This post is politically motivated. This will be my only political posting about the candidates for election.

I state that first and foremost because you may as well punt now.

I have given up on all political parties. In particular, I’ve given up on the two major parties. I think John Stewart deserves the Nobel Prize.

The rest of this post is behind a cut. This is because it uses strong language and will probably offend everyone. If you are offended by it.. you probably should be. That being said…

My dream for this election is that it is even more convoluted than 2000. I hope that everyone questions everyone else about how the vote went and that there are riots. I hope all the fundamentalist Republicans and all the fundamentalist Democrats kill each other in bloody awful manners. the networks will love it because they will air it for our children and argue over who should be blamed. With luck it will be me for suggesting it.

First let me do the requisite condemnation of one side.

I didn’t like Bush in 2000. The man has gone out of his way to put his religious views into state and federal policy:

“I don’t think witchcraft is a religion. I would hope the military officials would take a second look at the decision they made .” G.W. Bush (R), as Governor of Texas. Interviewed on ABC’s Good Morning America, 1999-JUN-24. He disapproved of Wiccan soldiers being given the same religious rights as others in the military.

I urge all Texans to answer the call to serve those in need. By volunteering their time, energy or resources to helping others, adults and youngsters follow Christ’s message of love and service in thought and deed. Therefore, I, George W. Bush, Governor of Texas, do hereby proclaim June 10, 2000, Jesus Day in Texas and urge the appropriate recognition whereof,
In official recognition whereof,
I hereby affix my signature this
17th day of April, 2000.
— George W. Bush, “Jesus Day 2000” Proclamation, quoted from tompaine.com

But to be honest, I have to condemn both ‘sides.’ I think the Democrats are running in the opposite direction. Removal of a cross from the Los Angeles county seal. The democrats are so afraid of the religious issues that they just put their fingers in their ears and sing, “la la la la” so they don’t have to think about it.

Both parties are still perfectly happy to stamp their foot over the fact that “Marriage” is an established institution. They define who gets to play in this institution and then they legislate favourably on unfavourably around it. And to all of those of you who tell me that marriage is not a tax benefit, I get about $200 more a pay check after marriage than I did with a domestic partner. And yes.. I’m in a good bracket… and yes.. the benefit is better the more I make.

Now, if you spend more than 5 minutes reading live journal you will find at least 10 posts from one side or the other screaming, “Boo hoo. Look what the other side did. Boo hoo.” Dirty tricks, unamerican, unpatriotic, anti-christian, anti-pagan, gay, aclu, conservative, liberal, pro-life, pro-choice. blah blah blah.

Christ! (And to use that as an expletive you really have to consider the irony coming from me.) You’re all acting like a bunch of name-calling children. Why are the words liberal and conservative labels of hate. It’s amazing how much we all scream for getting along and yet now we have neighbor physically assailing neighbor. We have good Christians who are glad to beat the crap out of non-believers. We have peaceful pagans playing guerilla-tactic rituals.

People are being investigated, harassed, arrested, singled out. Because they said the wrong thing or liked the wrong candidate in the wrong group.

This election has gone to SHIT. I don’t want to hear about what the Republican administration did or didn’t do on 9-11. It was over three years ago. I don’t want to hear any more about Swift Boats. It was thirty years ago. I don’t want to hear about democrats strong arming voters in Florida. I don’t want to hear about republicans ripping up democratic voter cards in wisconsin. And I DO NOT want to hear the name Clinton anymore from any side this year.

By everything that is holy in this universe I am tired of the colours blue and red. I am tired of elephants and donkeys. I am tired of candidates deciding they don’t even need to acknowledge a state because it’s always one colour. I am sick of living in a country that should have splintered into 3 smaller countries in 1969.

I have simple needs

I want to know that I will have a job in 5 years.
Not someone in Bangladesh who just happened to be named Travis.

I want to know that I will be able to afford to raise a family in 5 years.
Not the fact that my spouse and unborn child will also have to have salary to allow us to afford food.

I want to know that I will judge what faith, belief, and practice is for my children.
Not that the government is trying to disprove my belief structure, declare it invalid, or encourage the neighbors with agencies to take away my children.

I want to hear the candidate talk about issues, not revving up the drama.

I watched the third presidential debate and it made me sick. I watched two supposedly educated men be incapable of answering questions put to them. I watched statistics spun in a way that make Twain drawn on a cigar. I watched posturing and finger pointing. I watched manipulation of terms to avoid the issues. I wanted to see someone in the audience stand up and scream, “Would one of you two assholes just answer the FUCKING question.”

I’m sorry, I’m not being popular. I won’t take one side or the other. If I want to root for one side to beat the crap out of the other, I’ll watch Football. That’s what it’s for.

If I want a nation, I’ll find issues. Relevance. Things that make me perceive that this whole, “American Dream” crap that they shoved down my throat in High School was actually real.

So far the thing I’ve become most passionate about in the election is whether or not my local poker room is going to have slot machines. And if that’s the most passionate I can get about the state of politics in our country at this time. It’s quite sad.

You want to do something this year. Don’t let the election take the life out of you. If you’re angry…. stay angry. Find out who is running for every bloody position. Find out what they stand for. Call their office. Ask questions. If they won’t answer them, tell them straight out, “Well, I can’t get an answer so obviously I can’t vote for you.”

But get out there and vote. Prove them wrong. Turn a solid state a different colour. Vote for the person you think will actually listen to your issues. Vote.. every single one of you vote. I don’t give one rat’s ass how you think the vote is gonna turn out for your country, state, county, city, district, household. Put the damned thing on paper. Every free American citizen has the right to vote. If they can vote in 3rd world countries under gunfire… you can cast a vote in the City of Podunk with some moron lambasting you for not picking his candidate. Grow up.

Yes, please make sure your ballot reflects what you think you put on it.

And finally. When the dust settles (and hopefully all the blind fundamentalists are dead)
Finally. That’s when to do the work. Pummel them. Keep it up. Make them earn the positions they have.

Politics is not the summer olympics. I’m tired of people who like women’s gymnastics for 2 weeks out of 4 years. Politics is not, “Which side am I rooting for?” Politics is finding the issues that matter to you. And seeing that they are protected and brought forth. It’s fighting for your cause every damn day that you are alive. It is getting people to realize what you believe and either signing on or finding out why they won’t.

Who is the most important person in this election? You. Everyone of you. America is nothing without Americans. A play is not a play without an audience. A mass is not a mass without a congregation.

So what are you? An apathetic team mascot? Or do you actually care about something?

I will probably be temporarily removing several posters from my friends list. Please do not take it personally, I just don’t feel that you’re posting anything of value at the moment.

Personally, I believe calling ourselves The United States of America has become no more than a lie that the rest of the uncivilized world is laughing at.

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