Fair and Balanced in '08

Fellow blogger Jim Yeager is opting out of the political process this year. “Call me disabled”, he says. I call him sane, realistic and balanced. No doubt because he thinks like me. I, too, am alienated from the political process in this country. I still sign some petitions and make noise but less and less these days. I rarely call Congressional offices despite the cascade of email alerts from groups I support. I called Dennis Kucinich’s office last week to thank him for reading the articles of impeachment against George W. Bush, for being one Democrat willing to call this administration on its lies, manipulations and perversions of government and policy. But otherwise, I don’t have much faith in Constitutional government or democracy in the United States these days.

So why bother to excite myself about a political campaign that has already disappointed me?. The mantra from all sides is “Change” but that’s just a word that means pretty much more of the same. Continued domination by the corporate-military state in the United States and in the global economy. Rampant capitalism rapaciously exploiting the planet. Leaving behind a second hand world to future generations.

Jim’s disability will serve him well, especially if it frees him to explore his musical interests. He’ll find more purpose and satisfaction in that than spending time worrying about who wins another choreographed election filled with meaningless words and pseudo-issues that come nowhere near dealing with the challenges facing America in the coming years. He can still care about his country and the world. He doesn’t have to obsess about a meaningless horse race. He can smell the roses. And like me, he will vote, most likely for Obama. Certainly not McCain. So why waste time trying to make sense or purpose from something whose only sense and purpose is perpetuating the power elite?

Four years ago, I supported John Kerry enough to stand on a corner for a half hour during morning rush hour once a week waving signs at the passing traffic. It was fun and little effort. I phone banked, too. Arizona was not really in play but it had some potential. My support for Kerry was primarily that he was Not Bush. I still respected for him from 1971 but after 20 years in the Senate, I knew he was a cautious, conventional politician. I had no illusions. And, of course, he lost. That sucked. I phone banked a lot for Harry Mitchell two years later. He won as part of the Democratic surge but that turned out to suck, too.

This year I’ll vote. Washington has an August primary and my district has a progressive activist candidate challenging an entrenched Democratic Representative in Congress. The primary is a single primary where the top two candidates (regardless of party) advance to the general election so there’s some interesting possibility there. I’m pretty sure I’ll give some money to progressive candidates. But that’s about it. Not wasting time on pointless exercises will also allow me to take time to explore and experience this wonderful place where I live and spend time with people I love.

If that is disabled, I’ll take it.