Those idiot "undecideds" shouldn't be allowed to vote. Oh, wait. I was an undecided once.

[Honeycombe8]

I have been perplexed and angry at the undecideds. How is it POSSIBLE that someone hasn't made a decision yet? How is that even POSSIBLE? Only an idiot or someone totally uninvolved could possibly be an undecided, I thought.

Then I remembered that I had been an undecided in the Carter-Reagan election. Both sides would've wondered how it could be possible for anyone to be undecided.

As I searched my memory chip, I recall how it was for me, an undecided. So it helps me to SORT OF understand the current undecideds.

First, I was pretty young. Early 20's.

Second, I was very busy & involved with my life. College and boys. That's what being young is all about! In fact, I was even ironing my clothes while I watched what I think was the only debate between Carter & Reagan. I had very little down time to think about things.

Third, I was young enough that I hadn't identified particularly with either party, although I liked Carter better.

Fourth - and this is the MAIN reason I was undecided - I really really wanted to vote for Carter. But the economy was horrible. Inflation was double digit. Interest rates were 18%, then 20%, and I think they got over 20% at one point. I kept waiting for something to happen that would let me vote for Carter. But although I wanted to vote for Carter, I knew in my gut that a change had to come, in order to start fixing things. I couldn't bring myself to go for Reagan early on. I didn't like him. Thought he was a dog & pony show.

So I waited for a reprieve from the bad economical news. I waited for a glowing showing at a debate by Carter. I waited for something to give me a good reason to vote for the guy I wanted to vote for.

In the end, though, the miracle didn't happen. He didn't even do that well in the debate. I ended up feeling as if I had no choice but to vote against the man I wanted to vote for, but who I felt was not up to the task of governing the country.

So that may be what it is for the current undecideds. They WANT to vote for one or the other, but deep down they believe that person is not the right person. They are waiting for a miracle that lets them vote for their favorite with good conscience. Something to iron out that nagging doubt that their favorite doesn't have what it takes. In the end, if the miracle doesn't come, they will vote against their favorite person (although not FOR the opponent, necessarily).

What we don't know for sure is, who their favorite is that they want to vote for, but feel they can't.

Of course, some undecideds really ARE just idiots and totally uninvolved in the world around them. And hopefully they won't get around to voting at all!

[Not_Longer_Than_20_C]

1. Undecided

Most of the undecided are idiots, the rest are lying.