But what does it all <i>mean</i>?

I can't believe I'm saying this, but in the primaries, you should be voting personality, not policy--at least, not economic policy, which is what I'm qualified to comment on. There are fairly big differences between the Democrats and the Republicans, but not between the candidates on each side. The Democrats want a federal health plan, higher taxes on rich people, and heavier regulation of the economy. The Republicans stand behind the Bush tax cuts and lower spending. Everyone claims they are going to lower health care costs and improve education, which is only slightly more believable than claiming that they are going to use their X-Ray vision to fight crime.

So pick the person whom you trust to go after these goals in a better fashion, or the one whose fingers you are least terrified of imagining drumming on the case of the nuclear football. Substantively, they just aren't that far apart on the big issues.