I was feeling really optimistic when I wrote this on Sunday. Now I’m one big ball of nerves. I could throw up at any minute. I know what the polls say, but I won’t believe it until it’s official. Happy Election Day!
There’s a feeling of helplessness when you’re playing a game, but you know you can’t ever win, because your opponent isn’t following the rules. You could sink to their level, you could abandon the rules too, and maybe you even do for a time, but you’re never willing to go as far as them. So, they win. Every time they win.
You’re not a vindictive person, but you can’t help but hope that one day they’ll feel the effects of their lies and deceit. The best possible scenario is not that they’ll be beaten at their own game, but that they’ll be defeated by an honest game. For once, the honest campaign won’t finish last.
I’ve tried not to let my political posts devolve into Obama the hero, and McCain the scum of the earth. But, it’s been hard. Any way I try to spin it, the basic result is no less than Obama the decent human being, and McCain-Palin the lowest of the low.
If you’ve been paying any attention to this election, you’ve noticed negative campaigning on both sides. You’ve undoubtedly also noticed that at this point, McCain and Palin rarely open their mouths except to spew hypocritical, anti-intellectual half-truths.
The crap they get away with is amazing. But, this year they’re not getting away with it because people are buying it; they’re getting away with it, because no one (save for maybe Keith Olbermann) has the energy to point out every contradiction. It’s a joke. What will they come up with next?
I feel incredibly sorry for the Republicans on the receiving end of this crap. I can’t imagine what it feels like to have your candidate think so little of you that he daily insults your intelligence by repeating claims that can’t even stand up to a dictionary (socialism), let alone recent history (who gave Professor Khalidi how much money?). He plays on your honor and patriotism, and then turns around and deceives you. After eight years of such treatment, Republicans deserve better. I know you thought McCain was different. Once, he was different. But, he’s not the same guy anymore.
Republicans have not won the last two elections because they have better policies. The greatest evidence of this is that now the only viable campaign message is to reject the policies of the Bush administration. Not much progress was made on those social issues either. Roe v. Wade stands, and there have been advances toward legalizing gay marriage. And, how many people of the socially conservative right who made those Republican wins possible benefited from the Bush tax cuts? This small government, fiscal conservative and his vice president have grabbed unprecedented power and exploded the deficit.
Your candidate is betting that you can’t think for yourself–can’t simply put two and two together to realize the contradictions. Prove him wrong. You don’t have to support Obama. You don’t agree with him on the issues. I can understand that. But, don’t believe the same lies again.
Let’s hope Lincoln was right: “It is true that you may fool all of the people some of the time; you can even fool some of the people all of the time; but you can’t fool all of the people all of the time.”
To win against a cheating opponent is something. To win by following the rules, by being decent, by standing behind your policies, well, that’s something else.
A win today would mean that decency sometimes wins out, even in politics, and that we know we deserve better. It would mean electing a president that we can put at least a small amount of trust in without fooling ourselves–a president who’s not threatened by criticism and free thinking constituents. But, maybe I’m a dreamer.
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Great post. I was arguing with a friend who is a Republican yesterday. He is an educated person and I consider him intelligent and he’s voting for McCain because he “hates Democrats and they hate America” It made me so angry and frustrated to hear, and as I argued back it was like yelling at a brick wall. I can’t believe people buy this crap. I’m linking him to your post, because you’ve said it better than I could.
I’m really excited and worried too.
I hope all goes as predicted. I’m really interested to see how the state races end up, though. Especially the Al Franken and Kay Hagan senate races.
I’m so nervous! How am I supposed to focus on my homework tonight??