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The Lesser of Two Lessers

With Edwards officially out, I have lost the little sliver of hope that we could somehow get this country even marginally close to back on the same path. You might have noticed that I have been staying away from much political blogging. I feel that cynicism is something that shouldn’t be shared or spread around. It’s a personal thing I should work through on my own. Step one of being aware of cynicism is being aware of the often unconscious need to drag others into the muck and amplify their misery, if only to confirm that we’re ‘right’ in our defeatist suspicions.

Step two of recovering from cynicism involves telling yourself that unless you’re willing to dig your own grave and get inside, change is always around the corner and that change is always potential for good. Cynicism, and its by-product Conspiracy Theory, let’s the cynic off the hook and absolves them from having to do anything about anything. The rub is that there often is a conspiracy, of sorts. Car manufacturers conspire to maximize profits by lowering standards. Oil producers conspire to increase prices by decreasing production. There was a conspiracy to knock Edwards out of the race, in that he threatened the hegemony of corporations by pledging - however sincere - to curtail their influence in our political process. The mainstream media continued to hammer the message home that he was an effete snob with an expensive, unmanly haircut and was ‘too angry’ to be president, and - worse yet - he was a trial lawyer.

So now we’re faced with two less-than-desirable choices. Both seem to represent their corporate masters well. Most people’s criticisms of Clinton seems to come from a place of extreme misogyny than any particular political thing she’s done or pledged to do. If she wins, we are not only in for an ugly return to the Clintonista corporate sellout era, but will get to see some unbelievably nasty rhetoric from the right. And as inspiring as I initially found Obama to be as a speaker, I see little evidence that he means to walk his talk. I also worry that the fear of the possibility of either a woman or African American as president will galvanize that central mass of voters towards McCain, who to me represents a continuation of the last eight years.

Whoever wins, I also think they are in for an uphill battle. If a Democrat wins, they will also face an amazing amount of criticism from the corporate media. They will suddenly be held responsible for everything that has taken place in the last eight years - the economy, the execution of the war, you name it.
If a Republican wins, they will continue to enjoy the free ride and soft pitches in press conferences.

But cheer up, fellow martyrs.

Rome wasn’t pulled down in a day.

Any change - however incremental - from the humanitarian disaster known as the Bush Administration is a good one.

We also have to work like hell in order to get some of the things that Edwards pledged to do into the political dialog. We need to work towards making what candidates such as Kucinich say seem less alien to mainstream America. We need to promote ideas like challenging corporate personhood a tangible concept to more people. I don’t necessarily see us as having had a lousy administration that mucked up the political process. Rather, I think our political system is so mucked up with corruption that it allowed this group of corporate bottom feeders inside to fuck it up even worse.

I also blame that depressingly huge mass of people who choose not to vote. They are the bystander who clamps their cellphone to their head and ignore the old lady being mugged in the street. So, while it’s understandably depressing when our favorite candidate doesn’t make it, don’t black and white the issue by giving up your duty. I adopt the Chomsky doctrine; “if it’s a swing state, keep the worst guys out. If it’s another state, do what you feel like.”

Any small change is better than where we were before.

Otherwise, get out of the way and start digging.

Last 2 posts in Dept. of just Sayin'

balance, grasshopper - November 17th, 2008
GOD BLESS AMERICA - November 15th, 2008

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4 Comments so far (Add 1 more)

(listed oldest to newest)

Cynicism, somewhat like depression, can be a good thing if doesn’t become too extreme.

George Carlin reminds us that lurking behind every cynic is an idealist trying to get out. Cynicism helps ground me. It keeps hopelessness from taking over. It is what motivates me to seek the real truth, the absolute truth and nothing but the truth.

btw, David Michael Green has an excellent article on the “Anybody but Clinton” syndrome.

My extreme desire to not elect Hillary Clinton has nothing to do with her sex. I love women and especially strong minded women. It is mostly about her husband, partly about not wanting a DLC and Washington insider for 4-8 more years (Obama is the lesser here) and partly about trying to choose a person who will be something more than more of the same (who knows what someone will do and be after they are elected, see Bush II, but you can again shoot for the “lesser”.

[Reply]

1. By bushtool on February 1st, 2008 at 9:13 am (replies, if any, are attributed separately above).
Rich,

Nice to hear from you. I’ve been trying to follow Edwards’ lead in the “don’t give up/keep fighting” vein, but man, it’s hard. There’s no point wishing he would have held out for Super Tuesday - with the media blackout of his campaign, I don’t think he’d have gotten above 15%. Now we just have to make the best of a bad situation, and do our best to elect a supermajority in Congress to push Clobama to the left if s/he manages to win the big prize.

Your pal in not-so-quiet desperation,
slim

[Reply]

2. By slim on February 1st, 2008 at 2:57 pm (replies, if any, are attributed separately above).
Yes, let’s take a look at Hillary’s so called “lack of experience”. As a Senator she continues to be an advocate for children and families and a national leader on homeland security and national security issues,
1. After 9/11, she worked diligently to secure funds to recover and rebuild. She fought to provide compensation to families of the victims, small businesses and front line workers at Ground Zero and improve homeland security.
2. 2. In her work on the Senate Armed Services Committee, she has been working to see that our military has the necessary resources. She has visited Iraq and Afghanistan to learn first hand the challenges are combat forces are facing.
3. Hillary passed legislation to track the health status of our troops so that conditions like Gulf War Syndrome would not be misdiagnosed.
4. She is an original sponsor of legislation to expand health benefits to members of the National Guard and Reserves.
5. She has introduced legislation to tie the Congressional salary increases to increase in the minimum wage.
6. She has supported a variety of middle-class tax cuts: marriage penalty tax, property tax relief, reduction of the Alternative Minimum Tax
7. She passed legislation to create jobs in struggling communities through the Renewal Communities program.
8. She has championed legislation to bring broadband internet access to rural America which helps support the economic growth of the community.
9. She continues to strengthen the Children’s Health Insurance Program which she developed to help low income and working families.
10. She has authored legislation that has been enacted to improve the quality and lower the cost of prescription drugs.
11. She has sponsored legislation in the global fight against HIV/AIDS
12. She has passed legislation that will bring more qualified teachers into the classroom
13. 13. She is one of the original sponsors of the Prevention First Act to increase access to family planning.
14. She introduced the Count Every Vote Act in 2005

I could go on, but suffice it to say, Hillary’s hard work has touched all of our lives.
Thank you, Hillary

[Reply]

3. By noelle15 on February 8th, 2008 at 7:29 pm (replies, if any, are attributed separately above).
let’s take a look at Hillary’s so called “lack of experience”

Let’s take a look at who said anything about “lack of experience”?

I’d rather take a look at the “baggage” she brings to the office and her war authorization vote.

[Reply]

4. By bushtool on February 9th, 2008 at 4:40 am (replies, if any, are attributed separately above).