Vintonville - The life and times of a guy, his Lady-Friend, a Little Dude and a Little Sis.

Well, I voted. I don’t say that as “Hey! Look at me! I voted!”– after all, I’m in Utah, the greatest fly-over state national campaigning has ever known. I say that because A) I need a post and B) I surprised myself: I voted for higher taxes.

Here in Cache Valley, there’s an open space tax (A TAX!) being proposed to create a public fund that would be used to buy up agricultural land and open space to protect it from development. Being a sucker for open space and the quaint “rurality” of this valley, I voted for it. It’s not that I wanted another $20 tacked onto my property taxes every year (which it does– a fee that’s assured to grow by a couple bucks every year). It’s that this valley is small and unique and I want that preserved. I’m not sure it’s going to pass– but when this valley is carpeted wall to wall with houses and our property taxes have gone up anyway, I can use my arthritic arm to pat my wrinkly back while cashing my welfare check.

Now, sitting back and waiting for the results (I’m still calling an Obama win… by a lot) I can see how just about everything has fallen into place for a Democrat steamrolling of the Republicans. Despite the fact Obama’s campaign has been focused, steady and unwavering, using conciliatory language to great effect (IE–”we can all agree we need less abortions”), there’s also been the perfect storm of poor Republican campaigning, 4 years of questionable leadership, economic Defcon and disgust with the Washington DC establishment– all of which have opened the door for a big Obama win.

The nebulous issue is however, what does it all mean? As my mustachioed (and obnoxiously dramatic) man Dr. Phil has wisely said, “Past behavior is the best indicator of future behavior.” McCain’s got 30 years of public past behavior. There’s some stability and comfort in that. Obama? While I’ve said in the past, “Why not?” I still feel he’s a bit of an enigma. It’s been amazing to see the inability of anyone to explore or detail much of anything beyond the talking points his campaign is focused on. That’s good campaigning, but also a bit of a pass. That inability has created an aura of discomfort and instability for me– what can we really expect? And with the specter of an all Democratic agenda all the time with a Congress willing and wanting to push forward policies that’ve been hampered by presidential veto the last 2 years, what will be the results?

Contrarily, I’ve argued for and totally see Obama’s appeal:

He’s fresh.
Who isn’t tired of our governmental leaders? If I have to look at Pelosi’s (House majority Leader) vacant, bulging eyes and smug grin or hear John Boehner (House minority leader) impotently complain about it one more time, I’m moving to Hawaii. Oh. That’s a state? Ok– South Dakota, then. But in all honesty, as a new Senator, the guy feels like a genuine outsider– and with promises of changing the way Washington operates (which most people read as “Throw the bums out or make ‘em honest”– not as “Here comes Comrade Obama to change USA to USSA”), who doesn’t want that right now?

He sings the sweet, sweet song of unity.
Obama finds “middle ground” by answering middle ground. While that gives me some pause (it doesn’t answer the question or address any solution), it’s comforting. Thing is, will this middle ground lead to happy compromises on both sides of the aisle, or is it just, as Obama puts it, “happy talk”.

He inspires hope.
Hope in and of itself is divine in its nature, which is unquestionably why so many people feel inspired when Obama talks about hope and optimism. As “people of faith”, we should be nurturing charity, which is that perfect brightness of hope. But what it all boils down to is words. What will be enacted when the rubber meets the road in January?

As I was roundaboutly getting to above, what worries me (and here’s where I get all purple prosey) is– campaign promises are easily convoluted when clothed in the robes of victory and subsequent real world realities.

That said- Let’s be honest. Both parties are culpable for our current mess, with varying degrees of blame available depending on which issue you’d like to tackle, which, in the final hours, left me completely at odds with who to vote for. Over the last few months, Obama’s hopeful inspiration and apparent ability to view the middle beyond partisanship, coupled with a sense we’d see a more humble nation in foreign policy, had me on board and rising to Obama’s defense. However, as the final hours tick away, I’m left unsure. Strip the promises and talk and there’s too much unknown. What I do know about comments on certain political hot points (gun control– “But I just BOUGHT an AR!”– and my line of work, specifically), leaves me a little less hopeful, to be honest.

In the end, however, this post is going to be obsolete in 12 hours or less. Moving forward, no matter who gets elected, hope is what needs continued embracing. Hope in a brighter day, hope in the promises of our faith and hope nurtured through charity and righteous living.

Happy voting!

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