Then, I thought maybe we should talk about the election. I've never seen such bold attempts to keep people from voting. This is a rather spooky development. If a political party can't win legitimately wouldn't it be smart to wonder why, rather than steal it? Is this the weirdest election ever? Or, am I forgetting something, a weirder one? I need to be enlightened about so many things. You should check out wikipedia's entry on the history of political parties in this country. Made me wonder what I learned in history class. It certainly wasn't that. What was it? I can't remember.
What I do remember is this: I became obsessed with the 24 hour news cycle in 2000 when George W. Bush stole Florida, when the Supreme Court handed him the Presidency, when the concept of legitimacy became the punch line of "hanging chad" jokes. I was always interested in the news, I was once married to a news photographer more than 30 years ago. But I wasn't obsessed. Really, when you think about it, I couldn't OBSESS about news. No one could. There was a half hour national news show in the evening. The next day there was a newspaper. That was it. We all had to wait to hear what was happening. Your heart didn't have to break every five minutes after reading an internet headline about Attorney Generals changing the rules on Provisional Ballots. You could breathe the day away thinking about other things. NOT ANYMORE.
The 24-hour news cycle, the internet and social media have teamed up to drive us utterly insane. Enough already. Roger and I don't ever turn the TV on during the day. But we spend a lot of time reading the news outlets on the internet. OPINION IS NOT NEWS. Just thought I should scream that. POLLS ARE NOT VOTES. Just thought I should scream that too. Why are we doing this?
Tuesday can't get here fast enough. And, I would just like to read about it in Wednesday's paper.
I couldn't agree with you more, Robin!! I must have gotten a hundred emails a day for the past month -- they all go automatically to my junk mail, but I still see them. Hurry up, Tuesday!! Can't come soon enough!
ReplyDeleteAMEN. I am so very tired of it all, and it is hard to sort the truth from the lies.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad we'll be spending election night together. Can't think of anybody I'd rather be with the ride out this storm.
ReplyDeleteyes, the constant news cycle. all that noise. ugh. i'm also ready for tuesday to be over.
ReplyDeleteexcept, i'm still trying to get the word out about my special issue! dear californians: please vote yes on 34, to replace the death penalty with life w/o possibility of parole, and also save $130 million per year. thank you!
i'm so jealous that you bums and tara get to be together election night.
"Everywhere he sees people filled with anger and fear, society breaking up into warring fragments. Each fragment says to the others, "We are right and you are wrong." Every such pressure group, if it is strong enough, self-righteously imposes its will upon the rest. And everywhere the same thing is being done on an individual basis. The sum of all this mighty effort is less peace and less brotherhood than before. The philosophy of self-sufficiency is not paying off. Plainly enough, it is a bone-crushing juggernaut whose final achievement is ruin." AAWS, 1953
ReplyDeleteSuch an eloquent post. Since 2000 it's seemed like anyones game politically. I'm done connecting the dots. It used to be kind of fun. Like being in the middle of an interesting book being written as you read. Now it's just too scary for my taste. (a thanks here to The Daily Show and Garry Trudeau from my head and heart for keeping it real) It's getting worse. Even if Obama gets in the opposition is powerful beyond what should be allowed. The opposition's tactics are so 'in our face' bullying. They are desperate. It's such an ugly behavior meant to scare. Weds morn will be really interesting. I can't wait.
ReplyDeleteI voted yesterday! It felt great!
ReplyDeleteMy Twitter feed is my crack. I have a hard time pulling away from it. I'll be glad when the election is over so I can start to refocus. Maybe. What if there's a recount?!
ReplyDeleteI need a 12 step program.
Well said robin. I often feel a little like that crying little girl in the video.
ReplyDeleteI understand why that 9 term moderate Rep from Ohio is quitting because he can no longer function. No one in Congress will listen to anyone who isn't hard party line. They are brain locked. Even if my guy wins again, I don't hold much hope. Like zilla said, it is too much "I am right and you are wrong" today. Compromise is a dirty word.
Hurry Wednesday.
As I said last week to my wife while the tube droned on about the polls, the ads, the constant in my face election stupidity, "Please make it stop."
ReplyDeleteI am totally with you on this one. I will spend tomorrow night reading favorite blogger archives and a good book. I simply cannot watch only to hear that the results will not be known for weeks to come. My husband, on the other hand, will watch all evening and regardless of the outcome fall asleep immediately.
ReplyDeleteIt is so shocking to see the evildoers and their voter suppression tactics. And sadly, most of them are within the letter of the law.
Someone sent me a cartoon. It said, "On Sunday night remember to set your clocks back one hour. On Tuesday, be careful that you don't set the country back 50 years."
I agree wholeheartedly with you and your commenters, Robin, about the election!
ReplyDeleteAlso, not to be too much of a stickler, but the "beetle" in your second image is actually an assassin bug.
I do like the headlines though.
ReplyDeleteThis will return again unless we make laws to limit spending and limit donations. It is all about the money.
ReplyDelete