After Super Tuesday, in which almost half the states voted in primaries or caucused, it appears with the wins in the big states the final candidates will be Hillary Clinton and John McCain.

Pure self-professed conservatives are saying if McCain wins the nomination they will not vote. Just as they didn’t vote in 2004 and we got a Democratic Congress that would have passed a lot of bad laws if not for the veto pen of President Bush.

For a Republican to stay home and not vote it is the same as voting for Clinton. Do you really want four or eight more years of a Clinton in the White House?

Do you really savor the possibility of two more Ruth Bader Ginsbergs on the Supreme Court for the next two or three decades or more?

Do you want forced national health care where your wages will be garnisheed if you choose not to participate in their plan? It would be just like the FICA taxes now. You don’t miss it until you look at your paystub and realize how much the government is withholding.

Do you want a tax increase? That’s what’s going to happen even if no vote is taken because the tax cuts you have enjoyed during the Bush Administration are set to expire in 2011. Your taxes will go back up and that is a tax increase.

How about all the other taxes it’s going to take to implement the new social programs Hillary is rubbing her hands in anticipation of getting?

Forget Huckabee and Romney. With all his money Romney can’t seem to score in the primaries. Huckabee won a few southern states but that’s all. McCain is winning in all sections of the country.

It’s a little different for Hillary. She still has stiff opposition from Barack Obama, who is a very charming man who seems to want peace in our nation’s capitol, but has no executive experience to show he can succeed at it. Bush tried, but failed. And he had peace with the Democrats in the Texas legislature when he was governor of Texas.

Whether it’s Hillary or Obama, you can’t put a piece of paper between them as far as their stands on the issues.

McCain has been a maverick and has enjoyed the role. He loves the spotlight and the attention he gets from the press.

We have heard many conservatives disavow him, but the voters don’t seem to be listening to the insiders.

This is probably the most important election in a long, long time, if not in our nation’s history. If we refuse to vote we will give the Democrats control of all three branches of government and I don’t mean the White House and each house of Congress. I mean the White House, both houses of Congress and the Judiciary, which includes the Supreme Court.

So, maybe like some awful tasting medicine you’ve had to swallow in the past, you’ll have to hold your nose as you pull the lever, touch the screen or mark an X for John McCain, but do it we must for the sake of our country’s future.

While walking down the street one day a US senator is tragically hit by a truck and dies.

His soul arrives in heaven and is met by St. Peter at the entrance.

“Welcome to heaven,” says St. Peter. “Before you settle in, it seems there is a problem. We seldom see a high official around these parts, you see, so we’re not sure what to do with you.”

“No problem, just let me in,” says the senator.

“Well, I’d like to, but I have orders from higher up. What we’ll do is have you spend one day in hell and one in heaven. Then you can choose where to spend eternity.”

“Really, I’ve made up my mind. I want to be in heaven,” says the senator.

“I’m sorry, but we have our rules.”

And with that, St. Peter escorts him to the elevator and he goes down, down, down to hell. The doors open and he finds himself in the middle of a green golf course. In the distance is a clubhouse and standing in front of it are all his friends and other politicians who had worked with him.

Everyone is very happy and in evening dress. They run to greet him, shake his hand, and reminisce about the good times they had while getting rich at the expense of the people.

They play a friendly game of golf and then dine on lobster, caviar and champagne.

Also present is the devil, who really is a very friendly guy who has a good time dancing and telling jokes. They are having such a good time that before he realizes it, it is time to go.

Everyone gives him a hearty farewell and waves while the elevator rises…

The elevator goes up, up, up and the door reopens on heaven where St. Peter is waiting for him.

“Now it’s time to visit heaven.”

So, 24 hours pass with the senator joining a group of contented souls moving from cloud to cloud, playing the harp and singing. They have a good time and, before he realizes it, the 24 hours have gone by and St. Peter returns.

“Well, then, you’ve spent a day in hell and another in heaven. Now choose your eternity.”

The senator reflects for a minute, then answers: “Well, I would never have said it before, I mean heaven has been delightful, but I think I would be better off in hell.”

So St. Peter escorts him to the elevator and he goes down, down, down to hell.

Now the doors of the elevator open and he’s in the middle of a barren land covered with waste and garbage.

He sees all his friends, dressed in rags, picking up the trash and putting it in black bags as more trash falls from above.

The devil comes over to him and puts his arm around his shoulder. “I don’t understand,” stammers the senator. “Yesterday I was here and there was a golf course and clubhouse, and we ate lobster and caviar, drank champagne, and danced and had a great time. Now there’s just a wasteland full of garbage and my friends look miserable. What happened?”

The devil looks at him, smiles and says…….

“Yesterday we were campaigning. Today you voted.”