This Crazy Political Season

The two Democratic candidates, Hilary Rodham Clinton and Barack Hussein Obama are a study in contrasts that are striking. These differences are primarily of style and personality.
We know Hilary better because of her relationship to former President Bill Clinton and her extreme visibility arising out of that. Hilary comes across with many negatives that are recognized within her own party and polling also shows that her negatives are very high. She is stiff, abrasive, self serving, a poor speaker, lacks spontaneity, can only talk with rehearsed talking points, a complainer and obviously willing to do anything to win - anything. The most recent example is that her campaign TV ads show Obama's image touched up to be darker than he really is, presumably in a subtle attempt to emphasize that black is a negative.
Senator Obama is growing in popularity because he has a refreshingly honest, positive and spontaneous approach to everything. He is a superb speaker and is as comfortable in an unrehearsed venue as he is with a teleprompter. Senator Obama appears to be a man totally at ease with himself and the world around him. Republicans will readily admit to his obvious likeability. The man simply has a rare level of self confidence and charisma that forcibly draws people to like him.
Philosophically, however, there is little or no difference between them. They both favor far left programs that are associated with the liberal left - higher taxes, national health care, strengthening the Tort Bar, trade protectionism, penalizing and demonizing corporations - particularly drug and energy firms. Much of what they support accelerates the ongoing dimunition of individual autonomy and responsibility for self.
What we get with one of them as President we will essentially get with the other.
What we are not likely to get in this campaign is wide spread awareness of the consequences of our votes. If Obama or Hilary can successfully transfer their stated beliefs into laws and federal programs what will it mean? If we quickly walk away from Iraq and a muscular approach to the middle east what will be the likely outcome? Where does Israel's security fit into this latter scenario? The next President, it is said, will likely appoint up to four new Supreme Court Justices. What sort of justices will Hilary or Obama appoint and what will be their impact on Constitutional law? How will a new President's tax and entitlement programs impact the present and future economy?
Within this post I am not going to suggest answers to the above. But for anyone who reads this I most strongly urge you to do some studious research in an effort to develop a well informed vote before you pull the lever. Let us all make sure we understand the consequences of our votes and avoid a 'feel good' approach. We owe it to our future. But please - do vote.