Like most voters in the County of Cook in Illinois, I have been appalled by the way Todd Stroger "inherited" the right to be our next County Board President by the Democratic Party machine. I have struggled with voting for Tony Peraica, his Republican Party opponent. It's not an easy fit. He's a conservative Republican. I consider myself a liberal Independent on social issues, but a fiscal conservative. I'm on opposite sides of the hot-button social issues with Peraica. But we seem to have one important belief in common: the idea that Cook County government needs to be turned upside down and given a good shaking.

Peraica is strongly anti choice, anti gay. Should he push his pro life agenda, could I trust that the same individuals who currently try to keep the County Board on the straight and narrow would hold him accountable as well? On those social issues on which progressives differ with Peraica-abortion, gay rights and gun control - could the Democratic majority be able to keep him in check?

Problem is that a lot of harm can be caused by the Board President. He could issue executive orders that do not need Board approval. Could we see a County push to allow pharmacists to refuse to fill birth-control prescriptions for reasons of "conscience?" Could we see GLBT causes take another setback?

Too bad the Republican party did not have anything better to offer the electorate.

I will vote with the Green Party this year. Politicians can't be trusted.