Actually I switched my registration to Republican about a month ago. However, my motivations weren't exactly to join the Borg collective. In much of Arizona and definitely in my area, the conservatives tend to rule and the Democratic party pretty much just shows up to pretend they matter. Rarely do their primaries have more than one choice for the meatier offices.

However, the Republicans here go tooth and nail against one another, often having 2 or 3 choices in their primary races. Usually one of the choices (and to my dismay often the incumbent) is a Bible-slinging, mean-spirited neo-con. Often these pinheads were ranchers out in some rural community and their political experience came mostly from oratory rants to their herd of cattle. Anyway, generally there's at least one candidate going against them that is at least in command of the English language and doesn't hate the rest of the world. I've taken on, as my political role then, to vote against the worst the Republicans throw at us since I'm pretty much certain that whoever wins the primary will overwhelm in the general election.

This coming vote, my main emphasis is on throwing out our national-known "toughest Sheriff in America" county sheriff who is rapidly becoming a huge embarassment to anyone that looks past his political buffoonery. This man has cost our country huges sums of money in litigation costs for all the deaths and injury that have occured in our country jail (the famous Tent City where inmates, many of whom haven't even been convicted, are forced to stay outside in uncooled tents in the Arizona desert). He gives special favors though to famous "guests" such as Glen Campbell who recently stayed with him for a DUI and assault conviction or the child of Jerry Colangelo, the valley sports magnate and a major campaign contributor. The Republican party here has washed their hands of Sheriff Joe and are fielding a candidate against him that actually has a chance.

I could write pages about our political morons in Arizona but I'm sure you all have them in your own areas. It never becomes simple does it.