Why I Am A World-Class Dipshit
Written on Sunday…
For the first time in my life, and possibly the last, this year is a chance to vote for someone who I actually want to be our President. Sure, voting has been important in the past and, as was the case with the Bush/Kerry election, I certainly wanted to do anything I could to stop George Bush from being re-elected. But this year, it’s not about voting for the lesser of two evils. I actually want to see if Barack Obama is what he says he is and, perhaps, finally have a leader I can be proud of.
That is why it is a complete cluster-fuck that I waited until the morning of my flight to NYC to go submit my early vote, ultimately resulting in my failure to do so. I woke up at 6AM, packed for my flight and drove 40 minutes to Norwalk, the only place in Los Angeles county where you can vote early. I arrived to find a line that wrapped around almost the entire municipal building. People with umbrellas, lawn chairs and a serious committment to democracy stood waiting to vote. When I asked one of the volunteers if that was the voting line, he told me it was and that he estimates about a 4 hour wait if I get in line now. Unfortunately, I had only 1.5 hours before I would have to leave for the airport.
After all of this political ranting, discussion, paying attention to news and researching a handful of issues that are most important to me, I am now one of the minority of Americans who has, by default, exercised his right not to vote. I do not get to help the animals in California by voting Yes for Prop 2. I do not get to keep marriage legal for everyone by voting No on Prop 8. I do not get to vote for Barack Obama, hopefully our first ever Black President, even after donating several hundred dollars to the cause. And, when my kids ask who I voted for in this historical election, I will have to tell them to go to their rooms.
And so, I sit here at the airport and all I can do is cross my fingers and hope that America comes out swinging on Tuesday. I will be in NYC when the results come in and, hopefully, will be celebrating with the next most progressive demographic in the country, behind my winning-ass fellow Californians. Until then, I am inspired by the mile-long line I saw in LA County this morning and am glad that so many people are not the collosal dipshit that I am.
Get out and rock the vote, people.