It is refreshing to read your thoughts. I think your view of the way it is, is realistic and more common than you think. If the parties can make people think the world is black and white, then that makes their job easier—they can focus on a few issues that will get people motivated to join their side, then people can be lazy and not think about the fact that the world is very complicated, and no one person or party is right about everything all of the time.
If it makes you feel better, I love this quote from ALO:
It’s a crazy mixed-up world, full of contradictions,
and that’s why it hurts so bad sometimes,
but that’s also why it’s fun!
If, instead of getting depressed about the seeming hopelessness of solving it all, we focus on what we can do, even if they are little things, and we remember to have a sense of humor about it all, we might actually make some positive progress. Believe me, I also get that “all at once, the world can overwhelm me” feeling and get feeling hopeless about all of it, but I try to pick myself up by thinking about the positive things we do have control over.
I have been both a registered Republican and Democrat. I have lived places where all the elected officials were of one party, and if you registered the other, you just wasted a chance to have a say in the primaries (and who will actually get elected). I will continue to vote for the person, not the party.
I also try not to listen to the news. You never know what the real story is. Have you ever been interviewed and quoted in the paper? Even reporters trying to get it right can mix up what you say. I try to read or listen to speeches, or get as close as possible to the source of the issue, or to find someone who is doing more analysis and logical discussion than emotional ploys. One website I love is http://www.electoral-vote.com.
After reading Obama’s books, I am convinced this time around that he is the best choice. Do I agree blindly with everything the Democrats are for? No. But reading his own words, especially words written before his candidacy, I think he is our best shot enacting changes in the right direction. Can one person fix everything? No way. I like that in his speeches Obama reminds people that they will have to be part of the change and make sacrifices, too. Do I hate McCain? No. I can say that the people I have met working on the Obama campaign locally, have been mostly really honest, humble, caring, nice people, who are trying really hard to do the right thing, who are not party-insider politicians.
Another thing about parties—the rules in your state may make a big difference in how you register. In some states, independents have lots of flexibility in voting, especially in primaries. In others, if you are an independent, you can’t vote in either primary, which to me is giving up too much. For example, until my sister moved to NH, I didn’t realize that if you register independent there, you can decide last-minute which primary you vote in. Can’t do that where I live.
