Ok, I'm tired, and I'll probably end up editing & reposting this tomorrow, so bear with me.
I've been thinking about what I'm going to do to GOTV for Kerry. I am planning on bringing voter registration forms to f911, putting my MoveOn bumper sticker (as soon as I get it), and I will share my support for Kerry when asked by others. Yet, I feel that's not adequate.
My mother, the independent cynic, thinks that it's funny that I get so passionate when discussing Bush & Co's malfeasance. I wondered why people
don't get upset when they hear the list. Why there are so many Americans who don't vote? While I realize that there are many different reasons, I feel that one in particular is relevant to our society today. Look at us: Too many Americans are very blase about domestic and world issues. Why worry? We love our (new & improved low-carb!) fast food, the (smaller version of) ever-advancing technology, and TV...oh my, how we love TV. The program style that is all the rage now? Reality, of course. We can't get away from it.
My boyfriend and I were flipping through CSPAN earlier, during a quorum call. There were Senators milling about, and talking while classical music provided a soundtrack. We started talking about how we wished we could hear what they were saying. Politicians will say whatever the crowd wants to hear, regardless of whether or not the actual implementation could or would ever happen. But while the mics are off and they're conversing with each other, I'm sure that (a closer version of) their true feelings come out.
All of a sudden it hit me: To get people actively interested and involved in politics, all from the comfort of their homes, we should have The Congressional Reality Show. Cameras & microphones on our Senators and Representatives 24-7. Every sweetheart deal captured! The ins & outs of political back-scratching & back-stabbing!(verbally, of course) I'm sure that this will never happen, but imagine if it could...The one prominent example that came to my mind was this: Think about getting to have mics on during the 3 hour vote regarding Medicare! There would be no scandal because who wants to be seen bribing someone?
Consider MTV's The Real World for a moment. These are 7 young people, thrown in a house & they all pretend they'll get along at first, but everyone expects there will be tension, shouting matches, and back-stabbing . Of course there are always scandals. People getting drunk and driving, making out with someone other than their significant other, or some scandalous hot tub action. Sounds like Congress to me, and that's while the mics are on. (Except the young part and - thank God - the hotub part.) Millions of people still watch the Real World. How many people do you think watches CSPAN? However, I would suggest that the show air on CSPAN, as well as PBS, so all the folks without cable or satellite can get a glimpse.
When people don't know about their Congressmen and women, they don't care. When they don't care, they don't vote. Imagine it: The American public actually cares about it's elected officials. They love them or hate them because they can see who our leaders really are. It seems likely that there would be more of a reason to vote.
Ok, I think I'm done indulging in my fantasy, and I'm starting to doze off a bit, so take the poll: