I notice things.  Not in a “CSI” way, but ordinary daily “stuff”.  Especially when it’s a part of who I am.  I cannot hear aircraft in my vicinity without looking up to see what it is.  I cannot hear a Harley going by without at least a glance.  Same goes for political signs and stickers.

“Up heah” in my area of Maine there are far more Obama stickers than there are for Romney.  Now, you would think I would be concerned by that, and many of you locally would say that isn’t accurate.

Of course it is.  I’ll tell you why.

The why of it all is that I am still seeing a marked preponderance of stickers for Ron Paul.*  All by themselves.  Not covered by, or even next to, a Romney sticker.  A Ron Paul sticker is, at this point in time, a de facto Obama sticker.

New Englanders’ stubborn individualism, in the mix of reasons to move here, was not ranked low on the list.  It is reminiscent of the old meme: “My mind’s made up, don’t confuse me with the facts”.  MANY Mainers are STILL committed to voting for Ron Paul.  “Ayuh.  He’s the man foah the job”.  In MANY ways, I cannot argue with that.  Some of you may remember that I was NOT an early supporter of Mitt Romney,(D-MA).  I CAN, however, argue that the CURRENT president is NOT “the man foah the job”, but that same Maine-granite-determination WILL put him back in that office if you insist on voting for Ron Paul!

A study was cited on the news not long ago that third party candidates have never, (combined…), garnered more than ten percent of the popular vote.  Not Anderson, not Perot, not Nader…NONE.  Not green, workers, socialists, communists or any other parties.  Combined.

Ron Paul cannot and will not win.  As well, he can not and will not be a significant drain from the Democrat party’s vote tally.  He will, however, be draining votes from the party running AGAINST socialism, communism and totalitarianism…ahem…I MEANT the Democrats.

In all of the years that I have been voting I have nigh never missed my chance…(well…once.  It was a school board election in a town I had only lived in for a few days and stayed in for only a few months…), at not only exercising my RIGHT to vote, but the moral, social and civic responsibility to vote.  I am of the “if you don’t vote you can’t belly-ache” school of thought.  I have NEVER told anyone to NOT vote.  Au contrere, I have been harping on people for the greater part of my life to register and vote!  My one and only issue with it is, as the late Jerry Clower put it…”Become an informed elector”  Please, friend, wherever you live.  Vote with your head, not with you knee.

* While the Maine delegation came down for Ron Paul at the convention, the fact is that they will, (HOPEFULLY!), vote the way the population tells them to.  Mind you, they’re not under any obligation to.  Just something to keep in mind.