I love voting, and look forward to doing so tomorrow at Jones College Prep high school. Democracy is a luxury and one that’s at risk, so voting is more important than ever.
(For the record, I’d rate the 2020 elections as the straightest, truest, cleanest presidential election of my lifetime. It was closely scrutinized in real time and tested again and again after the fact. I mean, remember 2000? The difference: The character, or lack thereof, of the lead actors and their followers.)
The Democrats, in my view, are missing an opportunity to trumpet real benefits that the nation will reap as a result of the Inflation Reduction Act, the infrastructure legislation, a legislative step toward gun sanity, and other accomplishments. But it’s kind of a Democrat thing to miss opportunities.
Apart from that, we are polarized in a way that surpasses any period of my life, including the 1960s and early 1970s. Back then we either did or didn’t support the war, but we agreed there was a war. We believed or didn’t believe in the domino theory but we knew what it was. Today, not so much.
Perhaps one thing we all can agree on—or at least all of us who watch any TV or listen to any radio: After tomorrow, the political ads will cease.
I can’t believe that any of them persuade anyone. I can only imagine that they’re made to remind the respective bases to get out there otherwise, the opposing candidate will indeed bake your children in a pie and make you eat it (cue the dark mood music).
It’s always bad but I feel like it’s worse than ever this year. For example, I was watching the Illinois Michigan State game on the Big Ten Network when political ads for Michigan races came on.
Even my beloved Jeopardy!, which usually is filled with ads for Cricket phones, calcium supplements, and all stuff for people of a certain age, has been filled with rapid fire doomsday ads.
Of course it is worse because there’s more money in politics than ever.
Maybe we can agree that’s a bad thing? Or at least, let’s all celebrate a political ad moratorium…until the next election.
We can definitely agree that there’s too much money in politics. When I look at the numbers in just the race for Illinois governor, I think how many community centers could be built and staffed in underserved neighborhoods. It makes me sick.
Don’t depend on the ads stopping. Well, maybe for a week. Then the next cycle starts.
Agree with you Mike! I was born in South America, and when I emigrated to the States, in 1963, I was positively surprised to see how the politicians here, at the end of the day, would compromise, give and take, so the country would function. Today, we are looking more and more like the Latin America of yore, while down south, some countries at least – not all -, are acting a bit more like the USA of the 1960’s!!! I am very concerned.
Spot on Mike! I woke this morning and thought, I get to vote today, followed by the relief of no more ads. They do nothing except foster more decisiveness and disrespectful behavior, in addition to driving us mad. I’m glad we don’t have to listen to the rhetoric anymore after today, at least not inside our homes. I’m grateful I can vote and hope everyone takes the time to do as well.
My first thought was “If the GOP wins, we are doomed to fascism.” My second thought was “Hurray! No more horrendous ads.” I voted early about 10 days ago. I did my best. I can’t even watch TV today because those ads are still on, and I can’t take the stress of watching the outcome throughout today. I’ll watch the news tonight.
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