Sunday, May 28, 2006

I don't know what it is that I'm doing, but I sure as heck keep doing it.

Last week I was elected to public office.

Don't get too excited. I was elected as a Precinct Worker for the local Democratic party. In military terms I'd be a grunt. In film production terms I'd be a Production Assistant. In office terms I'd be the guy that goes to get the coffee and swaps the toner in the copiers. Low, nay LOWEST, man on the totem pole. I'm a Peon. I'm Gilligan.

Still the precinct worker is a necessary part of the party. They're the ones that volunteer to make those phone calls reminding people to vote, canvass the neighborhoods handing out candidate literature, help to set-up for events and overall keep things running. Generally they're some of the most motivated party believers. It's that last part I'm starting to stumble on.

I'm already having second thoughts. When the party asked me to run several months ago I was in a different place mentally. I was hugely disappointed in the Democrats but still saw them as the only viable alternative to a really out-of-control Republican party that was heading the country over the cliff at a rapid pace.

Since then we've had a series of revelations the latest of which have led me to believe that, if anything, the Republican party under this President is even more evil than I could have possibly imagined. The latest, greatest issue of domestic spying has kicked me in the constitutional family jewels and doubled me over in pain. As I glance over at the Democratic leadership they're whistling nervously and pretending they didn't notice. In fact; they just made the guy doing doing the kicking into the Director of Central Intelligence. Disappointment would be an understatement.

It's pretty clear to me that in order to fight to save the country there's going to first have to be a fight to save the party. I'm just not sure I have the energy for that. When I look at how much of the leadership accomodates unconstitutional executive actions I don't hold out much hope that they'll come around. Many progressives are putting a whole lot of hope in the Lamont/ Lieberman race. I would love to see Holy Joe sent home but I still can't see how that will convince the Schumers, Clintons and Bidens of the error of their ways.

So I'm stuck trying to figure out if I should stand up to the Skipper. He keeps beaning me with that hat despite all the "little buddy" talk.

Maybe it's time to start hitting him back.

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