I have heard the change vs. experience, the judgement vs readiness and the establishment vs netroots arguments so often that when I use the loo, I pee policy but crap inspiration. There are those of you who will proudly vote party no matter which candidate gets chosen, and there are those who will stay home, or petulantly vote for the Republican candidate.
I am not going to speak of the candidates you support. I am going of an entirely fictional pair of candidates- The Pootie and The Woozle. Any similarities between these and your favored candidate are obviously entirely in your head and you might want to see a shrink about that. Also, I like both Pooties and Woozles, so any attempt to marginalize me as the Pootie voter or the Woozle voter will enrage me to the point that I shall use my JEDI powers to disrobe you as you read this.
Candidate Woozle and candidate Pootie are both fine candidates. They have their strengths and weaknesses like all candidates- even yours. I favor one yes, but I would be glad to have the other as well.
Woozle is the long established candidate. With Woozle, there is a very loyal, down to earth base. With Woozle, there is some reassurance about things you may want in a pet because many years of proven loyalty, saving kids, guarding houses and that kind of thing. Woozles are potentially better for health reasons. Unfortunately, Woozle also comes with the ability to seriously MAUL you, and the people you care about. And Woozle has pooped on the carpet several times, causing it to have a strange discoloration and some stink that every one who visits notices and comments on. But face to face with Pootie, Woozle sometimes comes across as more reliable, more reassuring and gee...you gonna choose a CAT over the credentials of a Woozle? To his fans, Woozle is what a pet is supposed to be. If you are a traditional type of pet lover, this is completely your first choice.
Now comes Pootie. Once unknown, Pootie has become a phenomenon because of the fact that a Pootie was an assured alternative to the Woozle with definite advantages of its own. Pootie has never pooped your carpet, and it has never inflicted serious harm. Pooties supporters spend a ridiculous amount of time online making videos, and banners, and captioned photos of Pootie and this enthusiasm spreads among those who did not consider a pet previously, but suddenly are excited they can have a Pootie. When you see Pootie with Woozle, Pootie sometimes redefines what a pet could be instead of the typical norms.
But can Pootie guard a house, or save your kid from drowning? No...but Pootie has a great chance at adoption in houses that would not have considered Woozle or whose landlord disallows them.
There used to be another Candidate. Patootie .. Cute, a great pet, and a scrappy, intelligent being that is worthy of respect for its incredible survival skills and its devoted followers. It should have rightfully broken through the entire celebrity candidacies of Pootie and Woozle but despite its loyal following, never appealed to the swoony people who dictate these things. Patootie should have been given due consideration as pet, but can still have a very significant role to play in any household that features either of the above pets. I sure hope Patootie does.
Now whether you love Pootie or Woozle or Patootie, you must admit that these choices are far better than say these alternatives:
The Praying Mantis which looks devout but can eat you, the Rogue Elephant which will destroy everything it comes across and the Discus fish.
Oh..strike that last one. The Discus Fish jumped out of the tank and got flushed down the WC. Though a lot of people find Discus very rewarding to see as a symbol, most could not commit to the care of it inspite of furious experts insisting that they do.
Of course there are those Pootie lovers that loathe Woozles, or Woozle lovers that view Pootie with contempt, and those Patootie lovers who won't even look at Pootie or Woozle- the fact remains that you don't usually choose to have say a Rogue Elephant because you cannot have a Woozle/Pootie. You may decide to remain petless for example, or you may decide to learn to love the pet you get.
And unless that pet is forced on you by something other than the legitimate voice of people, resentment is petulance. But if it is forced on you, then..?