Cast your ballots based on performance

As elections go, this year's Presidential election has the promise of being a true barn-burner. But that is only stating the obvious.

Iowa is now history with New Hampshire and South Carolina close behind. The focus, of course, is clearly on the GOP side of the ledger since the Democratic party's candidate is a foregone conclusion.

The national media - clearly no more than an extension of the Democratic party itself - seems to have some problem that the Republicans are inclined to support anyone but President Obama. That same media finds humor in the GOP's "flavor of the week" candidate parade.

But what exactly is wrong with having less interest in the GOP nominee than in the eventual goal of ending the four-year Obama nightmare that has plunged this country to the brink of financial disaster?

Like many conservative Republicans, I find something to like and something to dislike about every GOP hopeful in the field. Ron Paul speaks the language I support, but his foreign policy positions are severely lacking. Newt Gingrich is clearly in his own league on big ideas. But I suspect he's unelectable. And the list goes on.

But the point among many GOP stalwarts is that anyone - and I do mean anyone - would be a better representative of this nation than the current administration has to offer.

I have long been convinced that some voters cast their ballots for one candidate while others cast their ballots against a candidate. You may not fully support all positions espoused by your choice, but often you clearly oppose each and every position espoused by the opposition.

In this election, I strongly suspect there will be millions upon millions of votes cast against the current leadership because of those policies that threaten this nation. It will be those negative votes that will carry the day.

I have but a passing interest in the GOP debates and the daily ups and downs reported by the national media. I know now that I will favor anyone from either party who will end the misery that has marked the Obama administration.

If voters in November cast their ballot based on performance, this nightmare will end. This administration knows they cannot and must not run on their record. That will assure defeat.

I fear this upcoming election will be less about the phony "hope" and "change" rhetoric and will instead be marked by character assassination. When a candidate has a failed history their only choice is to convince voters that their opponent would do a worse job.

Yes, it's an election year of vast importance and yes, we are a nation divided. But Americans know the history of our past four years and they can project what a continuance of these policies will bring.