We are at a time in history where we do not have a lot of choices when it comes to choosing presidential candidates. Much of it is our own doing. We are stuck with two choices: John McCain or Barack Obama. There are no other choices in this election for serious voters.

It is no secret that the left is peed off with some of Barack's recent policy decisions. But, realistically, there is not much we can do about unless we want John McCain in the White House in January. We are stuck, for better or worse, with what we have - and I doubt that it could get much worse than John McCain or George W Bush? We were not able to get John Edwards or Dennis Kucinich as our nominee, which probably shows the influence of the left within our own Party?

Therefore, we have no choice but to let Barack run his campaign the way he thinks is best. We don't have to agree with him. Who knows? Maybe he will win a large proportion of the religious-right vote this time around? After all, they are not real crazy about John McCain. Maybe he will win a lot of the "independent" voters with his stance on FISA, 2nd Amendment, etc? We don't like it but it is his to win or lose. Obviously, we don't have the power to do anything about it. But we may still determine the agenda once he is in the White House.

For too long, we have been focused on the wrong target by focusing on the race for the White House. Instead, we should be focusing on those that are running for Congress and the Senate. We could have much more influence by pressuring Congressional candidates to vote with us than by depending entirely on the next presidential candidate. Especially, if it is true - as some people suggest - that the country will not vote for a left-liberal candidate?

We may not have the power to influence a national election the way we would like, but we have the power now to organize and to defeat those Congressional candidates that would ignore us and vote with the right-wing way too often and not with the interests of the people. We need to re-focus our energies in a different direction. After all, the power to change lies within the House of Representatives. They control the purse strings. They can determine how long we stay in Iraq or whether we get out. They can determine how much money is appropriated to a "green" economy and how much is invested in new technology.

The left has not been successful at the presidential level. That is a fact. Perhaps, rather than doing the same thing over and over, with the same results, it is time to try something different. I will vote for Barack Obama but I will not support the positions he has taken lately. My hope lies in a strong Democratic Congress that can get legislation signed by a pragmatic Democratic President.