So. The youth vote stayed home. The young abandoned us when we Oldsters went out to fight for their future. The Cell Phone Generation had something better to do than save their jobs, save their college loans, save their environment, save their health care, save their right to choose and to marry whom they please...Statistics say that happened. Long experience with mid-term elections proves that happens. It is unfortunate, and we need to find a way to give them more hope, energy and a desire to participate in their own government, next time.
But SOME of Our Future, those 18--25 year olds who will have to live in this mess we see being created, voted.
Some worked hard and kept up with the issues and talked to friends and sent for absentee ballots so they could vote in their college towns, and pleaded with friends to go to the polls...and some--like both my daughters (18 and 22)--made their mother proud with their dedication, determination, and energy.
You remember how it felt, though, don't you? That morning after something you worked for so passionately, cared about so deeply, crashed and burned and lay in a smoldering heap...back before your skin was thick, your expectations tempered with caution and some small degree of cynicism? You ached. You were distraught. You felt the world had come to an end and all was lost...but, after a few days (or months or--hopefully not--a few years)you--we all--picked ourselves up, pinned our political hearts back on our sleeves, and went into battle again.
But, first, we all needed to grieve...to shout and scream and vent. It's therapeutic. Necessary. My elder daughter just crafted her most excellent version of this cathartic moment, and I couldn't be more proud of her passion, her wit, and her comprehension: Enjoy! Then, let's get back to work! (the following is entirely unedited and exactly as she shared it with me)
I TOTALLY DIDN'T VOTE REPUBLICAN BECAUSE OF FLASHY, EXPENSIVE CAMPAIGN COMMERCIALS! I DON'T UNDERSTAND YOU AT ALL. HOW COULD YOU THINK SUCH A THING?
I VOTED REPUBLICAN BECAUSE I THINK MILLIONAIRES WORK HARD AND BILLIONAIRES WORK A THOUSAND TIMES HARDER.
I VOTED REPUBLICAN BECAUSE I LOVE FALLING ALSEEP AT NIGHT KNOWING THAT I SAVED A RICH MAN FROM PAYING A TAX PERCENTAGE HIGHER THAN MY OWN.
I VOTED REPUBLICAN BECAUSE I THINK THE MEXICAN WOMAN ILLEGALLY WASHING MY UNDERWEAR HAS FUNNY EYEBROWS AND I WANT HER GONE.
I VOTED REPUBLICAN BECAUSE TREES MAKE ME ANGRIER THAN CARS.
I VOTED REPUBLICAN BECAUSE MY SNEAKY TEENAGE DAUGHTER WENT AND HAD AN ABORTION AFTER I HAD ALREADY STARTED KNITTING BOOTIES. THAT BITCH.
I VOTED REPUBLICAN BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT THE DEVIL WILL COME IN THE FORM OF SOCIALISM.
I VOTED REPUBLICAN BECAUSE I KNOW SOCIAL SECURITY HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH SOCIALISM BECAUSE IF IT DID IT WOULD BE CALLED SOCIALISM SECURITY. DUH!
I VOTED REPUBLICAN BECAUSE THE BOY I HAD A CRUSH ON IN HIGH SCHOOL TURNED OUT TO BE GAY AND BROKE MY HEART SO I SWORE VENGEANCE UPON HIS KIND.
I VOTED REPUBLICAN BECAUSE I DABBLED IN WITCHCRAFT IN MY YOUNGER YEARS BUT I'M TOTALLY BETTER NOW!
I VOTED REPUBLICAN BECAUSE I KNOW POOR PEOPLE ONLY PRETEND TO GET SICK.
(This is my very first diary, but it is entirely in honor of my beautiful, passionate daughters, thanking them for sharing their hopes and dreams with their parents, walking those picket lines, canvassing in the snow and ice, protesting in the cold and heat of Iowa weather, marching in parades when they barely could walk...and for weathering the storms of growing up in a Political Household, and for riding out those long, frustrating Election Nights, with their Mom and Dad...and making us proud.)