Chunky Monkey Ice Cream

Who really eats only chocolate or vanilla? Why do you think Baskin Robbins' 31 flavors and Ben & Jerry's Chunky Monkey are American favorites. It is our freedom to choose what we want between a vast amount of choices that really makes us feel free. No one really ever eats the Rum Raisin, but it's there if we wanted it.

There are more than two Americas. These are not the two Americas as defined by Kerry and Edwards. These are not the two Americas as defined by Bush and Cheney. None of them are the Americas I wish to live in. Unfortunately, these are our two choices: Chocolate or Vanilla. (Nader and Camejo are nothing more than French Vanilla.)

The bi-partisan world in which we live in has been around since Adams and Jefferson drove Washington out of office with their constant bickering over which end of the egg to break. (See the meaning behind Gulliver's travels if you need further understanding of the egg analogy.) Then, there were the Jeffersonians and the Democrats. Today, we have the Democrats and the Republicans. We have always has the misrepresentation of a two party system. We've been grandfathered into Chocolate or Vanilla.

Have you ever heard of a rider for a bill? It's the little extras that politicians try to add to a working bill in the hopes that will ride through the House of Representatives and the Senate with the rest of the bill. Well, that's what we have when it comes to political decision making. Both political candidates have a primary leading feature, or a bill, that people will vote for. Sadly, they both have many riders that go along with them. Whether it's health care, or gay marriage, or assault weapons, none of us have the ability to choose which features we would like. We can't make a political banana split or hot fudge sundae. We either get Chocolate or Vanilla.

Individual States have opened the avenue I'm trying to steer towards with propositions and the like. However, the federal government gives us no such option. Can we directly vote for or against gay marriage? No. Can we directly vote for or against an assault weapons ban? No. Can we even vote as to how or how much the government takes its taxes? No. We must chose one candidate, and one candidate alone to vote the way he or she sees fit. We are stuck with Chocolate or Vanilla.

Wouldn't you like the opportunity to pick your own flavors? To make your political opinions really count instead of being stuck with a fallacy of false dilemma? When will we ever get the opportunity vote for what we want and not just Chocolate or Vanilla?

I would like some Chunky Monkey please. What flavor would you like?

(There is no intent towards Ben & Jerry's political affiliations. I just like the ice cream.)