Seasonal Blues

It's fall, which means I may occasionally be writing these entries in a sweater. But that's not all.

Traditionally, this is when people start thinking about football, the World Series, and Halloween costumes. The other noteworthy event this fall is the upcoming elections, and that means tons of political ads on TV.

I really don't know why they bother. Last I checked, the American public was deserting our representative democracy in droves and opting for the simpler Parliamentarian system. Instead of choosing candidates, an increasing number of people just vote straight party line tickets, perhaps because it's less work.

I can see a certain virtue in that, too, but I still frequently throw my vote away on people not aligned and beholden to either of the main two parties.

As often as not, I vote against a candidate simply based on their commercials. I usually write them a letter, too, letting them know why. So far it's done no good, but I like to let them know that, while I support their stances, I don't take kindly to being manipulated or considered a fool.

This year the Democratic Party has discovered that a majority of Americans finally caught up with me and dislike George Bush, a man for whom I've never cast a vote. Many of the Democratic candidates here in California whom I'd like to win unfortunately have glomped onto this dislike and their ads contain little except pictures of their opponents smiling with the president.

Guilt by association.

I'm thinking someone at the DNC has determined this is the best way to insure a victory, but it turns me off. I was excited to see Jerry Brown, our former governor Moonbeam, was running for something this year and was all excited to put him back on the state payroll. Then, I saw an he, too, decided the best way to put forth his agenda was to show his Republican opponent smiling with Bush. Now it seems I'm once again forced to write a letter, this time to his campaign, and to throw away my vote on some Green or Libertarian guy who has no chance of winning.

I just wish the candidates would tell me how my life would be better if I voted for them.