It's simple, really really simple. Voting along party lines will not get me the results that I want. It takes being informed before the election to make the proper decision. Talking points were not built to inform you but rather to try and get that invaluable vote (do a little research as to how abramoff and friends used pat robertson to swing votes in their favor, couldn't think of a better example). You mentioned education earlier, I won't paste it here, but I'm guessing that you meant informed on issues. It is your duty as an American to inform yourself to the best of your ability in order for your vote to truly be an active decision instead of being another card in favor of big business. When voters do not inform themselves, you get what we have now, record deficit (trade and financial), corruption run amock, power hoarding in all branches of government, wars without cause and no conceivable end in sight and looking for more. This effects you and me directly, the dollar is dropping, we have lost our favor with a large portion of the rest of the free world, we are still no safer, our personal debt is skyrocketing, the latest tax curs will save you and I maybe 30-40 dollars and will save George probably better than 50,000. I try and vote for people who have my best interest in mind, sometimes that is impossible. You vote for whoever you like, if it someone who will back greed, intolerance based on religion, gender, race or lifestyle, if it soeone who's interest is to squeeze more of those hard earned dollars out of you then fine, so be it. That's your choice and I have no right to change that. I find that lately, the candidtes that suit me are primarily (not always) dems, that could change when they take over again and became drunk with power. But if you vote without understanding your issues or your candidates, then you are wasting everyones time and you are part of the problem. Otherwise you are what you have been accused of over and over again, and support those as favorable traits in your representatives and laws that get passed.