This is not a political blog

This blog is not supposed to be political, but in light of everything that is happening in America today, and with our policies affecting the rest of the world, our economy in tatters, our people losing jobs and unable to pay their mortgages or to afford healthcare for their children, it seems to me that politics is unavoidable. On November 4 this country votes. I do not vote. I am a resident alien and I cannot vote but I choose, however, to keep myself informed and I read as much as I can get my sticky little hands on, which includes the New York Times, The Atlantic, The Telegraph, The Times, The Independent, The Guardian, The Economist, Drudge, The Wall Street Journal, Time, Newsweek, The Los Angeles Times, Slate, etc. My husband will vote and my son will vote for the first time. We are, predictably, a two-Prius family. I come from a very conservative background. My father was a huge supporter of Churchill & Thatcher and friends with John Major. I debated Star Wars with my father during the Reagan era (man, he loved Reagan) and we almost came to blows. I now live in a liberal area of West Los Angeles. I discussed the debates with people in the line at Trader Joe's in Studio City. Many of my friends views are far more radical than my own. I tried very hard to be moderate. I read www.factcheck.org every day in an attempt to understand the cold facts of each issue. But essentially I am a humanist. I support women's rights, gay rights, human rights (not necessarily in that order). I come from a country (UK) where we have a National Health Service and I think it shameful that a rich country such as ours does not provide healthcare for its citizens. And I think it shameful that a country so blessed in its resources cannot clothe, house and feed its people (more than a quarter of a million families in Los Angeles live below the federal poverty line). I don't believe that every homeless person I see is a drug addict or is homeless by choice. And yes, I give them money, if I have it.

However, I cannot in my head or in my heart see how a McCain/Palin administration will do anything but push us back as a country, not forwards. I fully respect my friends who disagree with me (I love my friends and don't want to lose them over this), and I would love to hear any and all arguments that may dissuade me from my position, but last night's debate sealed it for me. McCain appeared agitated, disrespectful and small. Obama seemed measured, thoughtful and large. He seemed to embody that Rudyard Kipling poem about 'walking with Kings nor losing the common touch.' I just can't shake this feeling: I think that we have found our next President of the United States.