**We interrupt the regularly schedule Mon-Mon Fest 2008/birthday weekend for some political drivel that belongs somewhere else but had to be said cause Mon-Mon was pissed. Warning: this is long and probably has little bearing to the world in general since it is all her own opinions**
I never blog about politics. I hate politics. Occasionally, I will envy those who are so politically active for all the right reasons because I hate politics so much.
It’s just that I’m so disillusioned.
I am disillusioned by our country, disenchanted by our political system, and I have very little hope in my heart that people make decisions – really important, life-changing, for-the-people decisions – for the right reasons anymore.
On late night earlier this week, newly Americanized Craig Ferguson stood up to the American people in his monologue and chastised the media for reporting on this political campaign like it was a fashion show or an episode of 90210 (or for you young folk, like it was an episode of Gossip Girl). He demanded of the American people to stand up and vote by their conscience and not by their party’s manipulative approach to campaigning.
Silently inside, I was in awe of the man. He is quite literally one of the funniest people on TV, and his show is an irreverent tribute to the man himself. So for him to set aside his silly nature and spend even just a few minutes talking about this serious topic… well it’s amazing and shows his true character. Silently inside, I cheered him on.
But the skeptic in me said out loud to a room full of kitties and to Jeffery, “Too bad, Craig, no one will listen to you.” Because people won’t vote for the right candidate. They won’t vote for what is right for this country. They won’t even for what is right for the themselves.
People are too easily swayed by the media and bad campaign tactics to the point that we, as a people, rarely can think for ourselves. I mean, really who saw Sarah Palin coming? I didn’t. I almost admire the Republican Party for being so savvy, so knowing, of what button to push to sway not only their party back to them, but even some of the liberals as well. All it took was a pretty woman, a pair of glasses, and a touch of lipstick (pun intended, you damn conservatives). Wah-lah! And the Republican Party is back in the running.
Conveniently forgotten is the last eight years, especially the really bad last four years of an inept Republican run government. Need to wipe out the bad taste of really bad decisions? Ta-da, Sarah Palin to the rescue. Has anyone questioned, I mean really questioned, if she is capable of the handling the job? Of running our country? Has anyone even questioned what she stands for and if what she stands for meets the needs of this country? Anyone?
Let’s just for one minute consider this 2008 election BP (before Palin) – remember the Democratic party? Remember how excited we all were about the possibilities Obama represented before he chose Biden? The possibility of getting out of the mess the Republican party got us into? Remember? Remember Bush? Remember how we all came together in our dislike for the choices he made and what those choices have done to our country? REMEMBER?
But Obama did choose Biden. I remember being surprised when I heard he’d bypassed Hillary Clinton as a running mate. I even remember thinking, Obama, what are you doing? She was your sure thing! Until I gave it some more thought. Until I considered who Biden was and what he represented not only to Obama, but to the American people. Experience – that which Obama is lacking, and more importantly, Biden brings balance to the democratic ticket at a critical time when we really need it. When I considered these points I thought – no I felt – that Obama made the right choice. He was doing the right thing for the American people. Hillary was the better choice to win the election, but Biden, well he was the better choice for the good of the country. And for the first time in any election, I felt inspired. Maybe they aren’t all just politic hacks, I thought.
Now listen. I know this sounds like I’m a Democrat (I think I may have even signed up with the Democratic party back in the day, which is a Wednesday, by the way). But I do not claim affiliation to any party because both sides of the fence are self-serving, hypocritical blowhards that make me wish I didn’t even know about politics to begin with. I am not a HUGE Obama supporter who thinks he should win at all costs. Because to win at all cost means the people, that is us Americans, lose out. Nope, believe it or not, I want the right candidate to win.
I haven’t really decided who that right candidate is – but I have to say straight up, I don’t think the American people know either. I’m almost to the point where I believe we should let any other country but ourselves decided the fate of this election. Honestly, I have absolutely no faith in my fellow Americans. Not my fellow American women, who would vote for a candidate simply because he chose a female as his running mate. Not for my fellow African Americans, who would vote for a candidate simply because of the color of his skin (and yeah, I mean you Oprah! Shame on you!). And not for my fellow white male Americans, who had decades upon decades to set a better example for all of America.
I will vote this fall. No doubt about it. But I am taking Craig’s heed to vote by my conscience; his call to vote for who would best serve this country, these people and myself. Or at least, I will vote for the one who will fuck up the least for another four years. And I will feel like I do every election, that my vote won’t make a damn bit of difference. We’ve lost our way, people. We’ve lost our way.
**We now return you to the regularly scheduled Mon-Mon Fest 2008/birthday weekend**
