First of all, a few things:
- There is, in fact, an Enthusiasm Gap. Feel free to deny it all you want, but the reason why that phrase is not in quotes in the title is because I believe it to be true;
- It would be totally sweet if you would not diss this diary outright, and realize that it is (in fact) a GOTV diary; and
- I am only speaking to self-appointed members of the Enthusiasm Gap here. Enter at your own risk.
That being said, I am voting in 2010. I am voting for one candidate that I like (Jared Polis), one candidate that I dislike (Michael Bennet), and I'm voting against a bunch of amendments that I think are shameful (don't get me started).
Since I turned 18-years-old in 1987, I have never not voted. It's sort of not even been an inkling in my vocabulary, this not voting thing. I voted for Michael Dukakis, Bill Clinton twice, Al Gore, John Kerry, and Barack Obama.
I only voted in midterms when I felt that it made a slight, even infinitesimal difference.
2010 is one of those elections.
People around here, on The Kos, know me as someone who does not exactly sing the Obama administration's praises anymore. In the span of 12 measly months in 2009, I went from being a die-hard Obama supporter, to a somewhat-critical Obama supporter, to an absolutely confused Obama supporter, to a out-and-out perturbed Obama critic, to a seriously pissed-off Obama denigrator. I became a complete and utter cynic, for a good six months or so. For me, Ms. Idealistic Idealism, you cannot imagine how much this disturbed or rattled me.
It absolutely freaked me out, to no end.
As a person, I still like Barack Obama very much. And Michelle Obama. And their girls. And, as a whole, what the Obama administration means for the United States (even if it's only in spirit), as well as what Barack Obama as POTUS means for the rest of Earth, is certainly positive. It's a step in the right direction, at the very least.
In 2010, under Barack Obama's leadership, the United States means the following:
- We're not all the assholes that the world over seriously thought we were;
- Those of us who didn't vote for George W. Bush (either once or twice) are especially apologetic, and/or apoplectic;
- We realize that Barack Obama has a brain, which is why we're so pissed off that he's not using it; and
- While most of us here like Obama a lot, we're all keenly aware that the current POTUS has made hideous, and even awful, mistakes.
I have a child. Little Shiz is currently 10-years-old, beautiful, kind, funny, whip-smart, interesting, and generally awesome. I mean, geez, how the hell do you expect me not to be biased here, people?! :)
In short, Little Shiz is my life. She's always been my life. I love this kid more than I could possibly express in words or phrases or pictures or, well ... anything.
I love Little Shiz unconditionally and completely and freely. That kid makes my world worth living. She makes me want to fight!
And not for me, but for her!
On Daily Kos, I get accused (with some frequency, I might add), of continually being "selfish". Sometimes, people count how many "I's" or "me's" I say in one diary, and then use that as some kind of evidence that I'm only thinking about "me".
But, in all honesty, when I think about me, the first thing that comes to mind is Little Shiz. Not me, but her. And, seriously, I don't care if you believe me or not, because it's the truth.
This kid is my life. Little Shiz is why I was put on this Earth: to do right by her, to give her a fair shake, to understand the totalitarianism of the former (and sometimes current) United States regime.
It is my job. You see, I'm her mother.
And that is why, even though I think Michael Bennet is a terrible Blue Dog-y candidate, I'm voting for him. Because we, here in Colorado, simply cannot stomach Ken Buck anymore. The stakes are simply too high, and it's too much of a risk.
I cannot leave my daughter with the legacy of Ken Buck. I CAN'T! I refuse to do this! Jared Polis, our US House Rep, has a pretty good cakewalk election going, and John Hickenlooper (moderate candidate for Colorado Governor) will probably win as well, but it's the Senate race.
The Senate race!
If Buck gets elected, what the hell am I going to tell my daughter? Huh? "The voters in Colorado didn't think that you were smart enough to make your own decisions about your body"?
"The voters in Colorado didn't think that you were intelligent enough to discern that alcoholism is not the same as being gay"?
"The voters in Colorado didn't think Generation Y would notice that the Earth was burning up"?
"The voters in Colorado didn't think you'd mind it if we stole all your money"?
I simply cannot, and will not, do this to my child. Or YOUR children. Or your GRANDCHILDREN.
They deserve better than this, better than us.
And that is why I'm voting in the 2010 midterm elections. I hope and pray to God/FSM that you do the same.