The first primary I ever voted in was a Republican primary. I suppose that I should say that I live in Minnesota and voting Republican in Minnesota is different than voting Republican in say Texas.

I don't care which party delivers affordable, sustainable, universal health care, I just care that we join just about every other industrialized nation in the world and make it happen.

I don't care which party devises a sustainable, sensible energy policy that includes both increasing supply across the full spectrum of energy sources and finding ways to slow the increase in demand - whether it's through conservation or through investments in commuter mass transit or both - just so long as we get from here to there.

I don't care which party fairly distributes the cost of running a democracy in a fiscally prudent manner and continues to build a democracy that is envy of the world just so long as we do so.

I don't care which party sees to it that every child who is willing and able to learn has affordable access to a good education, just so long as we educate our children.

I have serious concerns about the notion that the "free market" is an affordable substitute for government.

I have serious concerns about corporate lobbyists drafting our legislation.

I have serious concerns about using our lakes, rivers and the air we breathe as a toilet.

I have serious concerns about a market place that is allowed to treat workers in the same fashion that it treats the ingredients for a phenolics molding compound.

I have serious concerns about a "free" press that so poorly informs the people of our country that the majority of us once believed that Saddam was responsible for 9/11.

I have many concerns.

And I believe that the majority of Americans aren't much different than I am.

Am I a Republican, a Democrat or an American first?