The current situation (’04 US Presidential Election) is probably the worst we’ve seen in a while. For various reasons the whole nation is extremely divided and hostile towards the other side. I’m of course thinking of the conservative and the liberals, though there are other groups, these seem to be the 2 main camps.

President Bush is campaigning on social (abortion, gay marriage etc) and terror / security (9/11, homeland security) issues while Senator Kerry is going for the economic (job loss, social security, health care) issues.

Personally I don’t really believe the candidates are that different on the Terrorism / Homeland Security. I know that they have drastically different views on domestic issues (both social and economic). Also, to a great extent, their approach to Foreign Policy.

On the issues that I do see the candidates differ – I see a clear and distinct difference. Why then are there so many who are still (less than a week from election day) undecided? Do these voters not see the difference? Do they have other issues that are important that neither candidate is addressing? Are they not bombarded by the same amount of information (on TV, print media, Internet etc) as I? Or do they not believe / trust these information or the media that brings the information to them?

After the [in]famous 2000 election and at a time when the nation is so bitterly divided (not to mention when we need to be united, more then ever in recent history) – the last thing we need is to have a close election that half the nation does not trust. Whoever wins (and there will be “a” winner, even if the Courts have to decide it for us), I hope he wins with a wide enough margin so that the nation can finally come together, be united and move forward for our common good.

I do not expect the “best man for the job” to win (I never do – in any election). I do not believe that is the design of democracy.

– manzoor