My Voting Strategy – Loyalty

I spit on this election.

We’re loyal Democrats through at least four generations of my family from my grandparents through nephews. My earliest election memory is leafleting for John F. Kennedy when I was 6 years old (and my cousin Johnny was born the day JFK won the election) and I’ve leafleted in just about every Presidential election since. I take my political commitments seriously.  I give the candidates I support both my time and money. For me, it’s more than a vote. And I’ve always supported the Democrat (well, except Carter. But that’s a totally separate story. And I did vote for him).

So, I didn’t plan on this . . . . confusion. In fact, until these last few months, I didn’t believe that undecided voters actually existed. That’s how stupid I am. Because an idiot could have seen this coming . . . .

My election journey began the morning after the 2004 election. After staying up (was it almost all night?) watching the long lines of Ohio voters standing in the rain waiting to vote, I was shocked — shocked — that John Kerry (up until then one of the worst candidates ever) conceded the election before their votes were even counted! Even now my fingers trembled as I typed those words.

(catching my breath)

At the moment Kerry conceded the election, I promised myself that I would never hold-my-nose for a candidate again. Honestly — what’s the point? We’re supposed to give these people EVERYTHING and they quit without warning, leaving us abandoned. And it’s not just that they quit their campaigns — they just as easily abandon the issues and policies that inspired our votes. Loyalty means nothing to a politician.

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There’s nothing particularly interesting about my experiences through the Democratic primaries. I wasted too much time on an egomaniac who couldn’t/wouldn’t decide if he was going to run. I committed to a guy with a pretty good health care plan. But (after accepting a couple hundred dollars from me,) he abruptly dropped out of the race about 3 days before I got to caucus for him. And I’ve never been prouder of anything than my support of Hillary Clinton. So, blah, blah, blah. We’ve all been through something similar — in other elections if not this one.

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The thing is these people are professionals at getting us on their side. Getting us whipped up is their job. Tossing us aside the day after the election is their pleasure. The fact that we actually care about their success is our problem.

We’re fools for thinking — year after year — that we’re going to get anything out of the process. Consider this: How many times have Democrats held either the Presidency or the two houses of Congress without bothering to do something to move us toward Universal Health Care? My own Democratic Congressman doesn’t even mention the concept of UHC on his healthcare page. And since at least February Barack Obama has run against the very idea.

It’s the same on issue after issue — I swear I would have voted for anyone who voted against the bail out. (giggling wildly at the very thought.) Cough. Sorry — I got a little carried away.

I’ve been spinning around for months – Vote for McCain – Vote for Nadar – Don’t Vote – Write-in Hillary – Really?  Could I really do it? — when at last the reviews started pouring in. Many of you know my sister Joaniebone’s passionate nature but, all of my siblings are just as deeply involved in this election. And I was thrilled when one of my brothers unexpectedly came to my assistance with a letter to the editor published in a local paper saying in part :

Barack Obama is little more than another Republican politician, with just a little more polish. With his support of immunity for the Bush administration and the telecom industry against prosecution for the illegal wiretapping of Americans, support of offshore drilling, the Bush Doctrine, the Wall Street bailout and his failure of support for a true national health insurance plan, I cannot see much difference between his policies and those of most Republicans running for office.

This was followed shortly after by my father expressing his serious doubts about Obama and his priorities. And another sister shared her thoughts about the election that echoed our brother’s letter. I was so relieved. Far from being nearly alone in my alienation from the Democratic Party — I’m joined by half my family.

So I’m standing with my family — loyally voting against Barack Obama.