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Mon. Nov 01, 2004

Election Hopes

Here on the day before the election, I wanted to write a bit about “election hopes.” I think you’ve probably had a gutful of “election fears” by now, haven’t you?

And it’s time to get your “ground legs” back under you as we pull into the station after this most bizarre and bumpy rollercoaster ride. Imagine if a year ago someone had told you the election’s high points would include: John Kerry’s suntan, George Bush’s hump, boats on rivers in southeast Asia, jets in the Alabama National Guard, Dean’s scream, Dubya’s scowl, Dick Cheney’s F-Bomb, Mary Cheney’s L-Bomb (as lobbed by Kerry), John Edwards’ hair fetish, and, of course, the output of MS Word compared to early 1970’s typewriters. Plus, tens of millions of Americans who “hate” one of these two candidates, and/or consider them “UnAmerican.”

We’ve witnessed the media de-evolution of allegedly objective “talking heads” into freely shouting partisans. And they’ve been joined by millions of declared shouting partisans, as much of the election coverage has played out in a web battle between the “Blogosphere” and “MSM” (an unfortunately common webism that stands for “main stream media”). A year ago, how many in the general public would have looked at you as a sane and trendy person if you’d told them the election would be fought out in the Blogosphere and the MSM? They would have been more likely to suggest that your tin foil hat might need adjusting, and you’d begun to babble nonsense. And they still might be right.

You just never know what will happen. The man who took out a second mortgage on his house and was polling in the single digits among the 9 Democratic contenders is today “neck and neck” with the President … a mere 11 months later. The guy who was expected to mop the floor in the primaries struggled to win a single state. The man who told us he was not into nation building in 2000 now has two major projects in the works in 2004.

You just never know. But a lot of people are making predictions today. I’m not going there. I have my own internal gut feeling. But, well … you just never know what will happen.

I truly have had some heartburn over this election. Not just about the quality of our choices, but because of the partisan hatred that exists in so many places, and the long term effect that could have. However, since I decided back in early September that I was Done With The Parties, I’ve been able to observe the Presidential Election Follies with some limited detachment, and even a bit of amusement.

It’s much better for my health that way. And will have an equal impact on the final result.

In the end, in spite of the harshly negative tone for many many months, I have a few hopes. And they are entirely dependent on you.

I hope we see the largest turnout ever in this nation. I’ll see anything less than 115 million as a disappointment (it was about 105 million in 2000). I hope for 120 million or more. I hope that every soul who is legally qualified and physically capable will go step in the booth on Tuesday, and vote your conscience, whatever it may be.

I hope that if you’re like me, and are thoroughly disgusted with your choices at the top of the ballot … you won’t let them keep you from the polls. The truth is that in many ways your county school board will have more impact on your family than the President. There are so many important local and state issues and races that should not be ignored just because you can’t bring yourself to vote for Moe or Curly.

I hope that we have a clear cut winner (and my gut says that we will). I hope it’s pointedly over, by midnight Eastern time on Tuesday night. Not just because we can’t afford another fractious dragged out “result” like in 2000. Not just because it might give something resembling a “mandate” to the victor.

Because it’s the very kernel of democracy; the continuation of power, or exchange of power, happens by the will of the people, by the ballot, not at the end of a gun. It will be to our credit if we can have a knock down drag out battle all year long, and in the end, come to some grudging agreement that “this guy is preferred by the majority.” However slim or grudging it may be.

I hope that, whatever the outcome, when we point at “the enemy” next week, we’ll be pointing somewhere overseas. Not at the guy next door who had the “wrong” sign in his yard.

He’s an American. Just like you. I hope you’ll remember that soon. That’s probably my greatest hope.

Don’t let me down.