Red State, Blue State United State ... Divided We Fail

Are either of these phrases resonating with you?

Tuesday night, at the Democratic National Convention, Governor Brian Schweitzer of Montana gave a motivating speech about his roots and his beloved state of Montana. Now this was not the only speech I listened to, but it hit home for me because of these statements he made:

"We are not a Red State. We are not a Blue State. We are a UNITED State."

I'm not a big fan of the two party system of Government. I feel that as long as there are systems in place that divide us, we will not accomplish the goals we could if we were united.

I am an Independent Voter and there is a reason for that. I do not decide who I want to vote for based upon party affiliation. I vote for the person; whether his or her beliefs match my own; and where he or she has proven the validity of those beliefs in personal and public life. Sometimes, it is a Republican who has the qualities I am looking for, and sometimes it is a Democrat.

I wonder why I can't vote for a Democrat President and a Republican Vice President, or vice versa. I wonder why I must choose a party at every election and then immediately fill out a card so that I can retain my Independent status. I wonder who I have to talk to to get a satisfactory answer to my questions.

I am watching these conventions, still unsure as to whom I will vote for in the upcoming election. I do know that whichever way I cast my vote, it will not be the way I would want it to be.

If any of you politicians are looking in on this blog, please be aware that there are many folks like me out there that agree that whatever happens, we all want to live in a UNITED state!

Frances Sanderson, REALTOR®, Certified EcoBroker®