Frankly, I think it's worth the effort to research candidates and pick the one you think will make the country better. I've read up on Obama and McCain for quite a while, and I place my vote for Obama with confidence. My time was well-spent.

In none of the elections within my lifetime have elected candidates ended up doing anything remotely resembling their platforms. You often got the exact opposite. Bush was going to shrink the government and run a humble foreign policy. Clinton was going to massively expand social programs but instead the bond market constrained him and you got the opposite.

On this track record alone voting is a waste of time.

I hope once it becomes clear within a couple years how much of a standard issue establishment tool Obama is that you learn your lesson and remember it rather than get sucked into delusions next time around.