The Latest Political Rant
Actually, I’ve tried to stay clear of politics in this journal for quite awhile now. In fact, when the topic of politics comes up in conversation these days, I usually tell people that my doctor has forbidden me from talking politics, because of my high blood pressure. If forced, I tell them that as long as the maniacs and the morons are in charge of world politics, I want nothing to do with it.
Nevertheless, though, election day is coming. So get the hell out and vote.
In California, we’re faced with a gubernatorial election. It’s not the nastiest political campaign that I’ve ever seen, though the ads on both sides typically focus on why the other candidate is unqualified rather than on the virtues of either candidate. Basically, our choices seem to be limited to either the incompetent Gray Davis, or the slightly more incompetent and far more corrupt Bill Simon. I’m not terriibly fond of either one, but it seems, alas, that we really don’t have much choice.
It’s these sorts of elections where the only thing that people can do is vote for the “lesser of two evils”. I hate that approach; I always feel cheap and used when I walk out of a polling booth after voting that way, like a prostitute who discovers she’s been paid with counterfeit cash.
Fortunately, there are a number of third parties out there that can provide us with some limited alternatives. For example:
- The Libertarian Party because no government is apparently the best government of all. Based loosely on the philosophy of Ayn Rand (which I found very appealing when I was a geeky adolescent nerd in college, but which I feel I’ve matured past at this point), the primary myth of the Libertarian Party seems to be that if the government would just stop taxing the people and spending money, somehow all of the infrastructure and problems of the world would miraculously take care of themselves. This, I think, is very similar to the Republican Myth (that if the government stops spending money on social issues, people will somehow miraculously become generous enough to spend their own money on those issues). The Libertarian Party is fine with me on social issues — they oppose governmental influence in sexual issues, and for an end to the “war on drugs” — I find their “fiscal conservatism” inconsistent and kind of scary.
- The Reform Party I am very suspicious of people who say that their biggest goal is to reduce taxation. I’m all in favor of keeping more of the money that I earn, but what usually drives the agenda of the “fewer taxes” folks is “fewer taxes, and spend what remains on the things that I want and to hell with everything else!” The Reform Party claims that it opposes the increasing influence of corporations on the government. Why, then, do I find it suspicious that this party has traditionally been led by corporate guys? I’m also just wary of folks who seem to advocate change for its own sake. I’m also amused by the first line of their platform statement: “We are a Party of independent voters”. I thought that the very notion of an independent voter was that they were free of party allegiance?
- American Independent Party Generally, this means, “Independence from choice”. While espousing the traditionally popular mantras of less taxation and less governmental influence in daily life, the American Independent Party also contains a streak of right-wing Christian extremism which is really pretty frightening. The AIP opposes abortion in all forms, and finds appalling the fact that two Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals justices wanted to eliminate the words “Under God” from the Prayer of Allegiance.
- The Natural Law Party Government by physics? From their statement in the California Election Pamphlet: “Our principles and programs are based upon the newest scientific knowledge revealed by quantum physics…” Say what? Perhaps we can apply Heisenberg’s Principle to politics: it is impossible to know with precision both what the President says and what he means, simultaneously. Perhaps I’m being overly facetious; however, I don’t recall from any of my readings of Hawking, Feynman, Einstein, Bohr, or others that the laws of physics included the lowering of taxes, tough anti-crime legislation, and support of alternative energy solutions. Seriously, there’s a lot about this party’s political stance that I like, but I’m puzzled by their quantum physics stance. Also note that if you read the statements of some of their candidates, you’ll find that quantum physics opposes abortion and favors school voucher programs.
- The Green Party They’re wacky and they’re liberal and they’re popular in Europe. Some state somewhere in the US even has a senator who belongs to the Green Party. The Greens that I have spoken to and interacted with have been among the most consistent and, strangely, honest folks in politics that I’ve met. While I don’t necessarily agree with all of their positions — I’m a bit shaky about affirmative action, for example, and I wonder if a “living wage” law could really work — I am in alignment with their alternative energy platform and their call for an end to all distcrimination everywhere. They’re also opposed to school vouchers, which makes me happy.
Politics in general makes me twitch, but I will get out and vote (actually, I’m voting by absentee ballot this year since I know I’ll be traveling on Election Day). And even though my voter registration card reads “Independent”, I’ll probably vote primarily Democrat or Green. Politics and political campaigns are full of myths and lies, of course; it’s just that some myths and lies are less repulsive than others.
I started to consider supporting third party candidates until I learned most of the modern thrid parties are being taken over by extreme elements of the Republicans or Democrats. Look at the Reform Party, they endorsed Pat Buchannan in 2000. Or the Greens, they normally loat a platform calling the Democrats “too right-wing”. Ted Kennedy, Right Wing Tyrant.
Part of me still wants Simon to win, not because I think he’s a good person, but because I’d relish the irony of Davis spending millions of dollars to help elect the person that beat him. All things being equal (and I’m pretty much convinced both men are incompetant, criminal, opportunists) my vote will go to the amusing historical footnote.