The New Chad

So yeah, I voted... for all the good it did.

For those who may not know, I live in Florida and Florida moved up our voting day (a measly week, I think) to yesterday. As a result, ... Well, I'll let CNN tell you:

"Florida has often played an over-sized role in presidential politics -- for proof you need not look further than the 2000 presidential race.

But the Florida Democratic primary has been relegated to a "beauty contest" because the Democratic party stripped the state of its delegates. Thus, Florida Democrats may have little impact on who eventually becomes the Democratic nominee."

Ain't dat a #&$?!

Republican voters warmed-up and resurrected John McCain, whose political rigor mortis was in its final stages, a short while, ago. Still, McCain got a surprise victory, however many delegates we have to offer, and a sweet, sweet burst of momentum. Oh, and Rudy Juliani's backing.

Democratic voters sent our phantom ballots mostly in Hillary Clinton's direction, despite the fact that neither she, nor her Democratic opponents, campaigned within an inch of our state border. So, she got her boost and momentum, but not the delegates. Still, Clinton celebrated, Obama shrugged, and Edwards quit.

I dislike the idea that my vote doesn't count. I dislike the fact that it' s numerically inconsequential. I dislike the fact that the all-or-nothing electoral college makes it nearly irrelevant.

And I really dislike the fact that it really 1) definitely DOESN'T count, this time*, but 2) people are treating it like the results mean so much. We don't know if Obama voters in Florida stayed home, since their vote wouldn't count anyway. We don't know if Edwards would've had a better showing. We don't know if Clinton would've had reason to celebrate.

I guess it's like salt on the wound - a wound that was just healing from the 2000 election.



* except for the local issue on the ballot

Gonzalez & U.S. Attorney Firings

U.S. Attorney General, Alberto Gonzalez, has been catching hell for the fact of and his role in the firings of eight U.S. Attorneys. His critics seem to be both, those who say firing the attorneys for political reasons is immoral and illegal and those who feel Gonzalez repeatedly misrepresented his role in the firings.

I've heard countless news reports which reiterate the point that new Administrations regularly "clean house" and bring in their own people. The point being that U.S. Attorneys (and Attorneys General) serve at the pleasure of the President of these United States, so they can be fired at any time, for any reason. However, others say that this type of thing is typically (and properly) done at the beginning of a new administration - not halfway through the term- and that politics should not play a part in the decision to hire or fire U.S. Attorneys.

Huh?

To me, this seems like an artificial and somewhat useless distinction. Keep in-mind that I'm not an attorney and certainly am not as well-versed in governmental practices as some. Still, it seems to me that, if U.S. attorneys can be fired simply because "there's a new sheriff in town," (and especially if the new boss is from a different party) then politics are already a factor in the equation.

So, really, this comes down to Gonzalez's reportedly contradictory statements about the firings. But even then, I wonder about the point of Congressional Hearings on the subject. I mean, I like the idea of finding out what's what, but it seems that as long as President Bush continues to support him (as he's done throughout this controversy), Mr. Gonzalez will remain in the position of United States Attorney General, regardless.

So, really, I guess I'm saying that, while I find this whole Justice Department debacle distasteful (especially the lying), I don't really see what all the official fuss is about. If it's improper to fire U.S. Attorneys for political reasons at the halfway point, why isn't it improper to do so from the get-go?

As long as the latter is allowed, why get so incensed about the former?

"I want to get away. I wanna fly away."

I've never been one who was particularly obsessed with the idea of traveling abroad. I've some curiosity about other cultures, languages, and locations, but I had only marginal interest in getting on anyone's boat or plane for international travel - especially for a long-term stay.

That has changed.

I would love it if, within the next two years, I could move to some other English-speaking country. I've thought about England, which would be so very close to other countries of-interest. I'm all but in-love with the accents of Australia and New Zealand (mmm, Rachel Hunterrrrrr), so that's definitely a consideration. I'm still deciding on a location, though.

Why am I so interested in leaving the U.S., now, despite my strong aversion to the current state of air travel and security, as well as my strong family ties?

It's simple: stupidity.

This country is unique in a lot of ways - many of them good. Unfortunately, there's also an atmosphere of arrogance, entitlement, and mental lethargy.

We don't just breed stupidity. We embrace it. We root in it and we celebrate it.

I'll be the first to admit, though, that we don't have a patent on it. We just happen to excel at it.

Maybe I'll go to these other countries and find so much ignorant shit (and high prices) that I'll long for American shores. After all, no place is perfect.

But that's a chance that, at the moment, I'm willing to take. Even the illusion of betterment is welcome.

There are a ton of examples of the kind of ridiculous behavior and statements that have brought me to this state of disgust - so many that I hardly know where to begin.

The fact is, though, these persistent encounters with people who embrace and embody the worst elements of our society have eaten away at my patience and tolerance to the point that my personal/familial relationships may suffer.

I need a change and I need it soon. For now, I'll be happy with the smaller steps I'll be making in the coming months, then I'll take bigger strides from that point on.

I've always joked about how I'm gonna be a hermit, "when I grow up," to get away from it all. The truth is that I crave contact from my fellow human-beings.

Hopefully, this move would serve as a good compromise.