The Voting Booth Shouldn't Be This Difficult

                Today was the most difficult time in the voting booth that I have ever had in my entire life....by far. I thought about it often.....over months....but when I sat down in the booth I just stared at the ballot for a few minutes....and I only had three choices to make....the fourth race was unopposed. The question wasn't....should I vote for the Democrat....for that was not an option this time....but should I fill in the ovals on all the races....or just some of the races.
                NBC News has a report up right now as I type on the Pennsylvania 17th District....which is my district. Out of 435 congressional districts in America....they chose this one to highlight as having...."national implications." Conor Lamb (D) is our representative right now....a moderate Democrat....and I probably would have voted for him if he was running because we need some Democrats in Congress who are not gone over the edge. A little about Lamb....
                He ran in the primaries against Fetterman....and lost big....58% to 26% or something like that....only days after John Fetterman had a stroke. Fetterman by the way came to prominence as mayor of Braddock Pa.....where my father's family hailed from.....which was also the site of America's most important-little known battle....The Battle of the Monongahela....or the Battle of Braddock's Field as it is also known....this being 1755....in the French and Indian War. It was one of the greatest defeats in British history....a total disaster. General Braddock was killed....more than a third of the men were killed....and only 30% sustaining no wounds. George Washington was present....that's where he had bullets go through his coat.....and Daniel Boone was present....driving a supply wagon...and all this happened on ground that my father later lived on and played upon.
                I won't say whether I filled in those ovals or not....but the fact that a long time conservative republican.....Tea Party evangelical....someone who typically stays up till the early hours of the morning to watch results....and who has opined on American politics and where we are heading.....for many decades.....the fact that he....(that being me).....has to struggle on a simple three race ballot....should surely say something to Republican Party leaders about how far we have strayed from principles and honor....to just polls and endorsements.