Election Truths, The Undecided Voter, and Saturday Night Live.

It is only 43 days until the 2012 Presidential Election takes place; for some it will come as welcomed relief so we can get back to our normal lives of watching mind-numbing television commercials and mediocre, synapse stealing, dribble that passes for Hollywood entertainment these days. But I digress a little here. I remain unapologetic.

There are few hundred thousand folks out there across the fruited plain, it is argued, who are the ones that are actually "the deciders" of elections. They represent just enough of the voting block to tip the election one way or the other, meaning either victory or defeat for the incumbent or his opponent. Each party valiantly tries to sway these "undecideds" to vote their way. Most candidate's top advisers encourage the campaign to channel their energy on states & segments of the demographic pie that could make up their minds during the last few weeks of the election.

With a nod to Romney's supposed "off the cuff" comments about the 47% who won't vote for him anyways, there is some legitimacy to what he said. Out of concern for my liberal friends, I want to clarify that I really don't wish to go down into the rabbit-hole of a debate regarding the rest of what Romney said, at least not here, right now. However, the point I believe to be important is that No candidate is going to win ALL of the voters. The best thing you can do is keep your base happy, and try to attract those "undecideds" who could, with enough votes, help you to win the election. Campaign advisers tell candidates all the time to focus on the things that will get them the election, hopefully picking up a few changed minds along the way.

Having known many who take pride in not knowing about their government, policies, candidates running for office, and basic info of which they should have had some basic understanding, they often leave me perplexed. Ignorance is bliss, I reckon. I understand not wanting to engage in a potential argument about heated issues. But one does not have to argue and discuss their own personal ideas with others if they choose to keep it private. But at least have some cogent thoughts and ideas about issues that are important to you, and become a little more educated on how legislation impacts everything around you.

Last weekend, Saturday Night Live had a skit called "Undecided-voter."  Satire, for sure, but I found just as much truth as humor. Humor, it is often said, is sometimes funny because it contains elements of truth.

nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/undecided-voter