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[Gene GeRue <genegerue AT ruralize.com>]

> > Early on, my young and ignorant brain
> > figured that if I wanted to be rich I should be a Republican.
>
> I have always heard that but never understood why people think that.
> Some of the richest people are Democrats...think Kennedy, Kerry,
> Clinton, Pelosi...

Clinton is only rich since his presidency ended. His book and his  
speeches made him rich.

>   They say that the rich voters vote Republican, so if
> that is true then why are the richest states Democratic?  Look at
> Mississippi-maybe the poorest state out there, but it's Republican
> through and through.  It's seemingly a paradox.  Why would poor  
> working
> class folks in MS feel better represented by a Rep than a Dem?  The
> answer is not that they aspire to be rich, but that they trust the  
> right
> wing conservatives/religious right/whatever you want to call them

It is a seeming conundrum. My Ozark County votes Republican but it is  
poor. The answer is people's historical perception of the parties  
coupled with a fierce independence.
> More so than ever before, there is little difference between the
> parties.  I really don't see how you can say that the Reps don't
> represent enough of America to be a viable party.

Both parties must play to the center to get votes. But the individual  
candidates are distinguishable by their bases.

>   Last I heard, this
> horse race wasn't over and it is looking to be a photo finish.  What
> does that say about the equity of both major parties and who they  
> represent?

I don't think it will be a photo finish. My sense of it is that polls  
have become unreliable.
>  If that happens, then once again American voters will show that
> > they are emotionally susceptible, that they can be politically
> > manipulated by those of no ethics save the drive to win, whatever it
> > takes.
>
> Funny, I feel the same way about Obama, that he plays to emotion and
> idealism.  The whole election, both sides, is manipulated by those  
> with
> no ethics..they play both ends against the middle.

Yes, Obama plays to emotion. He also presents his logic for policies.  
The unethical stuff is the repeat of the Rovian lies that worked to  
get Bush elected and the Iraq Invasion and more. Rove's genius is in  
repeating lies until they become part of the lexicon. The same people  
who get their news on talk radio and nightly TV news and read the  
National Enquirer are prey for the gutter politics of Rove. It works.
> > My prediction today is that this is the last presidential campaign in
> >   which the old Republican guard has a chance of representing America
> > to Americans and to the world.
>
>
> Wake up.  IF Obama is elected, I doubt he will be re-elected.  After a
> few years of his lack of focus when he is working on his third or  
> fourth
> book instead of working on

Where does that come from? I find it amazing that this perception  
could exist in an otherwise seemingly intelligent mind. I think he  
will work very hard to fix the things that Bush broke and to get us on  
a better path.

Frankly, I just don't know how to respond further. My truth and your  
truth on Obama are simply too far apart for any meaningful discourse.