Here we go

“In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act.” – George Orwell

Here we are in a brand new age of American Politics – one where transparency and truth-telling replaces the proverbial swift-boating.  At least, that’s what both candidates would’ve had you believe during the early part of their campaigns.  But, around the Internet, on cable news shows, Talk Radio, and in newspapers, it’s really just business as usual.  Soon, we’ll look back on this election and think to ourselves, well, the only thing that was really new about it was the black guy.  And to be sure, that’s quite an accomplishment in a majority white nation.  But have we changed? 

Before this election cycle, John McCain was the unquestioned most popular Republican in Democratic circles.  Why, he would be just about the only one we could tolerate.  The rest of them – the whole lot of them – are fascists, but this one, this one guy we can handle.  Right?  My how things seem to change, and this from the party that has since made the word a cliche.  That John McCain guy, well, he’s indistinguishable from George Bush.  I couldn’t, of course, make such statements without an attached qualifier, since McCain has changed his ways a bit in the last few months (it’s called understatement).  But he’s no Bush.  Still, that whole Bush and (insert sneer here) Cheney’s third term political Molotov cocktail was just too much to leave unlit.  When Bush and Cheney come out in favor of closing Gitmo and stop shuffling around the torture definition, you let me know. 

And, McCain, well, kiss your integrity goodbye my friend (he’s always calling us his friends, so, might as well go with it).  Those recent political ads featuring Hilton and Spears were pretty juvenile – no doubt an attempt to trivialize your opponent.  While you yourself may be sure Obama isn’t a worthy adversary, nearly half the country disagrees.  Perhaps you should take note.  But to be honest, I doubt the guy Democrats claim you were cloned from wouldn’t have been harsher. 

As you can tell, I’m a bit soft on McCain.  The guy’s an American hero, and he’s also really old.  I mean, you can’t be too hard on him, can you?  But yeah, no one’s really told the media that things are going to be different now.  Obama’s the second coming of Karl Marx, and McCain is only two Viagra pills to the left of Uncle Adolf.  Each side thinks if the other guy gets the baton, the race is lost.  As politicians are fond of saying, aren’t we all Americans here? 

We hear about a post-American world and the United States’ decline, and yet, Iraq is stabilizing, oil prices are falling, and China is busy embarrassing itself by censoring all of its media and throwing around its weight in a desperate attempt to clear Beijing of its smog blanket in time for the Olympics.  So, who will it be?  Russia?  The European Union?  Who will finally reduce America back to a more humble and civilized position.  I hear the word ‘depression’ is back in the economists’ definition booklets.  I hear the people are struggling.  And yet, do they struggle like those in China, or in Russia, or the poor in Eastern Europe?  Are their struggles the same?  Of course they aren’t.  As for the economy, economists can’t even seem to come to a concensus about whether we’re in a recession or not, and we’re already talking depression? 

This country has endured far more trying times.  Regardless of whether or not admitting that will diminish a candidate’s chances of winning or losing, I will say it because it’s the truth.  Whatever challenges are before us, regardless of which party leads the way, we will meet them as we always have – with success. 

This is why politics can never truly be my game.  I’m just too damned optimistic.  But on a side note, go Obama.