...but undecided as to whether I'm going to to take it anymore or not.
I'm totally disgusted when I read stuff like this, or this. Especially when my wife and I were out of town on election day. I spent most of election day playing blackjack in Las Vegas, but we still managed to vote straight "D" via absentee ballot.
Why did we fucking bother, when more than half of our fellow citizens couldn't be bothered to vote at all? I haven't missed an election since I turned 18, but I have to admit that my sense of political efficacy is at about zero right now. What's worse is that I'm beginning to not care about it anymore. This has been gnawing at me since the elections. Then yesterday I got an email from Daily Kos asking me to write a diary. So, here it is...
I was born and raised a blue collar, working class, union dues paying Democrat. My grandfather, father, two uncles, two brothers, and a brother-in-law were all plumbers working out of UA Local 98 in Detroit. The only reason I'm not a plumber today is that I came of age when Reagan was president, and the out of work list at Local 98 included about 3000 members. So I worked my way through college instead, picking up degrees in Poly Sci and Info Systems. Thirty-five or so years later, I am what could be considered a Republican demographic wet dream.
First, I'm a 55 year old white male. Between my wife and I, we have a household annual income well into six figures. We have an above water mortgage on a nice home in the country that will be paid off in about 7 years. Between our IRAs and my 401K we have amassed a nice nest egg. I also have a decent pension and health care benefits coming from my employer and we will both be eligible for the maximum Social Security retirement benefits in 10 years.
I don't mention any of this to brag. I know that I am very fortunate. But it is important background information.
My point is that I don't really need the government to do much for me for the rest of my life. I don't need welfare or ADC, or food stamps, or health insurance subsidies, or any of the other "entitlements."
Yet I continue to support the party that, supposedly, fights for those who do. I support it with my vote and with my checkbook.
I diligently vote in every election, whether I feel like it or not, whether the issues directly affect my day to day existence or not.
I support policies, such as removing the Social Security contribution cap, that would increase my financial burden, to help those less fortunate.
But I am really starting to ask myself, why? Why do I do it when so many who could help themselves through the simple act of voting, do not? Why should I be bothered to help them if they can't be bothered to help themselves? Is voting such an arduous process?
I'm not suggesting that I would ever embrace the dark side, but to be honest, I'm pretty confident that I could abandon the political process altogether without feeling any personal ill effects. I could live out my life quite comfortably under Republican or Democratic rule.
Can someone tell me why I shouldn't just disengage?
Never mind. I already know why.
I just really had to get that off my chest.