It’s that time of the political season when I start to feel twitchy from guilt that I am not more engaged in the political process. As I was watching the talking heads on the Sunday morning shows, I felt uncomfortable, wondering if my participation in this year’s election is up to snuff.
Let’s review what I have done as a participant in this great democracy of ours:
- I watched the VP debate last week and tweeted my support for the democratic process, though I am not sure that was what the Founding Fathers had in mind for participatory democracy.
Relevant political tweets
- I read a few paragraphs of the Supreme Court decision upholding President Obama’s healthcare plan.
- I DVR’ed an episode of Chris Hayes’ show and watched it.
- I hide (but do not defriend) obnoxious Facebook “friends” whose political status updates made me want to hurl.
- At the gym, I regularly watch Fox News because it’s the only station that comes in clearly on my favorite treadmill.
- I force myself to read all the political tweets in my Twitter feed, even those written by fringey people.
But, shouldn’t I be doing more to engage? I am youngish, well-educated, and have plenty of spare time to read blog posts about sagging breasts and the narcotizing effects of watching children play with Leggos. Should some of that time and energy be devoted to making the political process what I wish it was? (Less negative, less centered on personal attacks, less vicious, and less devoid of compassion, cooperation and creative solutions to real problems.)
The truth is that I don’t know how to engage. It seems so dirty and dehumanizing to deal with politics. Over and over, I have decided my time is better spent learning how to cook a new dish, or clean the refrigerator, or work on something creative that feeds my soul instead of reading an on-line article about how everything political in this country is BROKEN or debate the ethics of campaign finance.
But if everyone opts out, then who’s left?
I am not sure what it says about me that my favorite part of the Presidential election is the concession speech. Oh good Lord, did I cry all through McCain’s speech in 2008! There is more character and heart in a concession speech that all the other speeches combined. And, I wasn’t crying because I voted for McCain and was sad to see him exiting the national stage. I cried because it was pure moment (OK, maybe I felt a little sorry for him having to go back to Arizona with his super scary Stepford wife), that was about him and his moment to say, “I didn’t make it, but carry on.”
If there were more moments like that, I’d be all in. Give me something genuine to hold on to — not photo ops and pandering and stupid counterfeit stories calculated to pull my heart strings. I don’t need to have my heart strings pulled. I just need the candidates to be smart, prepared, compassionate, creative, honest, and human.
Is that too much to ask?
Don’t feel bad. I have to disengage, too, because it all just hurts my head. I know what’s going on and what I believe in, I know who I’m voting for, but I don’t see any reason to participate in the internet fighting (you know, barring the occasional snarky debate tweet). I wish it was different, too. I wish the candidates (and other people) would recognize that it’s about what’s best for our country and it isn’t about personal attacks and one liners, or people just trying to get elected for the sake of being elected. Liking the concession speech says good things about you. It means you like the part where the masks come off and it all gets real. If only people would be that real BEFORE the election.
Exactly. I am not above a snarky tweet myself when I am not busy getting aroused by Biden’s tie. I think I should concetrate on making my corner of the world sweeter, more authentic and happier. And politics just doesn’t fit into that.
I think your use of the word “genuine” is key there. I feel that genuineness is what is missing from the political landscape, and the lack of genuineness is really what makes it hard to feel a part of it. Maybe we all could stand to be a little more genuine.
I know. I am working on a blog post that I am challenging myself to write genuinely and it’s hard. It’s really hard. And I am not as exposed as the candidates are. But I am willing to put my money where my mouth is.
You are so damn good at this – funny, interesting, charming and genuine. And you noticed Stepford Wife McCain! You have my vote!
Also, I admire all you do to keep informed. Mike and I had an argument about Romney the other day and I pretended I was up to speed on the nuances of various healthcare issues after reading one op ed. Chances are good Mike was pretending too. Scary.
I know. So much to pretend about. As it gets more complex I get more behind.
It just feels dirty to “engage”. (and not the good kind of dirty). We should enforce Playground Rules. Share, Be Nice, and above all, If you throw sand in someone’s face, you get a timeout.
Exactly! The bad kind of dirty is not good.
As you noted, if not YOU then WHO? As disheartening and obnoxious as modern politics is, we cannot leave it others, especially when “others” usually means white men with money. Knock on a few doors or write a check. Drive people to the polls for a few hours or hold a button or bumper sticker making party. I personally find it is easier to stay positive about the process when I keep my efforts local.
What Kelly said. White men with money have no business telling me what to do with my person.
I follow politics, perhaps too obsessively, and feel very invested in this election.
I should add that I don’t live in a swing state, so I don’t have ad fatigue, but I also feel a bit powerless. My guy will win my state handily. Driving a few oldies to the polls here won’t matter.
I don’t watch TV commercials so I don’t have ad fatigue either. Come to think of it, I don’t wany any men or women telling me what to do with my body. But I am finicky like that!
Driving to the polls….I could do that. That sounds fun. I had so much fun making buttons and bumper stickers with you in ’08. I think we conceived Sadie that weekend so it’s obviously very good to get involved! You are a shining example of that.
We are cut from the same disengaged cloth, girlfriend. I am with you 100% and try to be savvy enough to make it through a cocktail party, but can’t really jump in with both feet. I did put up my first-ever political yard sign this month, though. It’s for Marriage Equality which is the one area that I’ll soapbox my little heart out for. Although when it comes to presidential candidates, I am still patting myself on the back for my “just Biden my time” quip on Twitter last week. That counts as engagement, yes?
I just snorted my steamed milk at Starbucks, so thank you. Twitter engagement is engagement. Just look at the Arab spring. That was fucking nuts and it was all about Twitter. Or that’s what I read on Twitter.
This could be about me (but Biden’s tie doesn’t do it for me, ha!). I just get tired of the bashing and misdirection. I think there should be more debates about issues and no advertising allowed. The whole thing is so sleezy. That’s why I’m on the low side of engaged. I know who I like and what I believe. I could just do without the drama.
Exactly. The damn drama. It’s so draining.
WTF? I’m not getting your posts by emails anymore. Good thing I just come around and check this place every night. It’s not good enough — I need my outlaw mama to be served piping hot. WordPress, what’s up?
You and your comments have really hit it all. The lack of genuine is painful to me. I refuse to feel bad. I don’t engage all that deeply in sports either and if everyone followed suit several multi-billion dollar industries would go under. Different strokes.
That same thing happened to me with Sara Lind and about a zillion other people. It sucks. Wait. Did that happen to me with your blog? I better friggin didn’t….. Oh, I love the sports analogy. I don’t follow that either and other than being ostracized in many respects from my Texas-sports-loving family, who cares?
The only way they’ll be honest and sincere is if we demand it. But the people who want that are disengaged. They’re sick of hearing the distortions and the sound bytes. Only the hardcore read the long articles written with depth and sincerity. And no politician is willing to be sincere for 30 seconds because the other side will tear that middle 5 seconds apart.
So you have to demand sincerity. Write a letter about it. Send it. Find one issue you care about and read both sides. Then tell other people. You don’t have to know every bit about every issue. You have to know what’s important to you, then you need to hold the politicians accountable for that issue.
Along the way you’ll find two or three others. You’ll find resources that aren’t shouting and aren’t misleading. You’ll get more and more information from them until you have a grasp on what you think, why, and how to convince someone else.
And that, my friend, is the ideal voter. Knows both sides about the issues, knows which one is closer to her truth, and holds people accountable for making the world better.
Start small. One issue. Get a base of reliable resources. Then learn more.
You have to. Otherwise they keep talking in mistruths and sound bytes because they think it’s the only thing they get to tell you.
It sounds do manageable to take one issue. If I have to master them all, I will get overwhelmed and shit down. But one issue? I can do that.
Great feedback. Thank you.