Leisurely Activities Become Politicized

It's always nice in the final weeks because the amount of mudslinging between presidential candidates increases. And the increase is not filled with new and important stuff. More than likely, it is fake or useless material that will not benefit you, the voter. For instance, in my opinion, the way a person conducts themselves leisurely is not a factor in voting for them (as long as they aren't breaking any laws).

Kerry went goose hunting today. That's fine. Cheney feels Kerry is "donning an "October disguise" to keep his record on gun issues hidden from the voters". Now please...

Bush visited the archbishop in the battleground state of Pennsylvania. I have no problem with this.

These WERE both publicity stunts though. They weren't leisure activities. Catching a goose is not symbolic to me. Kerry does open himself up for criticism. Bush and the archbishop win for the best stunt, but who didn't know that Bush was a man of faith?

The issues have been discussed. The mud has been thrown. The voters should take it upon themselves to decide who they will be voting for now, and then turn off the news for the next one and a half weeks. For Republicans and Democrats, I don't think anything crucial will be said to change the positions each side has taken and/or influence a voter's decision.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=694&ncid=718&e=10&u=/ap/20041021/ap_on_el_pr/campaign_rdp

Polls Could Use Extra Security

Many election officials are still worried that al-Qaeda terrorist might disrupt our election. FBI and Homeland Security Department officials have indicated that there is a stream of intelligence that hints towards the possibility of an attack. The biggest fear is that terrorists may spot people in line waiting to vote and attack a line of voters hoping to disrupt democracy.

The issue has been brought up that perhaps voters may be intimidated by intensified security. Don't worry. Because the federal government does not have power over the states when it comes to elections, the Secret Service won't be with you when you vote. That's a relief. If the FBI showed up, I might think of this word: 'corruption'.

The threats have been vague. With little to influence change, most likely few changes will take place. However, some are training poll workers to ensure that they know what to do in the event of an attack. Poll workers have emphasized the fact that even if security is beefed up, it will be difficult to tell.

One Thing for JasonH

You have a nice set of ideas and some decent facts to back up what you say. This isn't directly related to the past comments but I want to know...

What do you think of the Patriot Act in terms of its effects on Muslims? What about Bush dissenters?

The information I have has come from books condemning Bush for his actions and/or from the news. The accuracy may be poor so I am looking for your perspective to help shape my view.