Shout out to the Politicians

When I was at the gym I saw banners across the bottom of most of their television sets about some Democrat organization, committee, something suggesting Obama not run for a second term, that he can't win because there was so much anger out there directed his way. As if there wasn't any anger directed at him before he won the first time. There was. My memory can reach back that far no matter what CNN, ABC, NBC or FOX thinks. But my intention is not to prosecute/defend Obama here, or any one particular politician, it is to talk to both parties about the thing that is losing them people and votes and trust.

Polls.

Stop governing based on polls, or whatever hits the news -- because we all know news doesn't mean current events anymore, it means sensationalized screaming about a random current topic. When reasonable opinions aren't interesting enough for the news, you can't trust the news anymore.

Don't sit there and wait for a bunch of people's spur of the moment un-researched opinions. Research the situation yourself and DO WHAT YOU THINK IS RIGHT! That's why I vote for people. I want them to do what's right, not sit there whimpering and indecisive asking everyone they see what they would do.

Otherwise you're the weak spouse and no one has respect for you. (Sorry, weak spouses, but we all know it's true).  Because the very idea of giving up and not even running, not even trying, reflects badly on both the President and the Democratic Party. It makes us imagine you running around with your hands in the air trying to find someone who can tell you what to do next. 

Two people standing on a sidewalk somewhere, one of them cries, "Would you vote for me?" Headshake, moving on, questioner runs to the next approaching person, "Would you vote for me?" Another headshake. People swing wide, avoiding him, continuing on their way, questioner drops to his knees, flinging his hands in the air, "Won't anyone vote for me?" He's lost in a sea of people continuing on, living their own lives.

If you can't think of something all by yourself and then do it, I have no idea why you wanted to run for office in the first place. Pandering may get votes, but try looking for respect a little too. Act like someone who can not only take care of yourself, but the rest of us too. In the end, respect will win you more than pandering will, more than whimpering, more than trying to please everyone all at once. It will.

In America we respect people with backbones, people who stand up for themselves and others. In America we want heroes trying to do the right thing no matter what anyone says. Next time you wait for poll results to come in before you take action, imagine Superman or Spiderman waiting find out what people think before they get out of bed in the morning, before they rescue that guy falling from that building. Do you really think that's what we want?

The people polled probably haven't done any research and were called out of the blue to ask for opinions. They might change their mind immediately after the call when they look it up for the first time. That's why we vote for people to lead us. So they can do the research for us and do the right thing to fix the problems. Explain it after the fact if you want. Tell us why you decided as you did. Don't run to us and beg us to make the decision for you. There are millions of us and we don't all think the same things. We don't all start out with the same amount of knowledge on the subject.

Do the right thing, no matter what we all say. We'll respect you more for it.

I can't be a Republican because for the last few years they've been selling fear and I can't do that. "Buy gold," says Chicken Little, "and heritage seeds because the world is ending and at the end of the world don't you want the best jewelry and the prettiest of petunias?" 

I've never considered myself a Democrat either, more that I'm very liberal and I usually fall closer to their point of view than the other guys. I usually default to voting Dem if I can't find a better reason to vote for or against a particular candidate in a particular race. (I have gay friends who would make much better parents than a number of straight people I know but in Florida they can't even adopt, or couldn't until recently. I think that makes me liberal and not-Republican all by itself.)

But not even trying because some people don't like you? 

Really? 

Where's the party for people like me? Because I'm not sure I can be someone so sick of the status quo I just stop voting and stay home. I will continue to try try to make a difference even if it sometimes feels like I'm beating my head against a brick wall hoping it will eventually give way. Because I'm an American and we don't give up.

What are you?