In a week plus a few days is election day, probably the most important election ever, until the next one rolls around. Here is a little primer plus my thoughts.

The most important office open is the highest office of the land: the presidency. And with November 2 around the corner, George W. Bush and John Kerry are fighting neck-and-neck and the polls prove it. President Bush stands for the values of any red-blooded Republican which is to uphold conservative values while protecting the country. Yet surprisingly, it's that last part which is making him look weak.

The war in Iraq has suffered major missteps during its course. While the execution of the war was flawless, the military plan to reduce the number of troops and go with a technology-driven battle has left Iraq vulnerable to insurgents and terrorists, leading up to today's unstable landscape. Not all countries taken over can be changed as well as Afghanistan has, which had free elections earlier this month. Kerry, however, has not shown he will lead the country in a different path than Bush has. Kerry proposes a summit in order to attract nations cooperation even though countries such as France have expressed opposition to help in Iraq, even with a Kerry presidency. Otherwise, Kerry wants to stay the course until things are stable, which is what Bush wants to do.

If not for the war, the talk would turn to the economy. The budget deficit is at its highest ever while slow, but improving, job growth and rising oil prices stifle the economy's growth as a whole. Both candidates though turn a blind eye toward the deficit. Sure, they say they'll cut it in half in 5 years, but independent studies have shown their plans will only raise the deficit. Bush wants to make his tax cuts permanent (they are due to expire in 2011). Kerry wants middle class tax cuts and a vast health insurance plan to cover a majority of the uninsured, which studies have shown the cost to be at least $1 trillion. Yet the only plan he has offered to pay for these plans is to repeal the tax cuts for those making $200,000 or more, which for some reason, probably won't reap the $1 trillion to cover the cost, plus a little more to close the deficit.

What's left are the little issues that constitute each person's record. As President, Bush has driven a divided country to the right, with limitations on stem cell research, environmental decisions becoming largely pro-business, a proposal for a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage. Like his foreign policy, domestic policy seems to rest on going at it alone and allowing Bush to make things right, which works when you're arguing to protect America but leaves a lot of angry people when it comes to the issues.

You don't hear much about Kerry's record. When you hear a stump speech from him, his loudest applause lines come from remarks that sharply criticize Bush. A study by factcheck.org (note: it's not .com) found that in the 20 years Kerry has been a Senator, he has written a total of 11 bills that were passed by the Senate. The votes he has made confound quite a few people, leaving him open to attacks calling him a flip-flopper, especially the popular one about the $87 million for troops in Iraq which he voted for before he voted against it (he wanted to fund the troops but didn't agree on how it would be funded).

Lately, both candidates have been using scare tactics to strike fear in the electorate with attacks that are largely false. Bush contends Kerry's health care plan is tantamount to a government takeover, which it is not. Kerry contends Bush wants to cut Social Security benefits by 30-45%, which he doesn't propose. Bush believes the country would be less safe in a Kerry presidency, which is something that can't be predicted. Kerry says he would lift Bush's ban on stem cell research even though in fact, Bush is the first president to federally fund stem cell research, though with limitations. Bush states Kerry has voted to raise taxes 98 times even though he hasn't. Kerry believes Bush will bring back the draft, even though Bush is strongly opposed to it. They are attacking each other for showing weakness in winning the war on terror even though both said essentially the same thing. It really has marred what was a purely competitive race.

In the end, the polls to me would seem to be right. A Bush supporter is unabashedly with the president. A Kerry supporter is more likely to vote against Bush rather than for Kerry. As a Republican, my vote lies with Bush. While giving Kerry a fair shake, I don't see anything over-riding to sway my vote. Sure, there were flaws about Iraq, both going in and now, but there is little difference between both plans. The economy is improving and Kerry proposes a litle too much spending than what I'd hope for. Lately, Kerry has proposed expanding stem cell research, which I'd support if not for the massive amount of funding that would be needed which could be spent on AIDS funding and other diseases and the limited success stem cell research has had.

I agree with Bush on the issues, but the severe path to the right he takes on them is too much for me. A constitutional amendment on banning gay marriage is too much when there is a Defense of Marriage Act already law. Tax cuts are good but they could be focused toward people like me instead of the rich. The judges he wants nominated, mostly conservative, need to be more open to the process instead of pushing them through confirmation, which will be key with Supreme Court openings on the horizon.

What else is there? There's the California Senate Race. The what? That's right. We're choosing a senator. The incumbent Barbara Boxer faces Bill Jones, the former Secretary of State. Boxer is generally considered one of the more liberal senators in the Senate, and in a state heavily Democratic, that's a good thing. Jones was the only Republican in any high state office in 2002, so that has to prove something in terms of bipartisanship. The disadvantage Jones has though is money, something he does not have compared to Boxer's fundraising. As a result, Jones has been unable to get his message out there. One-third of the electorate have no opinion of him. I have no opinion of him.

As for the propositions, you know if it's an important proposition if Arnold Schwarzenegger makes a jacket with the number on it. The first time, it was for his after-school programs. After that, the budget loans. And now, Arnold has a jacket saying No on 68 and 70. Right now, Indian tribes pay next to nothing to the state for their casinos. Arnold is trying to tap into that by negotiating contracts individually with each tribe. So, 68 and 70 were put on the ballot to put a share of each casino's profits into the state in exchange for more casinos. Arnold believes he can get more by himself and is thus voting no. The other major ones are 1A (limiting state control of local government funds), 60 and 62 (partisan vs. non-partisan elections), 71 (state funding of stem cell research in the amount of $3 billion), and 72 (employer-required health care).

So do your research and get out the vote.