This Tuesday, a Clear Choice in a Close Election

It shouldn't come as much of a surprise that I'm backing Mitt Romney for President.  It should come as a surprise how close the election actually is.  President Obama has only been in office for four years and has somehow managed to double our debt in that time, while at the same time presiding over an economy that saw 43 consecutive months of 8% unemployment or higher.  The amount the government spends on welfare and food stamps have both doubled, and when Obama speaks of the next four years he generally says, do more of the same and just tax the wealthy "a little more."

That always gets me, the "a little more" comment.  I also heard it recently when California Governor Gerry Brown made the same statement.  California is facing a huge budget deficit and Brown, like so many others, says this can be solved by asking "a little more" of the wealthy.  Gosh it's just "a little more" and of course the implication is the wealthy are being selfish, or aren't paying at all if they oppose it.  Forget the fact that in California, that "little more" will now have some wealthy Californians taxed at over 50% now, it's half of what they earned, but gosh, just pay "a little more" to help the state out.

Back to my point on Obama though.  The other thing that gets me about that so called "plan" is how, exactly does it spur economic growth and create new jobs?  Are they going to create more government jobs and just use the new tax rate to pay for new employees?  Or, are they just going to encourage more people to get on the government dole like welfare and food stamps and wait it out until eventually it "gets better" and claim victory?

My guess is the latter, and if that's the case, it's not a plan.  Mitt Romney has a plan, has gone over it repeatedly and frankly, I'm shocked so many would still back the current President.  He literally couldn't have been more of failure if he tried, but still, this race is razor thin.

That said, I'll give my "hope" for how the election goes.  Currently Rasmussen has the electoral college as 237 safe for Obama, 206 safe Romney.  Going over the swing states, I see the following.

Nevada: 6 electoral votes.  My home state, I love it there but almost all polls give the edge to Obama.  I don't see this changing so it will go to Obama, but hopefully Dean Heller pulls out the Senate Victory over Shelly Birkley.  Obama 243, Romney 206

Florida:  29 electoral votes:  All polls give the edge to Romney, so I say it goes to Romney. Obama 243,  Romney 235

Virginia: 13 electoral votes. Very close.  Obama really wants this one.  The President has Senator Mark Warner giving a close out ad for the President in which he says he picks the President as a "business investor."  Problem with that logic is when one considers all the other "business leaders" who have endorsed Romney, including the CEO of Chrystler.  It's close, but I think Romney gets it.  Obama 243, Romney 248

New Hampshire: 4 electoral votes.  Very Surprising how close this NE state is, and most polling has it for Romney.  Obama 243, Romney 252.

Colorado:  9 electoral votes.  Polling and the huge crowds makes me a believer this one will go to Romney.  Obama 243, Romney 261.

Ohio:  18 electoral votes.  All polls are indecisive.  This is too close to call, but I'm cynical enough that I'll call it for Obama.  Obama 261, Romney 261.

Iowa: 6 electoral votes.  Very blue, but I think this one is trending towards Romney.  Obama 261, Romney 267.

Wisconsin.  All tied up, but currently trending towards Romney.  Obama 261, Romney 277.

With that, Romney wins a narrow victory that is likely to be subject to court challenges, but eventually wins.

Note:  I used Rasmussen's toss ups for my review here.  Recent polling have all placed Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Minnesota within the margin or error, or within the "toss up" category.  I'd love for Romney to pick up any one of these states, but I don't see it happening.

Anybody else?

-Zach

Shooting in Colorado

Early this morning a madman attacked a theatre crowd watching the latest Batman movie "The Dark Knight Rises."  So far their have been twelve confirmed deaths and fifty people wounded in this attack.  No reasoning for the shooting has been deduced, but this is a tragedy in which another coward went to an area where they were confident no one would have weapons and conducted mass murder.  These people were patrons simply attending a highly atticipated movie, they were mothers, fathers, sons, and daughters and this slug walked up and gunned them down.  The reasons why will be coming out in the news as more becomes known and the need to know "why" remains unsatisfied.  Ultimately though, the reasons are irrelevant as this incident shows we still live in a dangerous world where nothing is entirely sacred or safe.

A person named James Holmes has been arrested for the shooting.  A recent news release states the young man was from California, but had moved to Colorado to study medicine at the University of Colorado.  People will no doubt assume this man was mentally unbalanced, and perhaps as more information is known that may be the case.  As a college student though, and as a person who apparently conducted a fair amount of pre planning before this attack, I think this man knew exactly what he was doing.  He was aware it was wrong and I believe that makes him competant enough to stand trial and to hopefully be sent to death row.

In the meantime, I would say that although these events make us feel that much more vulnerable, I hope people will still live their lives free.  Don't let the actions of a mad man trap you in your homes.  Don't let the actions of a mad man make afraid to go to public places.  Live you life and have faith justice will prevail against this man, in this life or the next.  As for me, I am going to the batman movie tonite as I have been looking forward to it's release for weeks.  I hope to see many others there as well.

-Zach