any reasonable examination of the entire curriculum of a service academy would indicate that a service academy graduate in the bottom 1% of his class probably has a “better” education than any graduate from any other college or university in the country. How much does formal education matter? Historically the best formally educated presidents (with multiple degrees) have been the poorer presidents while some of the least educated of men (Washington, Lincoln, or FDR who dropped out of law school) are considered to be better presidents.

BTW – although accepted by both liberal universities and a conservative service academy, I choose to attend a state university and stay closer to my family; however, in making the choice I developed an appreciation of what each type of school offered.

Undecided I am not. I was considering McCain at first due to his work with Feingold, his service to the country, his not supporting popular Republican bills. I thought that was a huge example of his ability to reach across the aisle. Since his VP selection and getting to know him from many sources (Fox, CNN, Newsweek, Time, Newspapers, the web, etc.) I have made my choice for the Democrats.

Do I still tell people that I am undecided? Yup. Reason; I am increasingly frustrated with reasons that people, mostly those factory co-workers I work with, make the decision on who to vote for. For a good portion they follow whatever the NRA dictates and assume all Republicans support the cause and all Democrats oppose it. The NRA does a lot of good and have a good fundemental position, however, they go way out there encouraging fanatics that someone is going to take away ALL of their firearms. Not a true statement? Hang around sometime and listen to my co-workers cheerleading the cause. Another statement of position by one of my co-workers was… ” hey look at this, it shows Palin showed up at a rally on a Harley and right next to it is a picture of Obama riding a bike with a helmet on in public!” I rest my case, these people are not worth debating politics with…

Thanks to your article, now I know why my civil engineer project manager boyfriend is very quick and adept at making decisions on multi-million dollar projects, in contrast to the long time it takes for him to decide what kind of drink he wants with his meal! Sometimes it takes him so long that he finishes his meal before a decision is made.

Come to think of it, he does like to research and gather evidence…but he was remarkably quick in his presidential choice. Thanks, Dr. Gupta!

I think nobody should even think about the “what if’s” and focus on what’s really going on and sure it might effect the election if the “what if’s” are true but for now the “what if’s” are just thoughts in voters’ heads.

To Cathy, the commenter before me, “My! You’re not undecided, are you?” LOL!

Cathy,
what if McCain pastor who married him and baptized his kids said God Damn America!
what if McCain’s wife said “In my adult life for the first time I have been proud of my country”
what if McCain’s VP candidate had said earlier in the Primaries, “i dont think McCain is ready to lead the country
What if McCain had served on a board with a former terrorist?
What if McCain had voted “present” 130 times during his Senate tenure.
What if Mcacin Had relationship with a convicted slum lord os Chicago
What if McCain had uttered “my muslim faith”
What id Mcacin’s video was being hidden by a newspaper where he was toasting a PLO terrorist?

Its easy to point fingers and belittle anybody Ms Cathy. Face the facts before making biased comments on blogs!

Cathy, You’ve got me thinking.

There is another reason why some people are undecided, if you can call it that: you feel neither candidate or sub-candidate (VP) is the right choice and have no other choice available – except perhaps a write-in.

So is it indecision when you can’t/won’t decide or commit to either candidate because you feel neither is the right choice?
And why do so many so-called experts feel that you are an air-head if you have not made a decision this late in the game?
Rather, are you not an air-head if you vote for the person who might do the least amount of damage? What, you can’t think out of the box to come up with a way to express your dismay at the elections?
Wouldn’t it be much smarter for all those who believe that neither team is the right choice to voice that opinion via voting and otherwise communicating to those in control of our flawed system, then by choosing the team you deem “least of two evils”?

No matter who gets in, I fear for this country!

Cathy…I get your point – - though I really think you have TOO MUCH time on your hands.

Cathy, you have hit the nail on the head. There is such a double standard in our country when it comes to race. It has been painful to watch the amount of racism that has surfaced from this campaign. I cringe to see the amount of hate that will surface and no longer be whispered or tapped out through computer keys into hurtful comments on the internet, when Senator Obama wins this election.. Brace yourself because the road to success is a painful one and the daggers are about to come at full force.

I like what Tim said about trusting your heart, gut, AND mind to make a decision. Making a decision based 100% on figures and data seems cold and calculating, making a decision based entirely upon your gut feeling seems pretty risky and impetuous, and making an important decision based completely on emotions seems dramatic and unrealistic. It’s pragmatic to include all three “voices”

I’m glad not to be undecided, I cast my vote 2 days ago

Nice article but I think you give these “undecideds” too much credit. There are basically two types of undecideds:

1. Those that have been living in a cave for the past 2yrs (must have been reached by one of the 1239151 pollsters that are seemingly going around)
2. Those that have already decided but want to say they haven’t because they just love all the attention they’re getting from the pollsters and CNN (hey! can I have one of those fancy dial remote things that you used during the debates?)

For those in category 1, the answer is for them to move into deeper and more remote caves so that they cannot be contacted by pollsters.

For those in category 2, they need to get a life…. really.

I suppose someone can take more time to think thru the issues before deciding on a candidate but with the stark differences between McCain and Obama I struggle with how someone could still not have decided by this point in time.

Do they lack principle? Maybe. A person who could still vote for either candidate after knowing what he/she knows today is someone who needs moral grounding. Both candidates are moral opposites and if that doesn’t matter, then that is proof in itself the undecided needs moral grounding.

You can spend your whole life thinking about, “what ifs” and never get anything done. You must spend some time in this area for important decisions but, at some point, core values should take over and eliminate the confliction.

Education is good and we never stop being educated. However, degrees from prestigious institutions do not a man/leader make – necessarily. Sometimes, life just happens and one just doesn’t take that road – or is unable to take that road due to lack of priviledge. Sometimes education even affects judgement because it can create a false sense a confidence. Some of the greatest leaders of the country and large corporations had very little education.

Tuesday will bring relief to all this tension. Some will be pleasantly surprised at the outcome.

Cathy,

That is jaw-dropping!

Cathy, your views are so confined by your political blinders it’s not worth discussing with people like you. Nicely made argument though, from your completely biased perspective. But what does it have to do with the article?

My point is this… I am an undecided voter… but not because of any of those reasons. The reason I am undecided is that the propaganda in elections is so thick, you can not trust anything you have heard… and if you can, what you can trust is that you didn’t hear the whole truth.

This creates a situation where a person can feel like they can’t make an informed decision, and therefore precludes conclusion to the “evidence gathering” phase.

As with all media today, they see fit to bombard us with so much misinformation and half truths, that propaganda is what wins elections, not facts. Instead of hiding information from us, they bombard us with so much of it that you can’t do anything but vote without knowing… or vote for your favorite “team”… which I refuse to do.

The two party system is broken, and until we are somehow empowered to rise above the propaganda, and vote on issues and true character, we will merely be choosing which sheep herd to follow… which again, I refuse to do. George Washington agreed…

http://www.earlyamerica.com/earlyamerica/milestones/farewell/

Cathy:

You hit it right on the head with a very thoughtful comment. I’m putting it up in my office and emailing it to my friends.

What if Obama hadn’t surrounded himself with Marxist friends and become deeply infatuated with socialism?
What if Obama hadn’t declared the US Constitution deeply flawed?
What if Obama understood the foundations upon which this nation was built?
What if the future of this nation isn’t dependant on smarmy elitists (or their admirers) who think people who attended Harvard are better than us?

Well, as unbelievable as it is, I have still not decided on who I will vote for President. The reason is quite simple really – I think all the candidates stink. Can someone just throw these guys away and give us new ones? Lets take em one by one:

Obama – well he talks a good game, but just doesn’t have much actual substance to back it up. I can’t understand why people go nuts over him when his actual real-life accomplishments are lackluster. Talk is cheap. This whole “distribution of wealth” goes against everything our country was built on. My father grew up in a tenament house in New York City during the depression – you pull up your bootstraps and you get to work – you don’t turn to handouts – it will eventually crush the spirit. I don’t think Obama understands this and it scares me.

McCain-while I admire some of what he has done – I also think he’s ridden daddy’s and wifey’s coattails a bit too much to call himself a “Maverick”. Anyway, true mavericks don’t proclaim it. While he’s not Bush, I still have a very bad taste in my mouth from the Republican bullying and kissing up to the religious right (Terry Schiavo anyone?). Part of me just wants to clean house of the Republicans to teach them a lesson – not smart, I know. Regardless, neither him nor his ideas excite me.

Bob Barr: normally I would heavily consider voting Libertarian but Barr disgusts me. He was in my district. He was heavily involved in the push to impeach Clinton all the while having his own affair – repulsive hypocrite! He’s the only one I now for SURE won’t be getting my vote Tuesday.

So, there you have it. I’d vote for Colin Powell but he ain’t running. I’ll be voting Tuesday, just don’t ask me for who.

It’s easy to see why so many have yet to make a decision. The amount of conflicting and distorted information coming from both sides is overwhelming. For instance, the post by Cathy is as slanted as anything coming from the most partisan sources. In this case, it’s not so much what is asked as what isn’t:

What if Obama had spent five years in a POW camp undergoing daily torture?
What if Obama had spent over 20 years serving his country in uniform?
What if Obama had a distinguished Senate career of over 20 years?
What if Obama had a clear record of opposing his own party on principal when necessary (e.g., Immigration, the Gang of Fourteen)?
What if McCain had simply voted “present” 129 times while in the state senate?
What if McCain had questionable ties to characters such as Rezko, Wright, Ayers, and Khalidi?

Make up your own mind, but get ALL the facts; don’t be misled by this ersatz example of “the voice of reason”.

For the moderators: I’m intrigued. You’ve let a partisan email forward that’s been making the rounds of our inboxes for about a week now be posted by “Cathy” as a comment to this column. However, not only have you not posted my response to it, you haven’t posted any other comments at all! Do you really want that campaign piece to be the last word in the comments?

This country needs McCain and his experience. Obama has a good smile and is young. That’s it. He has no clue how to bring this country back to its toes. Vote for Obama and this country is doomed.

I agree with Mr. Wang, “brain of an undecided voter, it may be that “evidence gathering” part that is simply taking longer. It’s not that these undecided are indifferent, according to Wang, but they are more willing to take their time, essentially trading off speed for accuracy”. It’s not a matter of “not trusting [one's] core values”, rather it is about choosing the best, and assessing the canidates values to assure they are in-line with mine. There are many beliefs that Senator McCain holds that I agree with. The same goes for Senator Obama. I also like Burr and agree with his political views. For some voting is simply going straight ticket, without ever considering what that person truly stands for, without considering what if this person were no longer able to function as president, without ever considering if they are really concerned about me…the average citizen. Voting is not only our right, it is our responsibility. We must elect officials that will uphold our rights, stand by our nation, and do what is best for our country…not the party, not their pocket or the buddy’s pocket. Our elected officials must truly want our nation to be the very best it can be…not the bully on the block. As an undecided, I take my voting responsibility very seriously. I have three children and 4 grandchildren that I want the very best for. That means the very best president and vice president, one’s that will hopefully leave our world better than they got it. Not a snap decision.

For me, decisions relative to political candidates follow some simple rules. They are therefore easy to make:

1) Character, specifically the willingness and ability to act responsibly as Americans in government. MCCain/Palin win here because they have shown strong moral values (McCain is strong on foreign policy, and they are pro-life, have honorable friends, and pro-America (usually a non-issue, except for Obama’s history and recent past). Obama/Biden: Obama – voted 3 times for infanticide, chose to have several friends who hate America, and was/is so anti-American that he refused to wear a flag pin until nominated. He also does not like the US Constitution. Biden means well but his ability to act responsible is in question – he has a bad memory and says things related to foreign policy that are wrong by mixing facts.).

This suggests that McCain/Palin are more likely to make decisions that honor my belief system, and Obama/Biden are not.

2) Executive experience and policies. McCain/Palin win here too because Palin has successfully managed a $9B budget, and both support a balanced-budget and economic plan that is proven at economic success – ‘unfettered’ trickle-down always works. Trickle-up has never worked, ever. Obama/Biden want to ‘play-with’ socialism (share the wealth), and communism (no more secret ballots in unions, putting unions on company boards, etc), impose the ‘fairness doctrine’ on talk radio programs (destroying talk radio); impose universal pre-school, which is nothing more than nationalized baby sitting – imagine the logistics of moving infants around safely, never-mind the problems associated with ‘detachment’ in mother-child bonds. They will also threaten social morale and scare investors away from investing in anything because these policies are contrary to the American way of life, the concept of freedom, and foreign to us, which will cause people to stop buying, stop companies from moving forward, and stop investors from investing – self-fulfilling negative acts that also happen to move the uninformed toward thinking that we must need more socialism (social sharing), communism (economic socialism) etc to solve the problems. Instead of letting the free market take care of itself.

Responding to Cathy, I don’t care what schools they graduated from or the time it took to earn their degrees, because we don’t really know what useful education they received until they put their knowledge and abilities to work. (I once fired a Harvard MBA with good grades for incompetence.)

McCain graduated from a military academy and shows good national security (military and foreign policy) skills. Palin shows good all-around skills as a leader, mayor, governor, and decision maker. Obama has not yet put his skills to work except for writing a few books about himself and mostly voting ‘present’. Biden is … perhaps in need of some re-education.)

I am voting my conscience. My choice, of who I vote for, is not based on color.
The media refers to Mr. Obama as “the first Afro-American” to be nominated for president. That is a false statement. Mr. Obama is biracial. He had a black father AND a white mother.
This has been a VERY long campaign. I am thoroughly discussed with some of the God awful comments made about all the canidates from inside and outside of their party.
All of us should get down on our bended knees and pray for WHO EVER wins on 11-4-08 theoffice of President of the U.S.A. know what he is doing

Cindy,

What if you were objective and hadn’t made up your mind and were not trying to sway others?

You’ve displayed your decision making process but are unlikely to sway others who don’t think like you do.

What if you value people saying what they believe and doing as they say?

What if a candidate promised one thing on campaign finance reform then completely changed his tune when he saw an advantage? Class rank is one thing, but it doesn’t make one smart or honest.

What if one candidate is falling the same path with his proposed economic plan that mirrored on that made the Great Depression worse? Would you vote for him?

What if socialism is not what you view as a viable option?

What if your doctor just got out of school and you have an unusual disease requiring complex thought and fast on your feet thinking? Do you prefer that person of the veteran who’s been around and made decisions right or wrong and been willing to go against convention?

Your explanation on racism reveals something about you that I am certain of but don’t wish to say. You are seeing the world as you are not as it is.

Cathy, did you forget, the Obamas did parade their two children across a stage and interviewed on TV?

I guess you think being a prisoner of war is not as important as attending Harvard.

If you’re still undecided at this point you shouldn’t be allowed to vote. Call me a fascist, but I have no tolerance for this, “I’m not quite sure who to vote for” nonsense. The candidates are completely different and have been campaigning for two years! It really frustrates and angers me that the future leader of this country in such a crucial moment in history will be decided by a group of clueless nincompoops. G-d help us all.

Cathy: Excellent analysis.

Cathy’s comment should be on bulletin boards everywhere.

Cathy,
What if some people just don’t like his stance on certain issues? Is that racist?

Dear Dr. Sanjay Gupta,

Interesting information, especially applied to health education. I think that there are people undecided on the difference of good and bad lifestyle habits as well.

I think that the undecided voter (or decision maker) waits to have the decision made for him/her, untill he/she is urged to make this decision independently.

Similarly, If your was not present to choose your tie, eventually you had to make that decision yourself.

Cathy, would you really vote for someone based on any of the qualities listed in your post? I think most of America is smarter than to vote for a presidential candidate based on their standing in their college class, what their wife does for a living, or how well they speak. Regardless of what side of the isle you vote one, voting based on any of the above does not make sense. The most important thing to consider when voting for someone is whether or not their policy will positively affect you (their constituent). It is interesting that because the race has been relatively close you assume that the country is racist. Have you considered that perhaps people are voting based on things that really matter?

Cathy,

Your biases are obvious, as you havent mentioned ACORN, Michelle Obama’s thesis, – What if McCain’s wife had written a speech on White Power like Michelle wrote on Black Power?
What if a republican had hung an effigy of Obama on his front yard like a democrat did of Palin. Wouldn’t you see Page 1 flashing news all over liberal media of “lynching”. I’m shocked that women are not outraged when one of them is hung in effigy.. goes to show that feminine power is gone out the window along with decency.. but we knew that liberals had none. What if McCain was closely associated with Bill Ayres instead of Obama? What if McCain was caught reading “Post America book” and not putting his hand on his heart while the national anthem was recited? Who is the real patriot? Education is not worth squat as much as a love for the country. Look at Schwartzeneggers record versus George Bush who has a Yale degree!

Cathy’s comment is one of the most brilliant items I have read concerning the Obama vs. McCain issue. I have sent it to my Obama-supporting friends as ammunition against the rampant McCain mania here is Orange County, California. Cathy, you put information that is commonly available into one of the most cogent arguments for Obama that I have ever seen. Bless you for saying this so clearly and so consisely–it’s a perspective that makes total sense, but one that had never occurred to me!

There was an article about this in Scientific American a few years ago. Some people (said the article) are slow decision-makers because they have to optimize every decision. They can’t just pick a stereo or a car or a mate that meets their basic needs; once they have found one that does, they have to compare it to others and weigh the relative differences. They feel they must make the single best possible decision, and seem to have an unusually high fear of regret – if they subsequently realized they could have made a better choice, it will drive them crazy. To me (probably a member of this group) the theory sounds right, but it also intuitively feels like a form of obsession. The variables don’t add up to a tipping point, so one helplessly keeps studying the issue. If Dr. Gupta has this problem with his ties in the morning, I submit that maybe the surgical decisions are easy by comparison only because he has a clear set of pre-defined rules for surgical decisions, or else has resigned himself to the inevitability of surgical errors. On less-structured decisions (such as neckties and presidents), lacking a clear set of rules, he may have to wait until either his gut or his wife have finally had enough and settle the matter.

Cathy, that was excellent. Thank you.

I think it is best for a few of us remain undecided/ucommitted until several days before the election. How else could we get the additional “promises” from the candidate? Did I hear McCain say “no income tax for those over 65 on their first $50k”? Or Obama indicate “don’t tax the 401Ks”.? Now I am really undecided. Should I go 401K or no tax on first 50k? Got to love it. JR

Why am I undecided? Because the ability to gather evidence has been tainted. I’m a lifelong democrat, with a degree in journalism, who no longer trusts the media to be objective. Earlier this fall, I gave both candidates a serious look. Leaning towards McCain for a while gave me a new perspective on significant media bias towards a candidate. I’m back to leaning towards Obama, but have serious lingering questions how far to the left he is…and the mainstream media won’t ask Obama the tough questions. When they do, they’re vilified.

For those of you who are still undecided, please seriously consider Sen. Obama. As listed in the comment from Cathy, it is clear that Sen. Obama has not only the educational background but the national and international experience to help bring positive change to our country. Vote! If possible, vote early!

Where are Sarah Palin’s health records? Have they been released. If no, why not. I thought this was required of a candidate. I think it is the responsibility of the media to pursue this in teh closing days of the election since she could be a heart beat away from the presidency.

Cathy,

If McCain served in the Senate for only 2 years before running for president but spoke really well, his messages about change would’ve fallen on deaf ears because he wouldn’t have done anything important enough to warrent attention.

If Obama was the one who served his country in the military and senate for 20 years, there’d be no question who’d win.

I didn’t decide until the debates. I found the “unbiased” background checks (covering pre-school up to today), the gossip, and the endless spinning from the media so confusing that I really needed to hear, from their own mouths and body language, what kind of president I would like to vote for.

I talked to many “early” deciders and they decided based on their party or on “values” (a horribly abused word in today’s world).

I know that each time I listened to the candidates, without prejudice and being undecided until the debates, I found I would make a choice easy for me and not before the debates.

I’d like to know when it became obligatory to trumpet your voting choices to the public. Never before have I felt so very assaulted from all sides by people trying to wheedle their way into my political mindset. We cast secret ballots for a reason!

I absolutely abhor politics. It tends to bring out the worst in people and unless you’re in a room with completely like minded people it turns into a piranha frenzy on the lesser represented group. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion until it’s different from yours. This cycle we’re treated to being bludgeoned for supposed racism or sexism to boot.

I’m registered as independant because I don’t completely identify with either party. When I’ve been asked who I’m voting for I essentially say “undecided”, but I’d rather say “none of your business”. I’ll get attacked no matter which side I announce support for, and I’m thoroughly displeased with both options. There was a lot of potential in the canidates this cycle but sadly they managed to get all muddied up by the end.

I just lost my 84 year old father.

He was one of the fortunate ones as it relates to healthcare—he had Medicare as well as an excellent private healthcare policy as a retiree from the Brooklyn Union Gas Company. As a result, he rarely had much to pay for the hundreds of thousands of dollars in healthcare expenses that he incurred over the past three years. He had congestive heart failure.

So what’s the gripe, what’s the problem: – WASTE, WASTE, WASTE! My father was in the hospital 8 times over a six month period, with six visits to the emergency room. I was at his side through each visit. I was absolutely shocked at our system and the amount of waste incurred—at each and every level of the healthcare system. This waste must stop if we want get healthcare costs under control. We must get in there and cut waste, eliminate redundancy from the system, use the technology we have to make the system more efficient, and be sure procedures that are “ordered” are actually helpful and necessary. Providing healthcare to everyone is a dream to our family [as my husband and I are paying for our own high-deductable plan ($10,000 each, without prescription coverage) and worry about being dropped)]. At the same time, it was apparent to me, through my experience with my dear father, that the system is broken and out of control.

Talk to me. I have more hours inside the healthcare system over the past 6 months than many individual nurses doctors, and administrators. I have simple ideas that can make huge differences.

Deborah Testa
Daughter to Patient: John S. Graban Jr.

I am a travel nurse and have worked in over a dozen hospitals in six states. My greatest concern in nursing thus far occurred in Tucson, Arizona two years ago. I was telling my manager how difficult it was for me to feel compassion for my patient who was an illegal immigrant who’d been arrested for drug smuggling, brought to the hospital by local law enforcement. He was found in the desert, near death, by two hikers. Turns out, he was so desperate and in need, he told authorities his name, address, connections, everything. I told my manager that I felt so angry that here he was, unable or unwilling to speak English, and yet communicating with me through a hospital paid translator. He was receiving free medical care… 3 meals a day, a shower, expensive antibiotics and pain medication, intravenous rehydration… the works. Meanwhile, down the hall, I had a patient who had been recently diagnosed with lung cancer. A citizen of The United States… but he didn’t have health insurance. So he’s going to get a bill that he can’t possibly pay and then a very nice lady from the hospital’s business office will call him to set up a “payment plan”. And he will agree to pay $300 a month…. for several years! His cancer will wipe him and his family out…. not just financially… but emotionally and mentally. And the insurance companies and the hospital administrators get rich. I don’t get it. I have many similar stories. Homeless heroin addicts in Seattle admitted for the treatment of infected injection sites, who receive the same compassionate care from me that I give to my cancer patients… difference is, the homeless heroin addict doesn’t have to pay his bill. Again, I just don’t get it. It’s just wrong. I would like the Obama administration to tell me how they plan to make healthcare FAIR and accessable to ALL in our very near future.
Rose Bosacker, R.N.