I don't know.

As I'm posting this, the polls haven't even opened in America yet.
But they will soon.

I don't know who will win. Based on early polling, I can guess, but I don't know. There is a lot I don't know about this election. In fact, I don't even know if the man I voted for is the best choice. I think so. I hope so. But I'd be lying if I said that the barrage of emails and articles calling him a thief and a liar and a socialist haven't caused me to second-guess my once blind faith. Not enough to make me want to change my vote (I mailed in my absentee ballot over a month ago), but enough to make me say "I don't know."

I value those three words. And I say them a lot - especially when it comes to politics. Now, to say "I don't know" doesn't mean I'm undecided, it just means I'm open to the possibility that the other side has some valid points. It means I'm not 100% certain. It means that I won't discount the opinions and beliefs of people I respect simply because they vote one way in this election and I vote another.

This time last year, I made a commitment to figure out what I think politically. I'd never voted before, and I was ashamed of that fact. So I did a lot of reading - much of it on the web and written by those "liberal media elites," but much of it from my in-box and written by whoever the opposite of those "liberal media elites" are. I've only scratched the surface, I know that, but I think I've managed to learn a lot about American politics in the last year. At the very least, I've discovered the main differences between the ideologies of Republicans and Democrats, and based on my personal ideology, I think I've figured out which team suits me best...

Now, even having made that decision, I continue to question my beliefs. I consider myself well-educated and relatively well-informed, but there is still just so much that I don't know...I'm not sure I'll ever feel 100% confident that I've made the right choice. That being said, I'm constantly amazed at how many people can be so very certain about their political beliefs. They have no doubts. They just know that they are right. (And when I say "right" I don't necessarily mean "Right." I think both parties are equally full of self-righteous know-it-alls who condescend to anyone with an opposing opinion).

I'm slightly envious of those people who "know" they are right, but I'm suspicious of them too. Because complicated issues are never that simple. There are always grey areas. We can't know everything, and we can't always be right. That's something I do know. In fact, the first politician to come out and really admit he doesn't know something...well, that's the one who has my vote. Oh wait, didn't McCain admit he didn't know much about the economy? And didn't the Obama people hold it over his head for the entire campaign? Hmmm...maybe the phrase "I don't know" isn't so good coming from a politician. I guess it's okay for me not to know, but I suppose I expect the next president to know. Am I one big contradiction or what?

Well, there goes my promise not to talk politics, but to not talk about it - today at least - well it would be like ignoring the elephant in the living room. Or the donkey.

Happy Voting!