I'm not sure if the election calendar is the same in every state, but there is a primary election scheduled here in Georgia on July 18th, and it can't come and go soon enough for me.

I like voting and consider it an honor, but I hate elections, especially here in the shit-slingin' south.

See, all of the candidates "talk" about how mudslinging is wrong and that the other guy is doing it, but they're all doing it. And I mean all of them.

In the battle for the democratic party's right to get their ass kicked by Sonny Purdue, Cathy Cox and Mark Taylor are in an all out pissing match where each runs ads that shit on the other faster than I can catch my breath.

Every ad sees Cox's folks referring to Mark Taylor as "The BIG guy." Yes. Mark Taylor's fat. We get it. You've said it in your ads over and over and over again. But that's not a reason to not vote for him OR for him to be attacked. And Taylor's folks are no better. It's just "Cathy did this" or "Cathy didn't do that" and it's all nonsense.

Taylor and / or Cox may very well not deserve to be elected and they may be as crooked as a mountain road, but let the voters decide based on the candidate's records of attendance, voting and general behavior and ethics and not on some political consultant's creation and spin.

I mean, it gets to the point where I feel dirty giving my vote to any of them since it's way closer to voting for the least shitty person instead of voting for the most qualified candidate.

And what's worse is that it's our tax dollars that pay for this hootinanny.

See, anyone running for state office is to be given equal time on television and the tv time is free. Free is relative. It's free to the candidates. That means that stuff is paid for by us.

And I am now of the belief that candidates should only be allowed to mention their opponent's name in an ad if they themselves pay for the ad. If it's a freebie, the candidate can only mention themselves and what they themselves plan to do to make life for their potential or constituents better. Does that sound like it would be so tough?

I mean really. The rule would be simple. If you submit an ad that shows an image of or mentions your opponent's name, you get a bill for the airtime and it's due immediately or the candidate would be arrested and not released until the day after the election in question.

Oh, and I have one more mandatory rule I would put into effect. Each candidate would be required to participate in a debate. Not a bullshit debate but a neutral site, moderated debate. I mention this because Cynthia McKinney is going to be re-elected in a walk-over and is refusing to debate her challengers, and I find this (and her in general) arrogant, disgusting and appalling.

Now, one candidate which I support being covered with mud and hopefully indictments is Ralph Reed. I don't understand how you can launder cash for a convicted felon in Jack Abramoff, sell yourself as the anti-gambling Christian anything while working with the Indians in the background to get casinos and gaming set up for them.

Ralph Reed is about as set in his convictions as a windsock on a blustery day and I hope to God this Casey Cagle wins. I don't care what the guy supports either. Literally. He could support secession from the Union, necrophelia and be a member of the Flat Earth Society, and I'd STILL vote for him. I might volunteer just to help e\insure that that shitass Ralph Reed doesn't get elected in my state.

Anyway, this is all going to get worse before it gets better. midterm elections are coming up and then everyone will ramp up for 2008 in early 2007, so basically they'll get about 100 days of work done before we start all of this shit again.

Yay.