I was reminded (again) this morning on a TV commercial that Senator John McCain has voted with President Bush 90% of the time. Over the past few days, I’ve also heard some Democrats increase that ‘genuine approximation’ to 95%. Senator Obama has clearly put his education to good use and strategically inversed the 90% figure to say he’s “…unwilling to risk a 10% chance at change because John McCain has voted with President Bush 90% of the time”. That Obama fellow is so clever the way he flipped that around!

What I’m really having hard time wrapping my brain around is the voting process by which these statistics were derived. Has the President been quietly sneaking into the Capital late at night, casting ballots and YEA / NEA votes in Congress? Does the President legislate under a pseudonym or have a split-personality whereas he is the Chief Executive on even numbered days and a Senator on odd numbered days? Do you suppose he could keep track of even and odd numbers in the first place…or would he get confused on day #1? Does the Department of Homeland Security know about this flip-flopper?

To the best of my understanding, voting takes place in the tall building with the dome, and Bill’s get approved or vetoed in the Ivory Building down the street. At least that’s the way it happens in the PBS cartoon How a Bill becomes a Law I watched when I was a kid. The President doesn’t really get to vote…does he? And if he doesn’t get to vote, then how can John McCain be voting with him 90 (or 95) percent of the time?

Wouldn’t it be more accurate to say “President Bush has approved of the way Senator John McCain votes 90% of the time”?

Or if you’re a Democrat, “President Bush has failed to agree with Senator McCain 10% of the time”?

I suppose that wouldn’t make for a very inspirational TV commercial though. I’ll try harder to pay less attention on the next one.

I’m Mathew Hall, and I approve of this message. (A friend)

And if you approve of this message, then we are 1 for 1 and you have voted with me 100% of the time.