COLUMN: How voting probably went
Well fate has dealt me a rather awkward hand. Like every week, my article was due on Monday but unlike previous weeks Tuesday was Election Day. For you Tuesday has already come and gone and in spite of my constant nagging some of you might have neglected to cast your vote (if so shame on you, you’ve failed the course). If you keep an eye on this sort of thing you already know who is representing you in congress and whether the Democrats successfully took over one or both Houses of Congress. But since I am no Nostradamus when it comes to elections, and because I am eternally optimistic, I won’t forecast the results of the election.
But I can predict that I woke up (probably late) Tuesday morning, showed up to class in time for my exam, and then hitched a ride with a friend down to Salt Lake County to cast my vote.
I might run into someone from my parent’s ward like I did last time, which would be interesting, and I’ll probably fall asleep on the way back up to Logan. I’d probably have that same dream again where I’d skip about in the parallel universe where Al Gore was president, where we never invaded Iraq, where health care was available along with low interest student loans and the world was a safer place. I probably woke up just in time to put in a few hours at work before I head home to watch the news
But it seems that all too often Liberals, at least where they are an aberration, focus half-heartedly on short term goals and neglect developing a long term strategy. Democrats don’t seem to run in Utah believing that they can actually win. Voting feels like a futile exercise and that it could be time better spent in Idaho buying lottery tickets.
Everyone feels some dissatisfaction with the two-party system. The chronically unrepresented feel the sting the most. At times I just want to see the whole thing abolished – lobbyists, the corporatocracy, the salesmanship, the career politicians. Maybe that’s an unrealistic hope for the future. All I know is that if we stick with the current system some things have just got to change. Even the Republicans resent the current administration. But that’s not enough, kids; we have to unite under a common message.
The blame game has just got to end and we must learn to effectively communicate who we are instead of who we aren’t. We must have a Democrat in the Oval Office in 2009 in order to end the Neo-Conservative movement and bring new life and hope back to the respectable Republican (hey I am all about saving endangered species).
We must do all in our power to remove money as the source of political power. Right now the lobbyists flatten grassroots movements simply by cutting a big enough check. The ideas that could be our nation’s salvation never get off of the ground.
On the local level we need strong leadership, a candidate who isn’t afraid of taking the right risks, standing out, who knows the art of debate and who knows the issues. I got to know Ashdown and Olsen a little bit better than a lot of voters. I have a lot of faith in their visions for Utah. But we need a candidate who is headstrong enough to run for office as many times as it takes for his or her message to get through and get elected, instead of one who loses once and quits for life.
Class dismissed.