Day 6: Election Day

“Who cares about this stupid election? We all know it doesn’t matter who gets elected president of Carver. Do you really think it’s going to change anything around here? Make one single person smarter or happier or nicer? The only person it does matter to is the one who gets elected. The same pathetic charade happens every year, and everyone makes the same pathetic promises just so they can put it on their transcripts to get into college. So vote for me, because I don’t even want to go to college, and I don’t care, and as president I won’t do anything. The only promise I will make is that if elected I will immediately dismantle the student government, so that none of us will ever have to sit through one of these stupid assemblies again!”

– Tammy, From the movie ELECTION

That quote has been in my head quite a lot for the past several months and while a huge part of me would like to say, “Nope, don’t care” the thing is, it IS a big deal and I DO care. As do most of you.

I think.

This hasn’t ever been and never will be a political blog. I have always stood by the fact that there are people who talk about this stuff far more eloquently than I ever could and I think that’s okay. I don’t have time to study statistics and nuances – and I’m content with leaving that to the people who are truly passionate about those little details (in politics, is there such a thing as a little detail? Probably not).

I have known for quite some time who I am going to vote for. It was a no-brainer for me. While I don’t really understand how one could be undecided in this election cycle, what with the over-saturation of facts, opinion and blahblahblah in every media channel, and while I don’t actually know anyone who is undecided at this point in time – I have no hate for ’em.

I think it’s pretty awesome that we have the right to vote and I will exercise my right to vote. I will vote for the candidate who I agreed with most strongly on many issues.

That may not be your candidate.

That may be your candidate but my reasons are different than your reasons.

It may be your candidate and we may be voting for him for the same reasons (OMG! VOTING TWINSIES!).

But, in the end, it doesn’t matter.

There’s the distinct probability that a lot of us are going to be unhappy with the outcome. It’s the nature of the beast.

The backbiting of this election season has made me crazy. Since when do we all need to see eye to eye on everything anyway? You don’t have to agree with me about politics or anything else. I think crunchy peanut butter is disgusting. I hate snow. I prefer peanut m&m’s to plain. I hang my toilet paper so it rolls under. I’ve never seen any of the Harry Potter movies (and don’t care if I ever do). I don’t like cats. Or cheese. And I could take or leave bacon.

And yet?

Yet some of y’all find reasons to like me anyway.

I know, I know – the leader of our country is a bigger deal than peanut butter – but – the principle is still basically the same, and it’s generally a good rule of thumb to DON’T ACT LIKE A JERKFACE, PLEASE AND THANK YOU.

I have no idea what the outcome of the election will be. None. That’s kind of scary.

But there’s nothing I can do about it. I read what I needed to read. I made my decision. And I’ll vote.

After that, there’s nothing I can do.

None of the bitching or whining or name-calling can make anything any different than what it’s going to be.

Isn’t it grand?

There’s a Pollyanna streak in me a mile wide, that bit of “can’t we all just get along”, the conflict avoidant Libra-peace maker side of me that really dreads the fall out following this election given the drama preceding it.

I can only hope that everyone is too exhausted to whine, but… I know better.

Vote. Make them give you the awesome sticker (I BETTER get a sticker). And then? Find a way to make peace with however the next four years needs to go, because being a jerk won’t change an outcome you don’t like.

For what it’s worth, I imagine if my candidate of choice loses I will be upset. But I too promise to try to not be an asshole about it. And you can hold me to that.