Monday, October 6, 2008

11th Hour, and a First Class Stamp

I know, it's hard to believe. I'm one of THOSE...

There have been a lot of elections, and I've voted in very few of them.

I have such an aversion to politicians, sales pitches, pyramid scheme promoters, prosperity evangelists, Tupperware and Amway distributors, it might be a borderline phobia or something, only I'm not afraid of them...I just can't stand two seconds more in the same proximity.

(Could this be because of my former bad experiences with all of the above?? lol)

But I care about my country.

I'm seldom overtly "political," but I will venture forth to make this statement. Neither of the current presidential candidates satisfy what this country needs in leadership during these times. I think either direction, each candidate is a dangerous gamble, and I don't think a country should be run by hoping you're choosing the lesser of two evils. Marriages shouldn't be made that way, and we're going to be married to this person economically and policy-wise for the next 4 years.

I don't blame anyone but ourselves. WE are ultimately responsible for who we put into office.

Well, anyway, that's my wee rant (I cut it short...) And this could very well have been one of my non-voting years, except that my husband was born in a non-free country where people took their lives into their hands to have a voice in who their leaders should be. Now in our family, voting is a responsibility.

So this otherwise politically-averse gal had to listen to the candidates and their promises...or rather, try to read between the lines of everything they are refusing to commit to print or speeches just now. Sheesh!

I'm amazed at the issues that have NOT been raised. Things like the passing of the Real I.D. and its pending implementation...hello?? Um, wouldn't it be nice to have a candidate repeal the Patriot Act? Localize food production? And one hundred other things on my own pet peeve list...things associated with losses of OUR freedoms.

When I hear the candidates, I think in terms of precedents, and the further losses of our freedoms. Some people might thing this is inevitable..."because" (fill in the blank with whatever the crisis is at the moment) As I see it, we've given up more freedoms, whether knowingly or through inattention, in the last 50 years than in the rest of our short American history.

I got my voter's registration off on THE cutoff day for mail-ins...same day we searched the place and couldnt find a 1st class stamp in the house...ha! Same day one of our vehicles went kaput, etc etc, but thanks to Jack, it did get stamped and mailed in time.

You know what this means, right? It means I'll probably get called up for jury duty any day ;-)

Oh yeah, and I have to decide which Amway salesman er, candidate, to vote for...

I know which person my husband's voting for, and he has strong reasons why. I refuse to tell him who mine'll be, because in my family growing up we NEVER told anyone who we voted for...that was something my Depression Era grandparents held sacrosanct...NOT telling ANYONE...and somehow it's still in me.

But I do tease Jack now and then by suggesting the possible redeeming qualities of his choice's opponent....you know, just to make sure he's really listening to me at the moment...

It's so much fun kissing and making up ;-)

2 comments:

Nola said...

You hit the nail on the head! I consider myself apolitical; I just don't dabble in politics. This time, there is noone to support, nobody I want to vote "for"; I will simply vote "against" the worst candidate and keep my fingers crossed that things begin to turn around for this country.

Anonymous said...

Nice post. Summed up nicely!