John Edwards deserves the sincere gratitude of every American. Not just Democrats, and not just the poor. I visited a Thank You John diary to leave a grateful comment. But I've got other feelings to deal with. The bitterness, disappointment, disillusionment, and yes, depression I feel needs expression. John Edwards's campaign gave me a measure of hope that democracy might survive; that the electoral process could be wrested back from the moneyed interests that have made such a convincing charade of our politics that many Americans don't even realize that they are just pawns in the game; that they have no real say over their government or their destinies; that, as John Edwards so eloquently and correctly put it, "the game is rigged." Angry? It makes me absolutely furious.
I am now faced with the task of choosing among two cansdidates I have alrady rejected, for good and strongly held reasons. But before I'm able to sit at the happy table, claim my pony, bid racism and sexism goodbye, learn to love multinationals and all that other fun stuff, I'd like to vent my spleen about the loss of democracy, the desecration of our Constitution, the decimation of the middle class, the degradation of our environment, and all the other ills that I assume will continue unabated and unpunished, when no one is out there fighting like hell for us ordinary folk.
I offer this space to curse the fates, Big Media, the stupidity of the electorate, whatever. If you're like me, ranting will bring you some measure of peace and allow you to move on to the next phase of the campaign with a clear head and conscience. Even if it's tempered with a profound sense of loss.
Rant in good health.
Update: For those of you who are stunned speechless, please feel free to express yourselves in the poll.