An equal opportunity voter.

I would like to go back to the good old days of voting for the candidate and not the party. I use to do that you know. It worked better that way for me.

So, below is a list of issues I would prefer a candidate to get behind and make happen.

More jobs provided by building roads, bridges, and railroads.
Affordable health care for all.
More scholarships to public colleges.
More fire fighters and police officers.
More public school teachers.
Smaller classrooms in public school.
Develop more renewable energy sources.
Import less petroleum products.
Limit pollution from coal fired generators.
More health clinics for the working poor.

Now, if you are a local, state, or congressional candidate and would be willing to put your career on the line for at least seven of the ten issues posted above, I will certainly vote for you. Whether you are Republican, Democrat, Independent, Libertarian, Capitalist, Environmentalist, Rotatarian, Hindu, Baptist, OB, or GYN. I will vote for you. You can bet on it.

What do Democrats and Independents stand for?

Who are the democrats?
Protectors of the environment. Good stewards of the Earth. Wanting Clean, drinkable water. Wanting clean, breathable air. Pro public education for the poor and the middle class. Desiring good and affordable health care for all. Supporters of consumer protection. Promote affordable housing for all. Creators of good jobs. Wanting safe and accessible transportation for all. Wanting to build and repair public infrastructure. Protectors of women, children, and the elderly. Most of all promoting fairness in taxation and voting regulations.

An Independent's view from above

Campaigns easy to read with a view from above. JAY CRONLEY World Staff Columnist. People with strong party feelings, those who will vote in a particular way no matter who runs, probably spend the political season watching those strongly biased in their favor, while saying, "Yeah! Speaking for most independents, we have been sitting around wondering, "Huh? Since I made my independent position known, a number of people have asked how I have observed the campaigns so far, perhaps unsure if they actually believe what they've been seeing themselves. So here's an update on my vote. Not all jobs created equal: The economy will continue to be the deciding issue of the 2012 presidential race, jobs, in particular. Even a decent idea such as a flat tax doesn't stray far from the jobs debate, as nearly 100,000 people work for the Internal Revenue Service. Making taxes simple could further stun the economy by putting many interpreters of revenue codes out of work. One thing missing in any jobs discussion or argument is a definition of the type of work being lost or gained. Good and bad jobs are often defined by wages. If a $75,000 job is lost, and a $25,000 job is gained, that's not a break-even situation. That's the equivalent of a minus-two jobs reading. President Obama's strategy seems relatively simple at the moment. Win by default. Is this all there is? : The challenger side of the election has featured a number of debates highlighted by exchanges like the following. You're an idiot. You're a bigger idiot. I am not. Yes you are. Ask anybody at the debate. He's right. You're an idiot. Well so are you. Are the British politicians the only ones who can carry a thought to clever conversation, who can speak naturally in public? Must ours appear so humorless? Mean? Desperate? The challenger debate forum has turned the candidates into attack robots and makes a viewer wonder how some of the hopefuls got to be what they are, which is rich and highly employed. The strategy here is a little more complicated than that employed by the other side. Don't mess up too much. Let somebody else lose it. This question comes to mind: Where are the great ones?.

Column from our local paper. Stop being stupid.

Stupid people need a dose of smarts. JAY CRONLEY World Staff Columnist. This is important. Everybody who is being stupid needs to stop it. You're ruining everything. They're making sitcoms for you. They're making movies for you. They're making tweets for you. They're arranging the 10 o'clock news for you. They're designing jeans for you. They're creating forensic cop shows for you. They're making exercise clothes for you. Worst yet, they're designing political campaigns for you. Being stupid is being unable to have an original thought. How do you get better? Every so often you read something great, and every once in a while you sit quietly and think about doing something wonderful. Lowest common denominator: Political campaigns seem aimed at people who think along bloodlines and party lines. Those with a political bias aren't preaching to the choir. They're preaching to the choirmasters. They're preaching to those who couldn't sing it any other way. Independents will decide the country's next direction. If you're wondering what the party-line people are doing, the answer is: It's the mean season, each side doing unto its own what you wish the other side wasn't doing to its own. Give fifty bucks to each party and you'll get materials aimed at cave dwellers with questions like these: Do you favor President Obama taking your hard-earned money and giving it to deadbeats? How do you feel about the tea party's plans to use your Social Security contributions to fund business expansion in China? It is doubtful that Hank Williams Jr. or Keith Olbermann could convince many to change their minds. (Channels, maybe.) I think, therefore I am: Independents aren't smarter than all party members. Smarter than those running the campaigns, sure. Here's what many independents are like: They can't be frightened. They can't be charmed. They can't be bullied. They know fake talk when they hear it. Here's something funny about what dominates television, not funny humorous, funny ironic: Independents dislike obvious bias more than anything. Votes are usually awarded in one of two ways. Best ideas win. Or most offensive loses..

Arr. Vote the spineless blaggards off the island.

I am afraid it’s now time to look for a third party candidate. We are not getting the bang for the buck with the current tank of spineless jellyfish. We need energized candidates to run for congress. A blazing and most angry candidates to run for President. Candidates who are willing to resist the allurement of huge sums of corporate and special interest money. Candidates whose own bias can possibly be changed by the wishes of the average voter. A man or woman willing to knock on every door in his or her district.

Well then, If not just a third party candidate, how about a third party. A party without rigid ideology. A third party with wiggle room. A collective of people wanting more from their representatives than snarky bloviating answers.

It’s time to tell the Republican and Democrat parties they have lost relevance with the grass roots. Both parties have morphed into a stodgy circle of covered wagons. A bit too defensive and following the drum of easy money. And for sure blinded by the lobbyist’s warm and fuzzy headlights.

While Congress is in the muck and mire of septic tank politics, the constituency back home is becoming more and more angered and frustrated. Frustrated over the “Do Nothing” congress. A congress that has lost its wheels and lays in the ditch. Uncompromising, self-absorbed, narrow minded, self-righteous, and totally in lock step with partisan dogma. Never mind what real problems exist back home. A bunch of three ring circus beeping-chuckling-water squirting-grease painted-red nosed clowns. Blustering buffoons all of them.

But anyway, a viable third independent party could easily change politics, as we know it. I’m not talking TEA Party. I’m not talking one issue monkey wrench politics. I am talking about a third way that could have the clout and determination to pressure the old ways into non-existence by sheer grunt work. Push the partisans into a middle lane and hopefully get something done for the people. Something like compromise and for the greater good. Mr. Smith goes to Washington kind of politics and getting it done. Think independent. Think real change. Think past party boss politics. Let the people do the talking and make the representatives do the hard walking. It’s time to fix and flip congress. Go Independents!