Today is election day, but I voted early as I usually do. I don’t know that I could say that I am more or less enthusiastic about voting than I have been in the past. Fortunately that doesn’t matter. Since I live in Texas and voted mostly for Democrats, my vote doesn’t really matter either. Such is the way of things here and I’m used to it. It’s why I don’t bother with my torch, pitchfork and revolutionary hat. We don’t throw our bums out in Texas.
My official for-what-it’s-worth prediction is that the Democrats will lose the house and hold the senate, which is pretty much conventional wisdom. Here in Texas, Rick Perry will win yet another term as governor, making him the longest serving Texas governor and one of the longest serving governors in US history. They say he has presidential aspirations, though I’m not sure if his aspiration is to be president of the US or a newly seceded Texas.
It is an odd choice for voters today. Vote for the Republicans who created many of the economic and budget problems we face or double down on Democrats who have demonstrated ineffectiveness in solving them. Here is the problem of a two-party system distilled: either/or without a pragmatic middle is barely a choice at all. I don’t know what the real answer is other than viable third and fourth parties. Maybe that isn’t an answer either.
As for me, I went with the Democrats this time out. I’d like to be able to take the GOP seriously, but it’s hard to get behind an anti-intellectual party that doesn’t believe in good government. It would be like going to a dentist who doesn’t believe in dentistry. Whatever happens tonight, though, I suspect I’ll be wishing for something stronger than Novocain.
James Brush is a teacher and writer who lives in Austin, TX. He tries to get outside as much as possible.
“It would be like going to a dentist who doesn’t believe in dentistry.” Good analogy.
Yeah, I wish it didn’t seem so apt.
Well said. Too bad it’s true…
Yup.
Actually, your vote does make a difference, though not in the way that you would expect. Political parties receive public funding based in part on the number of votes that they get, which is why, if I could vote, I’d either:
1) Not vote.
2) Spoil my ballot.
3) Support a third party candidate.
Listed in no particular order, of course:)
I did vote for some greens and libs just to not vote for certain R’s. I can’t not vote–not in my nature.