OtherThanThat

It’s Tuesday. The first Tuesday in November. And that means it’s election day.

And I’m embarrassed to say that I feel completely detached.

I pride myself in taking civic responsibility – paying attention to issues, speaking out when I think things aren’t right and, most of all, voting. But this time around there’s a sense of malaise. Maybe I’m just saving up my energy for the big election time next year, but more to the point I think that I’m worn out.

Granted these are local elections and the issues are ones that don’t necessarily take big picture brainpower, but all the more reason for me to engage, right? After all these propositions and issues are ones that effect the city in which I live. By not voting, I lose my right to speak out if it’s not going well.

After all, if you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem.

And on top of this …

… a friend of mine is actually on his way to the White House (yes THAT White House) to meet with President George W. Bush. He Twittered a few moments ago asking friends for questions to ask the President. I found myself frothing with fury as I remember some little facts:
This Administration has the lowest approval rating of any in American history – and that includes Richard Nixon and his cronies.
We’re stuck with seeming permanence in a war that was started in the wrong place, on false pretense and now shows no sign of completion.
The entire world hates us (or at least the nations with a spine do).
Our environment has been raped with no sign that we can protect it.
Our civil liberties have been eroded to the point that some say we don’t even have them any more.
The economy is in the crapper and now OPEC is talking about pricing oil in the Euro.

What would I ask George Bush?

Perhaps safest to stick with a topic that won’t get me thrown to the ground by Secret Service and sent to Guantanamo.

I’d ask how the planning is going for his daughter’s wedding.