the sheepherd of political shepherds

Something serious for once - I understand that yes, you feel strongly about politics, and that yes, you want to vote Obama, and that Palin is a nutjob - but do you even know what you're talking about?

I'll vote Obama not because I believe in his policies, but because McCain's social policies are far worse. Obama's advising staff and the theoretical list of candidates to fill Cabinet-level positions are also just a wee bit better than McCain's ...who am I kidding, way better. McCain's taxation policy needs some serious rethinking - how can you have across the line tax-cuts when the economy's falling down? Obama's, which RAISES taxes like a sensible person, increases it on people who can actually afford to pay taxes - the people who make over $500k a year. And well, in foreign policy, I can't argue with trying to rebuild America's alliances, which have entirely fallen apart.

What can you say? I've heard stuff like "Oh, Palin is crazy." "McCain's about to die and I don't want Palin to be the President," but...then, you refuse to hear anything about what McCain or Palin have to say, and even if they do speak, you block it out. Don't you want to know what they have to say, so you can analyze it and then tear it to shreds and perhaps have a stronger argument against them, and maybe get more people to vote for the candidate you like? Maybe, maybe not.

Perhaps I'm not an avid follower of politics, but I know I hold at least some certain views that aren't based on how whiny someone's voice is or how ill-fitting a suit is, or what color tie and pattern someone's wearing, and I research before I think and vote. But so many people, and these are supposedly "intelligent" people, have absolutely no interest in the world around them, and then try to energize and gossip about the vote like it's the next hot/haute pop culture event that so totally needs to be attended, like woah.

If you don't watch the news daily, if you don't read the newspaper, if all you listen to is radio hits, without room for WTOP or a talk show snippet or two, and then you vote - how are you different from someone who hadn't voted? This apathy about not knowing what the world is like and then going along with mob sentiment and varnishing yourself with a coat of faux-intellectualism kills democracy just as not participating in democracy does. Sure, you can speak and make your voice heard, but does it matter when all you can spout off are sound bites and gossip?

Perhaps I'm a bit cynical here in clamoring for a intellectual plutocracy, but it'd be nice if people cared more about what was going on around them, and thought of it on a scale slightly deeper than shallow.