Thank all that's good that the US Presidential election is tomorrow, because I don't know how much more of the campaigning people can stand.
I have two points to make in this semi-rambling post. The first is that my vote does not really count. Why? Because I live in Massachusetts, John Kerry's home state. He'll probably carry Massachusetts with at least 65% of the vote, and perhaps much more. No matter who I want to vote for, the Massachusetts outcome is very predictable and hence my vote won't matter much. I'd like to vote Libertarian, to show some support for (at least parts of) that party's platform, but this year's candidate is a goof.
My second point is this: the thing that surprises me is the fervor that so many people are putting behind the presidential candidates. The candidates are politicians! Do you really think the world is going to be that much different (and presumably better) if your candidate wins?
I saw one person (on TV?) the other day claim that they were going to vote for Bush because they liked his platform of smaller government. Yet federal spending has grown more under Bush than any other president since Lyndon Johnson (see, for example, this 2003 Cato Institute article or just do a Google search), and he's gotten the hands of the federal government involved in regulating more parts of life (such as his education platform), not less. So the guy who's voting for Bush is misinformed at best.
But do any of John Kerry's supporters believe that he's going to change the world? I've seen pro-Kerry ads that talk about "equal pay" and making the Iraq situation all better, et cetera. Saying "I wouldn't have gotten us into Iraq in the first place" is not the same thing as presenting any sort of plan for improving the situation as it stands now. And there's still going to be an almost evenly-divided Congress, which means it'll be hard to pass any legislation. John Kerry's not going to be able to do much of anything, except maybe reduce the frustration abroad at America. Or maybe he won't even be able to do that.
So, I don't believe that either candidate will do much good or be able to make huge changes. What frustrates me is the vitriolic rhetoric and the general hype of people who think this election marks the potential end of the world. If you live in a swing state, then yes it's important for you to vote - maybe you'll affect the outcome. But will the winner of this election have a dramatic effect on the future, such as your living conditions when you retire, or whether we'll win against the terrorists? I believe the answer is "no."
OK, enough rambling. It's time for me to go see the real hope for change in our future - today's children. I need to go pick up Dorothy from daycare.
Posted by Tom Nugent at November 1, 2004 05:09 PMTo be serious a moment,
I agree with Tom here......JK, like most poiticians, seems to really sway a bit much, in addition to being nondescript with his future plans.
W may have a bit too much of a plan (agenda, plot, cabal???). As a non-union teacher, I look at his education plan with a look of horror. It has done virtually nothing to help any child, and has straddeled already cash-strapped states with enormous bills. The smart schools have already withdrawn from all federally funded programs to avoid having to get locked into the federal mandates. I'm aware that not all of the economic downturn was W's fault.....and I'm not all that impressed with how other countries have handeled this terrorism thing.....but I'm equally certain the foray into Iraq was not very well planned.
So here's the plan:
2006 Tom gets into Congress.
2007 Tom gets voted into Teddy's Senate seat
2008 Nugent-Dean ticket wins White House....the five kids now have a lot of room to play!
2016 Elizabeth gets voted Senator from Ontario.
I think its a plan....I'm getting bumper stickers ready to go
Posted by: Tom at November 1, 2004 09:23 PMThis post is a good explanation of some of the main reasons why I don't vote. To condense the argument: Why bother when the only people running are politicians.
It is a close race though, and I'm still not sure who's going to win. Kerry is taller and has better hair, but W is better at being stup^H^H^H^Hfolksy. That's really what this campaign boils down to.
Posted by: Elizabeth D at November 2, 2004 09:46 AM