Just a few thoughts on yesterday's elections.
What? Did I sleep through November?!?
No, yesterday millions of Europeans went to the polls to elect their representatives to the European Parliament. The results, to say the least, were not lovely.
In France, the National Front, founded by uber-Nationalist Jean-Marie Le Pen and currently led by his daughter Marine Le Pen, got a quarter of the votes, blowing out the Socialists and the center-right UMP.
In Britain, the libertarian UK Independence Party had an even better night, taking 27.5%, leaving Labour and the Tories to fight over second place.
The right, far-right and oh-my-god-you're-kidding-right racked up gains in Austria and Denmark as well.
The reasons for these gains vary. Many voters wanted to express their discontent over European federalism and the ongoing austerity fad. In Britain, a lot of unhappy Labour and Tory voters voted for Ukip in a "plague on both your houses" gesture.
Among lots of voters, there was the sense that this was "only" the EU Parliament election, not one that "mattered," so that casting a "f--- you" vote, or not showing up at all, was a safe move. And, given the comparative power of the parliament, they're strictly correct.
That's not the case in our happy republic. Despite the disinterest in midterm elections, they really do send people to Congress, which really does make the laws for everyone in the country.
And many of the elements at play yesterday in "Old Europe" are abroad on our own continent as well: economic exhaustion, exacerbated by austerity policies, weariness with an ineffective "center-left" government that hasn't fulfilled its promise, a powerful and extreme right wing flexing its muscles in traditional politics, cynical partisans pounding the "both sides do it" meme. . .
. . . and an election that "doesn't really matter." That's not "exciting" because it won't bring a new face to the podium in our ceremonial mansion of state. That's not a "real" election.
But it is real, damn real, more real than the quadrennial media circus we cheer and boo and speculate upon the other three years. The people elected this year in the "not important" election are going to control the direction of the country for a long time to come, particularly if our oh-my-god-you're-kidding-right, masquerading as the center-right, gains control of both houses of the legislature.
So, whether you're "excited" or not, whether you're convinced it "matters," please consider putting in some serious GOTV and GOTR (Get Out the Registration) this year, some poll-driving, some ID-assist, some phone-rooming and cookie-baking for the phone-roomers.
Because the same attitudes that just stocked Europe's Playskool Parliament with near-neos are at play here.
Where it matters.