Steve,

As I told my sister recently. "I'm glad you have a candidate you feel happy to vote for. For me, it is really a choice between two evils. "

I can choose Barack Obama, whose policies call for the "redistribution of wealth", which to me sure sounds a lot like communism. That didn't work too well for the Soviets. Senator Obama is of the opinion that government is the cure for the ills we face, while I believe that in most cases, the government is the problem. I believe that we need to return to government to the basic foundations outlined in the constitution instead of continuing to expand its power as Senator Obama favors.

Or, I can choose John McCain, who doesn't seem to be able to decide what he is. While he claims to be a conservative, he has been part of too many bills where he crossed over with the Democratic party to implement policies I thought were mistakes for my comfort. He certainly has experience on his side and he is without a doubt a genuine war hero. He has made a reputation for fighting earmarks (pork barrel spending) and that is something I can respect. But I am concerned about his environmentalist streak.

I wish I had a conservative candidate that I could feel as excited about as you and my sister are about Senator Obama. Unfortunately, I don't. Of the two candidates, to me the clearly less evil choice is voting for John McCain.

As for Governor Palin, I don't think that you and my sister are giving her a fair shake. You don't get to be the Governor of a state by bring a puppet without brains. I'm not even sure how you get to be a Mayor or City Councilman by being a brainless puppet. She is clearly a smart woman who was completely unprepared for the position in which she found herself, running for Vice President with only days of warning. Senator Obama, Senator Biden and Senator McCain on the other hand have had their eyes on the Presidency for years. Given those years of preparation, it isn't surprising that they appear more prepared. Frankly, I find that fact refreshing. I think the last thing we need is another career politician in the White House.

I'd put Governor Palin up against Senator Biden any day. How many times does Senator Biden need to say that you can't work in a convenience store without a slight Indian accent or that you just need to walk into the restaurant that's been closed for 15+ years before you start to have doubts about him? He seems to think that riding the Amtrak into work every day for nearly $100 a day makes him an "average Joe". I think it is unfortunate that Senator Biden and most Washington insiders are completely out of touch with the average middle class person. They've spent so long in politics that they believe they "know better" than everyone else.

Steve, which of Senator Obama's policy positions do you find the most appealing? Or at this point are you part of the "anyone but Bush" crowd? My fear is that some people are voting for Senator Obama simply because he is the "anti-Bush" but without any specific policies in mind that make the Senator an attractive Presidential candidate.

I'm not a fan of President Bush either. While I think he did a good job right after September 11th, in the subsequent years he has abandoned his conservative roots and spent like a liberal Democrat. While he made some noises about reforming Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, he didn't raise the alarm either. He signed the $700B bailout plan. He's just as guilty as his Republican and Democratic peers in the Congress for what has happened to our financial system.

Fortunately, President Bush isn't running. I don't believe it is fair to tie Senator McCain to President Bush's policies. Like most people, they agree on some things and disagree on others. They're not the same person.

I take hope in the fact that President Carter brought us Ronald Reagan. I'm hopeful that if Senator Obama wins the presidency, in four years enough people will be fed up with a Democrat in the White House that we'll get a real conservative in 2012.