Election Daze

With Nov 4th,  the United States General Election, upon us,  I am greatly relieved. So relieved in fact that i feel like i want to go out and get hammered drunk and enjoy a rowdy Tuesday. Not to celebrate any political victory but instead to welcome in the freedom from political ads and endless coverage of this democracy thing. No more force-fed political agendas and civic duty guilt trips from celebrities. I am a willing participant. I think its important to participate. At the same time i feel that the whirlwind of this  democracy love fest is tiresome and without substantial personal reward for having to endure it. 

I was not really impressed by either of this year's candidates but i went into the polling station and checked the marks anyway. I honestly feel that I am lucky enough that my life has not been drastically altered by the last 8 "years of darkeness" and which ever candidate takes the seat, any significant change will be slight and barely noticeable from where I sit. It may not be fair but it's the truth. Whomever wins this election will have their work cut out for them for sure and I'm genuinely excited to see how this new president will take up the reigns of government. 

But in the end that's all it is: Government. Those that govern the people still will do what they wish regardless of campaign promises or stated beliefs. They will do what they need to do to keep the office they have won and will side with anyone who can help them accomplish that. After all, who wouldn't do what they felt they had to do to ensure their liveli

hood. We do it everyday at work. So do those who govern. 

In the words of Jesse "the Body" Ventura, they saying goes... "In today's democracy, we have 2 choices....Pepsi or Coke. They may seem different but they are not".

How free are we to choose those who govern us when the choice has really been made for us in advance. Political parties and special interests create the candidates and that is all we have. The truth is, the media driven, dual party system is not the only way for the people to elect their government, its just all we have right now.

And Democracy was all the Founding fathers had at their disposal at the time as well. They didn't even like democracy - they preferred it over Monarchy so that's what they went with. But they knew that the people could be just as easily oppressed by the mob as they could by a king. The founders disdain for unbridled democracy is evident in the creation of the electoral college. 

I got a voting sticker at the polls but discarded it with my morning latte. What's the voting sticker about? "Oh, i'm sorry, your sticker on your garment indicates that you participated in the election. Good for you..."  I hate that crap. It's my obligation as an American to vote, even if i don't like either candidate or think it really doesn't make a difference. I don't need to be made to feel good about it. 

That's not the american way.