The Division Bell
For three days I lingered. Following a move to a town technically in western Connecticut,(OHH NO!) I was left with no power, no television, no internet. For a creature of habit like me the situation lent itself to episodes of paranoia reminiscent of Martin Sheen at the beginning of “Apocalypse Now”. With no mirrors to shatter I did have time to think, and read. The culprit this time was again my edition of Howard Zinn’s “A People’s History of the United States”. Zinn’s view of history is outstanding, and the text flows from one genuine moment of clarity to the next.
During the sections outlining the end of reconstruction after 1877, my mind wondered and I began thinking again about the big vote on August 8th. I had read in the newspaper that Ned Lamont had gone on the Colbert Report and done a great job. (I have since seen the clip. He was outstanding.) My focus has been on my big move, but my inability to decide who I will be voting for has me totally bewildered. My heart tells me that change is not only good right now, but a step in the right direction. However, my head tells me that the right direction is morally ambiguous, and that for anything new to happen the more sensible political party needs to take full control, and be united at that. The situation has garnered incredible national attention. CT has not been on the minds of political pundits and overall this politically important since the constitutional convention. But in the end I am lost. As I stated in my earlier debate blog, both guys do not seem genuine to me.
Each side has run a much different campaign. Lieberman’s running like it was 1978. Lamont’s push has come from blogs and other new media. But the sight of Bill Clinton stumping for “The Joe” throws everything for a loop. Politically, Joe is known for hating video games, running for VP, and condemning Slick Willy. So when Clinton stepped to the podium and said they had been great friends since 1972, I knew that Joe knows he is in deep shit right now, and that it again confirmed the fact that Clinton is the greatest politician since James Michael Curly. The man speaks, even while spewing bullshit, I find it changing my whole perspective on the issue at hand.
The true question here is whether or not Ned Lamont is George McGovern. McGovern spilt the party over the Vietnam war, and was correct, but it made for a bad candidate in the long run. The more sensible party has been stuck in a rut for over 26 years now. During this period the neo-cons have sculpted and manufactured a more disrespectful, dishonest, and dishonorable world. They have feasted off the inability of progressives to settle on anything. Now if Lamont wins on Tuesday and Joe runs as an independent, it could be disastrous. I don’t mean to be a fear mongeror, but if the more sensible party dominates in the Fall, it could lead to bigger victories in 2008. Having to spend money in CT to elect Lamont, although he will probably spend plenty of his own, will hurt the party in places were it can best be used, like in the south, where only NASCAR and Bar-B-Q seem to matter. Determining a clear candidate who can steam roll in November is best in the big picture. But Joe has proven more then once to be completely blind, blind to change….. blind to the people of CT…… blinded by power?
But as a guy who voted for Nader, I hate losing elections. I feel it for weeks afterward and this month should be about hope and optimism...... politically, professionally, and socially. Plus, I am still on the Malloy and Courtney bandwagon.
Screwing with November is like screwing with Uncasville. And if there are two things I hate to lose, it is money and my vote. With Power,Tv,and Internet back at my disposal, I am selling out for this one people, and why the hell not, I now live in western Connecticut anyway. On Tuesday, I’ll be the dude holding a Joe Lieberman banner. Being a senator from the North is like being a soccer player with one leg anyway. But lets hope that’s changing. Six more years of Joe? Couldn’t be any worse then the 6 weeks without Varitek……
During the sections outlining the end of reconstruction after 1877, my mind wondered and I began thinking again about the big vote on August 8th. I had read in the newspaper that Ned Lamont had gone on the Colbert Report and done a great job. (I have since seen the clip. He was outstanding.) My focus has been on my big move, but my inability to decide who I will be voting for has me totally bewildered. My heart tells me that change is not only good right now, but a step in the right direction. However, my head tells me that the right direction is morally ambiguous, and that for anything new to happen the more sensible political party needs to take full control, and be united at that. The situation has garnered incredible national attention. CT has not been on the minds of political pundits and overall this politically important since the constitutional convention. But in the end I am lost. As I stated in my earlier debate blog, both guys do not seem genuine to me.
Each side has run a much different campaign. Lieberman’s running like it was 1978. Lamont’s push has come from blogs and other new media. But the sight of Bill Clinton stumping for “The Joe” throws everything for a loop. Politically, Joe is known for hating video games, running for VP, and condemning Slick Willy. So when Clinton stepped to the podium and said they had been great friends since 1972, I knew that Joe knows he is in deep shit right now, and that it again confirmed the fact that Clinton is the greatest politician since James Michael Curly. The man speaks, even while spewing bullshit, I find it changing my whole perspective on the issue at hand.
The true question here is whether or not Ned Lamont is George McGovern. McGovern spilt the party over the Vietnam war, and was correct, but it made for a bad candidate in the long run. The more sensible party has been stuck in a rut for over 26 years now. During this period the neo-cons have sculpted and manufactured a more disrespectful, dishonest, and dishonorable world. They have feasted off the inability of progressives to settle on anything. Now if Lamont wins on Tuesday and Joe runs as an independent, it could be disastrous. I don’t mean to be a fear mongeror, but if the more sensible party dominates in the Fall, it could lead to bigger victories in 2008. Having to spend money in CT to elect Lamont, although he will probably spend plenty of his own, will hurt the party in places were it can best be used, like in the south, where only NASCAR and Bar-B-Q seem to matter. Determining a clear candidate who can steam roll in November is best in the big picture. But Joe has proven more then once to be completely blind, blind to change….. blind to the people of CT…… blinded by power?
But as a guy who voted for Nader, I hate losing elections. I feel it for weeks afterward and this month should be about hope and optimism...... politically, professionally, and socially. Plus, I am still on the Malloy and Courtney bandwagon.
Screwing with November is like screwing with Uncasville. And if there are two things I hate to lose, it is money and my vote. With Power,Tv,and Internet back at my disposal, I am selling out for this one people, and why the hell not, I now live in western Connecticut anyway. On Tuesday, I’ll be the dude holding a Joe Lieberman banner. Being a senator from the North is like being a soccer player with one leg anyway. But lets hope that’s changing. Six more years of Joe? Couldn’t be any worse then the 6 weeks without Varitek……
posted by The Dude at
3:56 PM
1 Comments:
Webb, you nailed it. And we think so similarly on this. People can't believe I'm not a clearcut Lamont supporter. (Let the record show I have yet to support either candidate.) I have the same worries with Lamont as you do, both with the candidate and the impact on the Democratic Party and the 2008 election.
I can't remember an election where I don't know who I'm going to vote for less than 72 hours before the election.
But anyway, this was your best blog yet - worthy of a newspaper. You should look into that.
See you on Tuesday.
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