I wasn't planning on making this a political blog--more a place to casually spill my thoughts whenever I feel the urge to release them, which is probably what this will end up being. But on the eve of Super Tuesday, or what could be the most significant day in one of the most significant elections in American history, I can't help myself.

It's ironic to me how "Super Tuesday" falls just two days after the Superbowl. The competitive spirit is in the air and you can certainly draw parallels between the two. There will be a victor and a loser, a crowd of fans who will go home happy and those who will disparage the outcome for days, months, years to come. There are coaches, strategists, game plays, fouls and touchdowns. And, though some may vehemently disagree, the scores are what matter in the end. I wonder if this game will go into OT?

This is the first election I've kept up on and the first election in which I'll be eligible to vote. Right now, my vote goes to Hillary, and not because she's a woman.

A few days ago, I asked my brother--a bioengineer who probably doesn't know the difference between a  Democrat and a Republican--to consider voting for Hillary. "But she's a woman" was his half-joking reply. Now, I'm not a feminist and if I had to characterize myself, I'd say I'm more anti-feminist than anything. In school, I avoid women's studies for the same reason I avoid Asian-American studies--the more we separate ourselves from the rest of the pack, the greater our differences become in our minds, and the more excluded we begin to feel. It's great, I think, to celebrate diversity, to celebrate womanhood, different cultures and races... but it shouldn't be the thing that defines us.

So I'm not looking at gender or race. As with professional athletes, I'm looking for sheer ability. Who will be able to deliver when game day arrives? Who will perform best under pressure? Who can contend with rising world powers, negotiate well, follow through with his/her plans and lead us into peace and prosperity?

For me, the answer is simple: a Democratic president. Someone who will carefully get our troops out of Iraq, roll back Bush's tax cuts, strengthen social security, and better invest in the future of our nation with programs like S-CHIP. Both Obama and Clinton will do these things, or at least, have promised to do them. So what makes me favor Clinton over Obama?

One thing that has been on my mind since day one is the difference between the two candidates' proposed healthcare plans. Paul Krugman outlined this pretty well in a recent NYT article. I really believe that all Americans should be covered. Health care, like education, should be viewed as a fundamental American right (though not a natural right, but that's a story for another day). As a nation founded on principles of equality, shouldn't we be always striving to level the playing field? Mandating health care for everyone--regardless of income or health status--will give those who are suffering with health problems a better chance at reaching their life's potential. And we should be looking at this as an investment into future productivity--healthy people make happy people make productive people.

I've been out of school for too long... maybe that's why this is starting to sound like a policy memo, albeit very disorganized. I'll try to write something juicy about boys next time.