On next Tuesday, I will vote -- as should you. While most people think of me as a dyed-in-the-wool liberal Democrat, I vote for candidates from either party. (Although, I admit, my lifelong vote tally is predominantly Democratic.) As an example of my open-mindedness, this time around I'll be voting, once again, for Indiana Senator Richard Lugar. He's done an okay job, for a Republican apologist, and I especially like his efforts to contain loose nukes from the former Soviet republics. So he gets my vote, in spite of party affiliation.
For other offices, I vote Democratic even though the Democrats have no chance in hell of winning in my particular district. For example, I have to vote against Representative Dan Burton, one of the biggest slimeballs in Congress today (and that's saying a lot), even though he doesn't even have a viable candidate running against him. That's the peril of living in one of the most solidly Republican districts in the country -- an area so Republican that some offices don't even have Democrats listed on the ballot. It's not that the area is hyper-conservative; my neighbors engage in more than their share of drink and illicit sex, thank you very much. No, the district is extremely wealthy, and apparently well-off people vote Republican for financial considerations. So be it.
For lesser offices, where I have no idea who's even running (voting uninformed is one of the major shortfalls of democracy), I always vote against the incumbent. My take is that, more often than not, whoever got voted into office is probably corrupt, so I'll take whatever alternative is available. Retain judge so and so? Nope. Re-elect incumbent whomever? Not a chance. I always vote for change, as it were.
Speaking of change, this election is the best chance we have to express our discontent with the current resident of the White House. I know King George isn't up for re-election, but we can kick out his faithful and irresponsible toadies. That means voting against Republican incumbents, wherever you can. Stay the course? Not this election. This time, the election is all about changing the course -- and bringing some modicum of responsibility back to Washington.
But that's just my opinion; the important thing is that you vote, for whichever side.
2 comments:
Hi Mike. I like (some of) your thinking. The part about voting out the incumbent is spot on. In fact, I wish we could change things so that all positions have a one-term max with no exceptions.
So, Mr. Democrat...who do you like for the big job in a couple of years? Are you a Hillary fan? Obama? Please share...
I've yet to be convinced from anyone on either side. I still contend that H. Clinton is unelectable - or, if electable, would be too polarizing a figure. (I also am very down on dynasties -- I mean, look what the Bush dynasty has gotten us.) Obama looks interesting, could be a contender. I also kind of like Edwards, and I could support Gore. You can't rule Gov. Richardson, either -- look how many of our recent presidents have been governors, vs. senators.
On the Republican side, the two most promising candidates (McCain and Giuliani) will have a hard time getting past the nusto hyper-rightwing in the primaries. I wouldn't be surprised to see Jeb Bush enter the arena, either.
In any case, 2008 will be interesting. I think the Dems will have an advantage -- if they nominate a candidate who's a real leader with real ideas, not just a political operator/navigator, and if they actually get a collective backbone. I'm tired of the wimpy Dems who've tacitly supported Bush since 9/11; they deserve to be thrown out of office, just the same as Bush himself.
Post a Comment