I decided to make it official. I was already planning to register as I had not yet registered to vote in Kansas. Since Kansas is way too conservative and needs more Democrats, I registered to vote and officially joined the Democratic Party. Before, I was not affiliated with a political party at all. If someone would have told me even two years ago that I would now be a Democrat, I would have said, "No way, not ever!" However, my views have changed over time, and I am now more liberal than ever. While I'm not 100% liberal, I am definitely more liberal than conservative. However, there are elements of my party that I find downright shameful. For example, there are some who seem to shun the military. Now folks, this is not a majority view of the Democratic Party, but the element is there nonetheless.

I am not what you would call a pacifist. I believe that military action is justified if diplomatic means have been exhausting and the nation in question poses a threat to the United States and its allies. While I believe that Iraq was not the right war, I believe we need to withdraw in a manner that will both protect our own interests and assure that Iraq is a peaceful nation at last. Those in my party who oppose all war need to stop burying their heads in the sand. While I do not like war, I recognize the need to combat evil in the world.

It's the economy, stupid! Yes, I tend to have disagreement with both parties on this particular issue. One problem I have with my own party is the fact that so many want to raise taxes. While raising taxes is sometimes a necessity, our current economic situation calls for taxes to remain or current rates or even to be lowered. I also reject the view that corporations are evil. While many corporations have harmed the environment and have had dubious practices, I believe most obey the law and are an important part of the economy.

Health care is an important issue. Barack Obama wants to make health insurance more affordable for Americans, and I believe this is the best route for the United States. While socialized medicine seems to work well in France, it is a colossal failure in nations like Canada, the United Kingdom, and especially Cuba. Speaking of which, Michael Moore should shut his f**king overstuffed mouth. He does Moore harm than Moore good for the Democratic Party. His so-called documentary about Cuba is beyond dishonest. Yes, rich people in Cuba get to go to nice hospitals, but the peasants are subject to filthy conditions and sub-standard health care. Considering the size of the United States, socialized medicine is unlikely to work well. Doctors and nurses would have to take a major pay cut, and they are unlikely to want to take that risk. Also, many hospitals would probably need to be closed, because there are too many for the US government to manage.

Abortion is a hot button issue, mostly because of religious zealots like Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell (may that rotten bastard burn in hell). While I personally believe that adoption is a much better choice, I believe in a woman's right to choose. One of the biggest concerns I have with anti-choice advocates is that they cannot argue in favor of their position without talking about God. In a country where people are deigned to have religious freedom, that is absolutely unacceptable. If you want to prove your own point of view, do so without invoking the name of Jesus. As for "partial-birth abortion" as they like to call it, I am actually against it. Once a fetus is viable, it should be protected by law unless the mother's life is in danger or there are specific birth defects in which it may be more humane to abort the fetus. Parental notification is not something I support. While I urge young women to tell their parents about their decisions. there are many cases in which that is not possible. Parental permission is unacceptable. Young ladies should have the right to say what shall happen to their bodies. Parents should not be allowed to force their daughters to have babies.

I think that about covers it for now. There are many other topics and opinions I would love to share in the future. I love expressing my opinion and sharing my political philosophy with others. I have always been a strongly political person even before I came to the conclusion that I should join the Democratic Party. With that said, I have only one more thing to say. I am excited to be voting for the next president of the United States of America, Barack Obama! Even if you are not voting for Barack Obama, I urge you all to vote!