To begin, I don't believe who is president has much impact on my life personally and locally. In fact, the only influence I have seen it have, is some election years there is a coattail effect locally, but even that isn't consistent, and seems to depend on the candidate.

I find it utterly depressing that the majority of voters will vote for one or the other evil. I just don't see how voting for the bad guys can be considered a legitimate means of repossessing our democracy, because the electoral system is rigged to keep the current bad guys in power. Other means than electoral ones will have to be used to regain a peoples' toehold in the US government.

Both Dem & Rep candidates support the continuation of perpetual war.

Both Dem & Rep candidates support one variety or another of the "Ownership Society"--the Bush/Republican euphemism for the dismantling of the institutions of democracy by instead institutionalizing as de facto rulers, specially privleged global corporate interests.

Both candidates support the status quo that became institutionalized in American politics under Reagan, and makes them both evil choices, IMO.

I will not cast my vote out of fear of the "evil president Bush". I have never in my 30 years of voting, voted for an "Anybody But..." candidate, and I have no intention of starting to do so now, because the Democrats are in a frenzy from losing political power for the first time in a century.

I could go on and on down the line of issues. I know there are some significant differences on some issues between the donkey and the elephant, but nothing significant enough for me to cast my vote for either one of them.

As an unaligned independent voter, I am voting for my long term interests, beyond this election where there isn't a positive choice between the two party candidates. I am not "voting my conscience" (which I believe is a propaganda line being espoused by anti-Nader braying donkeys). I am voting my long term interests as a progressive independent. I am voting in a state that is considered to be "swing" by the donkeys and the elephants, but not by me, because neither of those two parties represents my interests.

So, like 2000, I will vote for the Greens, and David Cobb for president. I am looking beyond this election with my vote, knowing that it will help build the Green Party in my state. As to the choices between the donkey and the elephant, I believe there won't be much difference in the raping and pillaging of the planet under either one, I don't think either one is committed to upholding international human rights, I don't think either one will advocate for the poor and working class citizens of the world, I believe both will nominate judges that will act as advocates for the monied interests, and against the interests of minorities, women, and the poor, etc etc blah blah blah.