Category: current events

I’ve been on the slow road to this discovery, but I think it’s finally sinking in. There is no They. There’s no shadowy group trying to screw you over. There’s no malevolent hand telling your boss to be an ass. There’s just a bunch of people slogging away at their crappy jobs while you tramp along in yours. Now, there are some evil people in the world who do some rotten things. But, they’re the tiny minority compared to the shmucks and shmoes just trying to get through the day. We are all a part of the “unwashed masses”. Things we do piss people off, and cause them pain, whether we know it or not.

It’s the chaos theory of personal interaction. Something I do at my job could affect some poor bastard in San Francisco without me doing anything on purpose or meaning him any ill will. The jerks who make my job a living hell aren’t doing it on purpose. They’re just trying to do their job. Ok, this isn’t coming out right, but you get the idea. Drop the conspiracy theories – they’re all just doing what they do, like the frog and the scorpion. Sermon is over, soapbox is back in the garage (damn, I wish I had a garage).

So, it’s apparently all over. Poor Al, poor us. You know, I was raised a Republican, and as I’ve gotten older and moved out on my own (well, not my own, with my wife and Max) I’ve moved closer to the middle with lefty-type leanings. I voted for Ralph Nader. I decided we needed a non-Nazi third party, and I wanted them to get federal matching funds for next time. Whoops. Oh well, maybe next time.
Wait, where was I? Oh yeah… this whole process has been fascinating. From Jesse Jackson comparing the election to Selma, to the constant spinning by both sides, to the courts, I have loved it all. I just hope we never have to do it again.
I hope that we can go to an electronic system (not web, just electronic), like touch screens or something where the votes are counted instantly, and you have a chance to review your choices before submitting your “ballot”. Wouldn’t that be nice?

So, I watched CNN until 11:30 last night. I have one observation. Why did they start talking about it (and not just CNN, ABC cut into Once and Again right @ 10) before anyone at any of the networks had started reading it? It made me laugh, and my wife cringe to watch poor freezing Charlie on the steps of the Supreme Court freezing his butt off being peppered with questions from Judy and Bernie and trying to read the 55 page packet. I really think they should let him go inside. He looks ill. And it’s not like CNN was the only one! Every network had people reading and talking at the same time and no one really knew what it meant. My favorite exchange was the about twenty minutes from 10:40 to 11 on CNN when Jeff Greenfield and Roger Cossack went back and forth going, “Oh, yeah, I haven’t got there yet but it looks like Gore is screwed.” “Screwed? Yeah, Jeff, that’s how I’d put it.”
And I was really staying up to see if Bush or Gore would make a statement. Boy was I disappointed. James Baker’s 30 second, “Yeah, this looks good. This has sucked on all sides, good night” was such a disappointment, I just went to bed.
Oh, one more thing… Gore MAY not concede today?! He MIGHT challenge the slate of electors? I’ve been with the guy, and been ok with all the legal battles, suits, and worthless charges of racism, sexism, anti-semitism, etc from both sides. But, pleeee-ase. You have to know when you’ve lost! Take it gracefully. If he bows out now, he’ll probably win in 2004, and the dems will regain the house and senate in 2002. That’s not so bad. If he continues to fight it, he’ll just hurt his chances for next time.
Wow, this is my longest post EVER.