Political Experimentation...

I'm not usually a Democrat, but I'm going to become one to vote in the Democratic primary, since I've already decided in November that I'm not voting for Bush and I'd like a hand in choosing for whom I will vote. I have decided to write to the four candidates I am seriously considering--Kerry, Dean, Clark, and Edwards, not in that order--to make an informed decision on my vote for March 2. I intend to make my letters form-letter-reply proof, or at least make them such that it will be very obvious if they send me a form letter reply. I'm tired of candidates sucking up hardest to people in Iowa and New Hampshire. Whoever gets my vote in the late-in-the-race Ohio primary is going to have to work for it. If they don't think it's worth working for, I don't think they're worth giving it to.

The thing is, I am very hard to suck up to as a voter. I'm not really part of any of the main voting blocs that candidates cater to:
-I am married with no children or intentions of ever having any, so all of their initiatives to help middle class families are lost on me.
-I'm middle class and think I'm doing quite well, so I don't need more "relief" from the government.
-I am not particularly religious and to the extent that no one is being harmed, I think the government should stay out of moral issues.
-I an 25 years old have made my peace with Social Security not being there for me when I retire (the last time I checked, the insolvency date was around my 64th birthday), and am making my own retirement plans accordingly. I know I have to pay into it to help people of my grandparents' generation, but I really don't care what they do with a program that will be bust by the time I'm eligible.
-I don't particularly mind paying taxes to support needed programs. I'd like to see them trim unnecessary programs, but necessary is in the eye of the beholder.
-I have no real connections to the major industries in my state. They won't get my support by locking their lips on the backsides of the manufacturing or mining industries. People rarely see office workers as a voting bloc.

I plan to explain all of this to each candidate, ask for clarification on particular issues in their platforms, then ask them the big question:
"I've already decided to vote against Bush. Why should I vote for you?"

I will post results and replies as they come in.