Elections and popularity

My favorite "union thug", Mike, said something last week that's been nagging at me ever since. He was talking about voting, about the Republican candidates, and asking me who I was supporting; which one I wanted to win. I haven't made up my mind. In a time when the White House is pretty much for the Republicans' asking, the slate has been extraordinarily weak and fraught with problems. Republicans, for the last 50 years, have had an uphill battle They don't just have to fight the charges of the Democrats but also of most of the media.

I know, I know, the Left does not believe that, they think it's just the other way around. And, to be honest, I don't think it is quite as bad as Republicans generally believe. But it is bad. I decided that when I learned of the "major media" representatives meeting with the Al Gore campaign in 2000 to get an idea how to cover him. I did not learn of any similar meeting with the George Bush camp.

But let's get back to Mike and what he said... which was "Why not go with a winner? Obama."

I wasn't shocked, he's been sending me emails offering free "Re-Elect Obama" bumper stickers and full of union news about how evil Wal-Mart is. I know he supports Obama. Like I said, he's a union thug. I say that with love... Of course, when he recently had a problem with his sprinkler system, his first question was did anyone know of someone who worked cheaply that could fix it. I was not quick witted enough to suggest he call his nearest plumbers' union local and pay whatever it cost.

But it's the "go with a winner" comment that has been nagging at me. I realized many years, actually decades, ago that presidential elections were nothing more than popularity contests. In fact, most elections are. Very few voters seem to vote on issues and most of those votes are kneejerk reactions to what they've been told. It's understandable.

But think back to your earliest exposure to electioneering. Like me, that was probably electing the class president or the like. And how did you choose which candidate to vote for? If you knew them, it was the kid you liked. If you didn't know them, you likely went with their recommendation of someone who did. There were few issues to mull over because the post was ceremonial, not substantive.

We have a president that the majority think, according to polls, is taking the country in the wrong direction but his personal popularity is still pretty good. Think about that, the country is going downhill out of control but the public likes the guy behind the wheel anyway.

Go with a winner? Can't I please go with someone who wants what I want for the country? Someone who I can believe in?