This year I bought a couple Obama t-shirts, donated fifty bucks to his campaign and signed up for this free pin on Facebook. That is a lot of political activity for me, honestly. Usually I would rather stay above the fray, taking the intellectual approach that the contenders aren't really so different and everything is so messed up that whoever wins won't be able to affect much change anyhow. I'll say that is a pretty rational stance, most of the time.
The two party approach is both effective and disastrous. It is about as close as a democracy can come to "enlightened dictatorship" which many secretly pine for (some not so secretly). That is to say, the hangups of multi-party coalitions are pretty absurd.
At the same time, the two party system misses the democratic mark so completely as to make the whole process seem irrelevant. Whole viewpoints are swept underneath the rug.
But this year, this year feels different. I can see things would be markedly different had Gore won eight years ago. Massively different. Starkly, massively, achingly different.
Sure, we are in cleanup mode now. Obama will have to play from way, way behind. But I agree with Joe Biden: this is the most important election of our lifetime (besides the one in 2000 and 2004 and then whatever other election pops up.)
The lines need to be drawn and we need to take sides. Intellectualism be damned.
Anyhow, this is all rah rah and that makes me feel a bit queer but I think that's just the snobby bit of me trying to come out.
5 comments:
2 comments:
1.
as Barak domination begins
prepare yourself for 'O-words'
what's up with 'o-comony'
you mean the economy?
No, I mean the ocomomy.
just like all the i-words that spawned from Apple/Mac
then make sure I get due credit when it happens - it hit me this morning while i was eating a peanut butter and jelly burrito -
2.
- remember when we had the two party discussion in your kitchen in San Fran - many moons ago? I am big time into 2 party systems, I am not even conflicted about it-
it may seem dry to outsiders and fringe left, but look how many parties Mexico has and then think about all the crap in their water.
captain's log says all the right things. love that guy.
This is definitely his year.
Most important definitely. In fact, this is the first presidential election since I started voting that hasn't had a Bush or a Clinton as a final candidate.
I think we are reaching the end of a two party system.
within 8 years a major third will emerge (not involving Nader).
p.s. Biden is from a hard "scrapple" town.
ummmmm.... scrapple.
also can work as a verb 'scrabbling'
'i didn't grow up with a silver spoon in my mouth, I remember hard-scrabbling for everything i got.
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