I don't post much, at least in the sense that I spend more time posting at Facebook regarding politics than here, but thought I would share some thoughts about voting in the deep red South. Please follow along, or go knock on another door, your choice.
Last time, in 2008, I lived in Western Virginia, specifically Blacksburg. I had become unemployed as the economic crisis started, and our company pulled a Bain on our plant and shut it down. After being a lifelong Demo, starting with my first votes for Carter, through Jesse, Clinton and Gore, I decided to work for President Obama. Went door to door, made calls, the whole thing. Energizing and tiring for an old dude with a bad heart.
Jumping ahead to 2012, I'm in a job in Atlanta (being from CA, I never thought I would say that) and my wife is critically ill. I listen as more and more nutcases come out of the shadows... people at work actually believe that Obama is Kenyan, that "government is the enemy", even when they are getting paid by social security, where I get strange and/or dirty looks driving around with my Obama magnets. I can't get out to do the GOTV, much as I'd like, but I could donate far more and talk to my friends and family.
So, I discover my brother, who lives in North Carolina and was a lifelong Republican and career military officer, thinks the current crop are liars, untrustworthy, and just flat-out dangerous if they control all three branches. He think Obama is pretty moderate, doesn't agree with everything he's done, but states (before Obama starting saying it) that "at least you know what he stands for". Two more votes in NC for our great President.
Then today at work, one of my Gopper friends (there are demos here by the way, we just tend to talk quietly - sometimes :-) ) makes a widecrack about my Obama magnet and how brave I am. I laugh and say I'm not scared, I'm trying to wake people up. He says Romney will win ... I challenge him about Romney's lies, specifically the Ohio ad, and he fumbles around and then repeats the old standard, "they all lie". So, I challenge him to a bet. If you are convinced Romney will win let's bet a lunch on it. Through the day, I saw him three times and kept pushing him to take the bet, and he mostly says nothing at all. One time, he said something like, you must really want to buy me lunch, and I just said, "Hey, I have no worries, he's got around an 80% chance of winning the electoral college". Could never get him to bet.
So, there you have it in a nutshell. People in my age group, white male Republicans in the South no less, are either changing their minds about the extreme policies of the current teabaggers, or have little or no real enthusiasm and aren't even confident enough to take a friendly bet on the election. No matter what happens tomorrow, I think the extremists are getting weaker.
OK, everyone, enough for me. Enjoy tomorrow, get out there and vote if you haven't, and I'll be anxious to see this all get over with.
My prediction: Obama 347, Romney 191 .... or bigger margin. >52% popular vote