This current election makes me wish I could vote. Unfortunately I am not a citizen. Although I have had my green card for almost two decades, and am eligible to file the Certificate of Citizenship (as opposed to the traditional naturalization process), I have always chosen to remain a German citizen. Under no circumstances will I relinquish my German citizenship. Until recently, I was under the impression that the German government did not allow for dual status. However, while applying for my replacement passport, I learned that I am in fact eligible to file a request for dual status. Based on my subsequent research, I have an extremely good chance of receiving the exception.

Nevertheless, I am still precluded from voting in THIS election. If there were ever an election where every single vote counted, this one is the! While the wreckage of Bush, Jr.’s policies will remain with this country (and the world) for decades to come, the outcome of this election will determine if we continue to sink deeper into the black hole, or whether we will start to take deliberate steps to rebuild all that has been destroyed. The U.S. has far too many problems right now in order to possibly have someone like Sarah Palin a heartbeat from the Oval Office.

Katie Couric: Why isn’t it better, Gov. Palin, to spend $700 billion helping middle-class families who are struggling with health care, housing, gas and groceries; allow them to spend more and put more money into the economy instead of helping these big financial institutions that played a role in creating this mess?

Gov. Sarah Palin: That’s why I say I, like every American I’m speaking with, we’re ill about this position that we have been put in where it is the taxpayers looking to bail out. But ultimately, what the bailout does is help those who are concerned about the health-care reform that is needed to help shore up our economy, helping the — it’s got to be all about job creation, too, shoring up our economy and putting it back on the right track. So health-care reform and reducing taxes and reining in spending has got to accompany tax reductions and tax relief for Americans. And trade, we’ve got to see trade as opportunity, not as a competitive, scary thing. But one in five jobs being created in the trade sector today, we’ve got to look at that as more opportunity. All those things under the umbrella of job creation. This bailout is a part of that.

WHAT???

Foreign analyst, Fareed Zakaria, responded to a question about his initial reaction to Palin as McCain’s VP pick in stating:

I was a bit surprised — as I think most people were. But I was willing to give her a chance. And I thought her speech at the convention was clever and funny. But once she began answering questions about economics and foreign policy, it became clear that she has simply never thought about these subjects before and is dangerously ignorant and unprepared for the job of vice president, let alone president.

While Obama currently leads in the polls with 50% (compared to McCain’s 42%), I am still extremely concerned that we could have another four years of this mayhem. The McCain-Palin team has turned to feeding into the fears (whether real or imagined) and xenophobic attitudes of some Americans, by accusing Obama of having terrorist connections. That is low even for McCain. I am also increasingly concerned about the neocolonialist rhetoric she infuses in “patriotic” speech.

I love America, however, I do not think it does or should have a monopoly on democratic ideals. Nevertheless, this shift in rhetoric from the McCain-Palin camp illustrates their lack of credibility and integrity, as well as their last ditch effort to scare the American public into voting based on unjustified fears.