This won't be long, or particularly poignant. But for some reason it seems necessary.
I'm a former resident of Arlington, VA, living in Canada (well, a lot of places before Arlington too, but that's where we were before my family moved up here). In 2008 I was proud to send in my absentee ballot, and thrilled when Obama won. But that's really all it was about. It was a straight D ticket, but I can't tell you who else was on it.
I've had my absentee ballot for this election sitting in my inbox for a few weeks now. I took a peak at it when I first got it, but didn't feel any pressing need to send it in. But tonight I looked again, and I read about Jim Moran.
I read his website, which made lots of appropriate noises about some of the issues Dems tend to be squishy on. But that didn't really motivate me. What I did find was this:
http://retirejimmoran.com/
Reading the most recent entries, it gives me the impression that Jim is either one of the most respectable congresspeople around, or the wingnuts this year really are out there.
It started with "Jim Moran’s disgusting comments on the military". Apparently, he said his opponent (a vet) was typical of the type of candidates Republicans nominate, which generally haven't been in office or performed public service. He now owes millions of American soldiers an apology.
Then, under "Moran’s worst comments of the 2010 campaign", he was caught endorsing a carbon tax and supporting raising the gas tax (heaven forbid we make companies that pollute our air clean it up, that would be a shakedown!).
What really got me was "Moran in his own words". Apparently the Republican Party of Virginia actually paid to have an ad made that (bad film effects aside) gives Moran 30 seconds of camera time to describe how Americas rising productivity has only benefited those at the top, due to Republican policies against redistribution of wealth. Apparently, the platform of the VA republican party is "you work harder, the rich get richer, don't even think about doing anything about it!".
From the polls I have seen, Moran will win handily. But even the slight chance that these robber-barons will get into power is more than enough to make sure I get this ballot in the mail tomorrow.
I encourage you all to do the same, if you have been dithering like me. These people are nuts.