Today is the day, well one of "the days". Today is the day where American's are entitled to cast their voice over their states, and as an extension their nations, political future. Today is also the day that those who choose not to vote maintain the right to complain and criticize before and after the fact. Today is the day where all the confusion and smear campaigns pay off. Instead of being a question on how you will lead your respecitve district it is more a question of how much mud you got on your shoes while you were slinging. The relatively cleanest opponent at the end of this moisty dirty match is typically declared the victor, leaving muddy footprints on the stairs of the stage as he (and 99% of the time its going to be "he") ascends to make a victory speech. For the defeated, there is still a trail of muddy footprints (typically deeper in shit), but there is a sprinkling a tears, disapointed benefactors, and IOU's mixed in.
This vote, like a few that have preceded and many that will follow - is about technology, race, and sexuality. The issues raised and I expect the ones that will be greatly debated in the months to follow "the day" start with the "how" of this vote. Electronic voting machines are a leap of faith, that the touchscreen even works has been questioned, that it works correctly (that you don't have to lean a certain way with your tongue in a certain spot for things to line up), that the method of counting cannot be tampered with as easily as an excel document, and that the lack of a tangible paper trail is the mark of progress not blind faith.
More and more media attention has been given to politicians of minority or mixed race - because this is supposedly the 1992 for African American (male) politicians. (If you are unaware, 1992 was considered the year of the Woman because a large majority of women voted and participated in the political system). It only stands to reason that one's government should reflect the population. Right now it doesn't, right now white males of affluent heritage make up a much larger majority in government then they do in the population. I'm not saying this strata does not have its place, but just not so overwhelmingly. Regardless of the color of a politicians skin, they are still a politician, they are still prone to misrepresent, dumd down their policies, and tow somebody's party line. It's a fact - after all thats their job. Race doesn't mean much if you can, or your can't, do your job.
A lot of voters are flocking to the polls stricly because states, VA in this case, are dealing with legislation surrounding gay marriage and gay spousal rights. Many are flocking because they believe it is the right thing to do to say yes. At the same time many are voting only to vote down this allowance. If an 18 year old heterosexual girl can get married in Vegas and annul it 35 hours later - then an 18 year old homosexual girl should be able to do the same. On that same thread, if a 45 year old heterosexual man can celebrate his 20 year wedding anniversary - then a 45 year old homosexual man should be allowed the same. In the end, we are all human beings. A person's sexuality doens't necessarily make them a bad person or guarantee that they will be a good person. Assholes, and idiots, come in all colors, sizes, and walks of life.
In 20 years, how much is it really going to matter. Human to human marriage might be the politically correct term of the day. If politics ever gets honest, I'm going to be out of a job.
VOTE!
EDIT - this post is not to downplay the large number of women running for political office this term, but is a reflection on how overshadowed this fact has become by the race and sex debates.
