Well, Hell, Now I Have to Vote

Since Super Tuesday wasn’t the decisive event it was planned to be, the Texas primaries will actually mean something. I’m all atingle at the thought of my vote actually counting. What to do…

I usually vote in the Republican primary since in my county that’s where the actual decisions are made, and besides, since 1994 it’s given me extra opportunities to vote against Bush. I’ve proudly voted against him 8 times, not that it’s done me any good. Still, there’s something ennobling about glorious defeat as I’m sure the defenders of the Alamo would likely have said if they hadn’t all been slaughtered by a bunch of illegal aliens. Too bad we didn’t have that border wall back in 1836.

This year it’s different, though. I might have a say in the Democratic race. A say in choosing the candidate I will actually vote for in November. I wonder what that’s like. Texas might even become the new New Hampshire (Nu H-shire?).

So, the question becomes who do I support? I think Clinton would make a fine president, but I don’t want a president McCain, so I’m going for Obama, who will also make a fine president. It crystallized for me while getting my gray locks shorn yesterday afternoon.

The stylist and I were talking and the subject turned to Super Tuesday. I said I would be watching the returns, and she said she would be doing the same. “It’ll be interesting,” she said and then looked around before whispering, “We’re not allowed to talk about that stuff with the clients.”

Now, think about that for a minute. Talking and debating politics with each other is the essence of a functioning democracy. The notion that we can have differing opinions and actually discuss them with one another without coming to blows is so rare that employees can be forbidden from discussing politics. That is indicative of a severly poisoned political atmosphere.

Our political life has become such a twisted brew of ideological purity, acrimony and intolerance that more than anything we need a politician who can rise above it. Barack Obama is that candidate. We need someone who won’t start out with 50% of the country and all of the opposing party steadfastly against him or her. That’s Obama. Even those who disagree with him on policy respect the man.

Perhaps we can learn to once again have a political culture in which we can talk and respectfully disagree without having to demonize those with differing opinions.

There are plenty of other reasons why I intend to vote for Obama in the Texas Democratic primary, and perhaps I’ll explore them here, but in the meantime, I have to plan the press conference and event where Obama and I will take the stage so I can announce the official Coyote Mercury endorsement that will seal the deal for him in Texas.

His people and mine are working to find the most advantageous day for the event.

And, in the meantime, this is a really beautiful video. And isn’t that Herbie Hancock in there too?

James Brush

James Brush is a teacher and writer who lives in Austin, TX. He tries to get outside as much as possible.

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