Happy New Year, and batten down the hatches!

 

     I haven’t blogged for a while, and I’m going to blame the time of year for that.  The big thing most people know is we finished  2011 and began 2012.  This last year was one personally and as a country and society that I can’t say much good about.  It barely stayed at the status quo.  Looking at the new year, I can’t say I’m really excited about what it holds.  I read many people were pessimistic about 2011 and are optimistic about 2012.  I, however, do not hold a lot of optimism for the new year.  I can’t say anything specific is making me feel this way, it’s just an overall feeling of ‘blah’.

     One thing foremost in my mind and that of the United States is the impending presidential election season.  Yes, I mean ‘impending’.  At this point, I am dreading the whole drama and coverage.  I am not thrilled with any of the candidates, and at this point if I could vote for ‘none of the above’, I would.  Comparing this election season with other recent elections in my memory, this election seems similar to 2004 or 1988. 

     My basis for this is as follows:  You have someone from one political party in the White House who is not very popular.  However, the alternatives from the other party are on the lower end of mediocre at best.  Since the current American political system seems to allow only two political parties, there are no third or fourth choices.  This time around, we have President Obama on one side, and the field of candidates on the other side I would call a bunch of ‘ne’er do wells’.  Five different people have topped the polls for the Republicans this last year (Cain, Romney, Bachmann, Perry, and Gingrich) and yet none of those seem to have that indefinable quality that makes people want to support or vote from them. 

     Do I think President Obama will be re-elected?  I’m not sure.  If nothing changes and one of the current crop secures the nomination, I think he probably will, not because he’s so popular both in personality and policies, but the alternative would be so underwhelming. 

     Maybe I feel this way because I am way beyond done with politics.  All of these candidates are ‘professional politicians’, meaning their whole career is based on gaining and holding elected office.  Also, my ability to ‘guess’ how things are going to play out in Washington D.C. has gotten much better.  It’s political theater at its worst.  It seems to me that too many people are more concerned about keeping the status quo rather than doing what’s right.