My Take, US Senate Race

To be honest, I'm not very impressed with any of the candidates I've seen for the Senate.  I feel the Senate is a weighty, important position that's supposed to rise above (most of) the politics and find the right path.  What I saw from the candidates was either carefully modulated political messages (from Portman and Fisher) or extreme, not very helpful positions designed to overhaul the American way of life overnight (La Botz and Deaton).

It seemed almost impossible for a candidate to address current issues in a way that was effective and practical--and by practical, I mean something we could implement in a matter of weeks.  While I believe both Deaton and La Botz make very good points on fundamental flaws with our system, the changes they want to implement would require changing the public's way of thinking 180 degrees.  That won't happen in time to solve the urgent problems in our nation.  Neither the "main stream" nor the "independent" party candidates give me the feeling they'd be a constructive force in Washington, and that makes me sad.

But I still have a vote to cast.  I might not use it.  But, if I HAD to vote...

It wouldn't be for Portman.  Portman has a long history of service to Ohio and the nation, and no one can say he hasn't done it with honor. But anyone who did that much work for and supported the Bush Administration that much does not share my beliefs, and would not represent me.  This is held up by the statements on his campaign website...point after point, I found myself disagreeing almost 100% with his positions.  We're ideological opposites on every issues I find important.

It wouldn't be for Deaton.  I do agree with most of his "Stick to the Constitution" vision for the government, as impractical as I think it is in the short term.  However, he has a very conservative view on social issues that I find completely out of line with my own.  I don't see him representing me on civil rights at all, for instance.

It wouldn't be for La Botz.  His liberal view on civil rights and other social issues is in line with my own.  However, I have the same problem with his vision for the government as I do with Deaton's: it is too far removed from our current way of life, and would face too much opposition by the public, to do us any good now.

I'd vote for Fisher.  Again, this is only if I had to use the vote.  Fisher's record as the Attorney General, in the State Legislature, and as Lieutenant Governor shows to me he's at least consistent with my values and my views.  I'm not convinced he's able to be part of the solution in the partisan, strangled knot of Capitol Hill, but I can at least feel he'd represent me.