I don't have to be a democrat or republican to have a say

Here's how my voting went this morning:

Me: "Is it true that I have to be affiliated with a party to vote today?
Volunteer: "No, but if you want to vote on the republican ballot, you have to temporarily affiliate yourself with the party."
Me: "Pffff! Put me on the democratic ballot then."
Volunteer #2: [somewhat surprised by my reaction] "All you have to do is fill out a form if you want to vote on the republican ballot"
Me: "No, it's just another hoop that I have to jump through. As a citizen, I should be able to choose who I want to be president without having to affiliate myself with anything. "
Volunteer: "I hear ya."
Friend of mine in the voting booth: "I'm with you Joey!"
Volunteer: "How's Ted doing?"
...

What a crock. I do not have to be a democrat or republican to have a say in who is president. I do not have to affiliate myself with anyone. I am a citizen of the US and already registered as a voter - enough said.

Presidential Debate in New Hampshire

I actually watched the NH debate tonight. Here's my thoughts on some of the candidates, and I'm interested in yours. Post up your comments.

McCain
He spends more time in the debates trying to insult Mitt Romney than he does actually discussing the issues. I am definitely not voting for this guy. Clown.

Obama
Obama seems to be the least bureaucratic of the candidates, and I really like that. Someone said that he lacked experience, having never run a city or state in the past, but I actually like that. Sometimes a new leader that isn't stuck in the trenches of traditional procedures can do things in a better way. Look at the founders of Google; they had no business experience, yet their unconventional decisions made Google extremely successful.

I have also noticed how Obama is technology-minded. He mentioned creating an expenditure database to help make government spending more transparent. Seemed like a great idea. I read in a news article how he wants to publish government documents in open formats like the OPEN DOCUMENT FORMAT.

My vote isn't solidified by any means, but if I HAD to vote now, it would be for this guy.

Ron Paul
Seemed really focused on economics, but didn't say anything that really caught my attention. What did catch my attention was that he seemed to be a good person and very down to earth. I can appreciate that.

Clinton
She mentioned that her track record shows that she will make change. Said "We need to translate talk into action." when referring to Obama and Edward's denunciation of corruption. [Edit: Not sure what I think yet].

Edwards
I loved what he said about the issues being personal to him. He said "It matters if it's personal. If it's political or academic, people will run away from the problems when they get tough." Loved that. I also liked it when he called out all the lobbyists and corrupt politicians. He seems to be willing to "take on" the aristocratic trends, and since his parents were mill workers, I think it's genuine.