Tuesday, February 26, 2008

My I Hate Politics Manifesto

This is a far from a rational opinion. I have not sat down and thoroughly thought any of this through. Think less of me from shooting from the hip, but these are my thoughts. Some of them are tardy -- they would've been funny and relevant a month ago. Alas.

First of all, since when can political parties tell voters that your votes for whom you want to run for President don't count because your state decided to have their primary early? Do political parties wield more power than a state? More power than a voter? And yet people still voted? Equally unfathomable. (I'm planning, also, to have an equally meaningless vote: Band-Aids or Caramel Sauce. You pick. You decide. Those are your two options. 50 points to the winner. The loser must count to 1,000 and run a mile.)

Seriously, how did they get away with this? Why didn't the news media take them to task on it? Maybe they did. In the interest of full disclosure, I don't watch the news.

Secondly, why do I have to vote for one of two people in the end? GW thought little of a two-party system. So do I. I'm sure there's an argument to prove me wrong. To show me that the two-party system is glorious. Just know I will disagree. And probably not respectfully.

Tertiary: nuanced political promises. I tire of them. I am physically weary and cynical of them. I get angry and mean when I hear them. I offend people -- not with what I say, I'm not crass -- but towards whom I say it against, i.e. that I'm tipping some sort my figurative political hat by railing on what exactly "Change" means. I'm not. I despise all nuanced statements equally, almost. Ha!

Will I vote? Yes. For whom? Who knows. I don't care much for anyone in this candidate pool. Make your arguments. Rail against me for abusing a freedom, whatever. Just know I hold my vote very dearly. Not in whom I will cast it for, but that I can cast it. Just don't be upset when I cast it for a) a fictional character; b) a Democrat; c) a Republican; d) Ralph Nader; e) Isaac; f) myself; g) The Mrs.; h) The Red Sox.

Again, shooting from the proverbial hip here. And I did cut my head open last night, so take everything accordingly. Except that I very much do not like politics and that I do, actually, very much like government.

9 comments:

djl said...

Okay, my equally from-the-hip responses:

1a. Political parties are evil. EVIL.

1b. The news media is for-profit. There's less money in the disenfranchisement of millions of voters than there is in the latest breakdown of some talentless, soulless pop singer. Hence, Showbiz Tonight.

2. You don't. People will tell you that you're throwing your vote away if you don't vote for the Democrat or the Republican, but that's so far from the truth as to be laughable. Does that mean that Democrats in Alabama or Texas shouldn't even bother to show up in November because their candidate has no chance to win electoral votes there? Should Massachusetts Republicans just pack it in and call it a day because they're wasting their vote? It's a silly notion, that of the wasted vote. Vote for the guy/woman you think would do the best job and know you've done your part for your country and your family. Whether that's Ralph Nader or Barack Obama, or whether that's the Constitution Party candidate or John McCain, it doesn't matter. (Well, I know who I like, and I wish you'd vote for him/her too, but otherwise I'm fine with you voting your conscience.)

3. I'm with you. There are very few things (racism, bigotry, Red Sox fans) that make my blood boil quite like politicians deliberately mis-stating the truth in order to win votes. As far as I can tell, all of the remaining major candidates (and, quite frankly, a number of the remaining minor candidates) have done that in this campaign. And I hate that.

Anonymous said...

I likw Jimmy Carter. After all he had guts to tell the truth that he actually saw a UFO! And now that they have landed, how quickly they are running for office.

Anonymous said...

I think i will vote for Richard
Nixon,at least we know what he can
and cant do.It`s theses other live Dudes that wory me.oobm

sara* said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
sara* said...

Well said - even if it wasn't too well thought out. (That's what the edit button is for.)

And way to go mentioning GW (the original, I hope people realize). Maybe the next time people try to preach about our "christian" forefathers, we can correct them on that AND remind them of this fun GW fact as well.

I say vote for Varitek.

Anonymous said...

In the interest of full disclosure, you have family interested in the seriousness of the head wound and are very curious as to what may have leaked out. Please respond...you know how we worry about this things?

Anonymous said...

You MUST be a part of the process. Do your homework about each candiate and their party's policy. Believe nothing that they say and google their comments.
Be very wary of "wide stance" Republicans and all Democrats. Be very cautious of campaign workers that wear "blue dresses" from the gap. Finally, be extremely cautious of baseball players whose "heads" are now the sizes of balloons.

Anonymous said...

Does your vote really count....who to vote for - a man who cant pledge to the flag or a woman who's husband wants to get back in for another go under the desk...This is why I vote for you. You will have one write in vote from this state.

Anonymous said...

Forget the "desk". What about the sink?