Hey there – Apolitical Jaynee here. With yet another political post (can you believe it?) Actually, this is more of a lament.
I’m scared about next Tuesday. Scared and excited all at the same time. I don’t think I’ve ever felt this much excitement about voting, or this much trepidation. Excitement that my vote may COUNT (I live in NJ which is still considered a potential swing state at this point). And trepidation that if Bush wins – and wins solidly – that the nation will still remain divided and won’t ever come back together again. And also trepidation that if Kerry wins – and wins solidly – that the nation will still remain divided and won’t ever come back together again.
See what I’m saying here? All these poliblogs (and what, are there 100000s of them out there right now?) will continue on their way, accusing the other side of lying/hiding/exaggerating/being too liberal/conservative etc. Will this nation EVER band together again? I mean sure, we banded together after 9/11, but I believe that has been completely forgotten about at this point. On 9/12/01 we all had a common enemy, and today half this country doesn’t seem to care anymore that we’ve caught 75% of Osama’s men since then and still have troops actively looking for Osama himself.
But I don’t want this post to get into yet ANOTHER pointless discussion on the war in Iraq where no one is going to dissuade anyone else from their particular position on whether we should be there or not (do that on someone else’s blog please). My only point is that come Wednesday, November 3, this country will be just as divided as it has been the past three years, even if one of the candidates wins by a landslide (because you know if one wins by a landslide then the other one will file a lawsuit saying that obviously a fix was in). But too much smack has been said and can’t be taken back. Words live forever, and this nation is wilting under the weight of the constant insults being tossed back and forth between it’s caretakers and their followers.
I just wish it was over. I wish the campaigning, the vote, the decision and the fighting would stop. Just….stop.
Is it REALLY something to be scared about? This country has always been divided about everything, and we’ve even had a civil war. It has only been in those unfortunate few instances where we’ve had a common enemy that the nation has come together. Doesn’t matter who wins the election, the right and the left will go at it like they’ve been doing forever.
The sad thing is that while these polititans play their games, real people are losing their lives around the world.
Most Americans get their news in sound bites, and right now the focus is all on the blunder in Iraq and not on how many of Bin Laden’s men were caught. Really, most people don’t know and probably don’t care who they are, they just know that Bin Laden hasn’t been caught yet.
Rob, I think it IS scary how polarized this country is – I talked earlier this week with a friend on my bus who said the late 1960s/early 1970s weren’t NEARLY as vitrolic as this election (she should know – she was there). It’s gotten to the point where friends (you and I) have the possibility to END friendships over something as stupid as politics (not that our friendship will end over this – but other friendships COULD end as a result of disagreements over politics).
And if people are voting based on soundbytes, then that’s even scarier.
I’ve also heard numerous people say that this is the most important election of their lives, one was actually in WW2(The Big One).
You have to honestly ask yourself how the country has gotten this way in the last four years. I won’t go into it AGAIN, but things are this way for one reason. Unfortunately this whole election is riding on one major issue, (and while it is an important one, it is one that certain people did not think was important enough three years ago to even bother meeting about), but there are numerous issues that also need to be addressed and people are fired up about it.
It will all be over when Kerry wins and Bush calls off his attack dog lawyers. Then we’ll have peace in this country again.
Denis, someone this morning linked to a google search that showed that the Democrats already have around a dozen lawsuits going about this election. The Republicans have two – and they are both in protest to specific illegalities (in on case a suit was brought against a person who was an elector who shouldn’t be – that elector resigned his post when it was discovered he was breaking a law that Federal employees cannot be electors, and I believe the suit was dropped or will be). So just who is more litigious right now?
The good news is that on November 16th The Amazing Race starts again and December is coming which is White Elephant time and did Rob tell you he can see? Yup,thanks to LASIK surgery he can tell that I am as beautiful as he thought I was!
Let us all make a concerted effort to bring Cootiehog back to the fun blog it has always been no matter what happens next week (ahem Kerry wins!!)LOL!!
“(not that our friendship will end over this – but other friendships COULD end as a result of disagreements over politics).”
Would you really end a friendship over Politics?
Ace, I’ve seen tension arise in my own family because of this election – and I’m more emotional invested in those relationships. No, *I* wouldn’t end friendships over an election, but I know other people who would.
I have to agree with Jaynee that the tension in the family over this election has been ratcheting up in the last few weeks. It’s not fun.