Due to my perception that our world is out of balance, I frequently feel subversive. I want to see institutions crumble and those in charge of them have to gather the pieces and reassemble them in a manner that actually suits the common good. This is a novel concept when you feel like you live in a place that has a “None for all and all for none” mentality.
I want nothing more than to see our most accountable held to account. They chose the path, they shouldn’t be surprised when they have to walk it with the weight of constituency on their backs. But this isn’t aimed at either party of our particular form of representative democracy, because I don’t neatly fit into either category. I have views squarely on both sides of the Overton Window that put me at odds with all Moderates regardless of affiliation.
So what does that make me in the polling booth? Most of the time, a protest vote. If there was a Protest Party, I’d likely be able to run a successful campaign. Our system rewards conformity to known ideals, and to choosing sides. That won’t work for all of us.
How does a person vote when they believe in social programs but also think the government is completely reckless with money? Social Security is a crucial component for some of the most important people in my life. It’s not nearly enough given our historically high inflation, but without it, those people would be destitute and unable to do anything about it. Medicare is also an unbelievable godsend. Being able to stay alive and healthy shouldn’t cost as much as it does in our country. It’s insulting to anyone who can do math. All of this to also say that I know all social programs come at a cost to the average tax payer. So all of the open ended, no such thing as too many zeroes check writing is only gonna burn all of us out here and none of the ones signing the checks.
How does a person vote when they believe it’s none of the government’s business what a person does with their consciousness? This relates directly to my belief that the War on Drugs was one of the biggest debacles in the history of law. Alcohol, tobacco, and prescription poisons were left suspiciously off the controlled substances schedules. Would it be hard to follow the money on this one?
How does a person vote when they believe it’s none of the government’s business what a woman does with her body? There is no moral component in play for me with regard to the abortion conversation. The sanctity of life argument should have one gigantic asterisk placed next to it that says once a child is born, it better be able to take care of itself and pay a fair share of taxes because there’s no way it should get welfare. Pull yourself up by your tiny little bootstraps and get a job, loser.
How does a person vote when they support owning a gun but also think reform is about 150 years late? For fuck’s sake. How many kids have to get gunned down before sane policy is enacted? The level of liberty being taken with the wording of the 2nd is mind-boggling. Is it a discussion about mental health? Of course it is. But where is that concern when it comes to depression, anxiety, addiction, etc.? Do they even exist if they didn’t threaten your precious amendment? Of course they do, but you don’t give a shit about them in any other context.
You can buy an assault rifle the day you turn 18 and kill as many children. (Uvalde Texas shooting, 2022)
You can volunteer to kill as many foreign children as you like for your country at 18. (Every war we have been involved in since 1776)
But if you want to kill yourself with alcohol or tobacco, you’ll need to wait until you’re 21.
Who the fuck are we as a nation? Where are we headed here? And why do I feel like the only way balance will be restored is if it all gets burned down? I’m not the torching type but I do enjoy smores and I’ll be there when it burns.