I'm pretty sure that there is NEVER an election that isn't declared THE most divisive/bitterly contested/polarizing/etc election known to history, but I think this year definitely comes as close to that reality as I've ever seen. Then again, I'm becoming one of those people who believes in civic duty and keeping property values up and being on guilds and committees, which seemed all kinds of ludicrous to me just 15-20 years ago. In short, I'm middle-aged. Another 20 years and I'll be one of those cranky old bats working the polls.
This time around it isn't the huge historical-significance thrill that it was in 2008, but I still felt an urgency and a sense of purpose when it came to voting this year. Some of the whackadoo anti-choice and anti-gay and fear-mongering drek floating around out there reminds me of the 80's and the Reagan era. It wasn't worth keeping my kids out of school for (or waiting in the much-longer after-school/after-work lines with), but I wasn't going to miss it no matter what and I was prepared to stand in line for hours, if that's what it took.
As it turned out, it seemed like pretty much the usual turnout, which in our district isn't half-bad. I was also able to go fairly early, right after Max got on his bus at 7:40.
I voted all Democrat, obviously, except for a couple of local/county positions which had Green candidates. Also in favor of Issue 2, and in favor of all the levies (especially the Boardman schools one).
I remember the morning after the election in 2008, it was a sunny bright cold day and I was so euphoric. I was actually a bit surprised that there weren't rainbows and balloons and groups of people clad in gauzy multicolored robes dancing in circles and unicorns grazing among lush flowers, it was that amazing and wonderful to me that Obama had won.
It's been interesting to me, though, to see the election this time around. Although I was (very recently) on Facebook in late 2008, it was only a peripheral part of my social/online activity; I was mostly emailing people to keep in touch, or communicating in specific groups (Sybermoms, CC2 etc). So there were a few political memes/cartoons floating around but it wasn't as insane as it is now. I also had about 1/10 of the contacts then that I do now, so my friends list at the time was not nearly as diverse as it is now (which isn't saying much since it's still probably a good 80% left-ish.
My very first boyfriend, for instance, has turned out to be more or less a Tea Party nutbar, to my disappointment. Thinking back it's not all that surprising, based on what I knew about him and his family, but at 15 and being madly in (puppy) love, politics were just not as compelling at that point.
And another acquaintance who is almost entirely the epitome of what the Romney/right stand against, is very pro-Romney. It boggles the mind.
I'm damn glad I can share this, though, and despite my extreme leftward bias, I am glad that people I care about (even the ones I think are laughably misguided) have the freedom to share their views and vote as well. I'm not going to wail or rend my garment if one of them has, say, a flat tire at 7:29 pm on the way to the polls and doesn't get there in time, but I'm proud just the same that we can do this.
¡Orale Obama/Biden 2012!
