Politics...?

"...Because every Republican Candidate has a bad case of COMPLETE INSANITY!"
My voice was louder than I thought and the ensuing silence made my face get a little hot. I don't like using the word awkward, but that was a situation I would honestly call awkward. After a few more moments of visible awkward, Freck spoke up. I thought it would save me from my fate but he instead said the one thing I prayed he wouldn't: "What?" I considered slamming my face down in my peanut butter and jelly sandwich, (on sourdough bread I might add) but I had experienced this before and had become practiced in the art of not losing my cool. "I said that all Republican candidates are nuts." I repeated. Freck was probably about to say something smart like always but Burt spoke at this. "All of them except Mitt Romney," he said in a way that told me he wanted to sound smart about the subject but not be shot down. I took this as an invitation to shoot him down, which I did. "No, he's just as off his rocker as the rest of them." I then explained to my clan of fellows that he believed Nascar was divided by teams. They chuckled and Burt no longer spoke. I imagined that's how it felt when political figures shut each other up. I hate to say it felt good. To break the eminent construction of a massive wall of hatred, Tag added, "Well, whoever wins, they gotta get rid of Obama, because he's a freakin' tool!"(for the sake of honesty, he said it a little differently...if you catch my drift.) Dre laughed at this and Dell held in a mouthful of nasty, school "taco meat." They may have found it funny but I found that statement untrue and a little under developed. At least what I said was based on fact. Again I felt I was on a political circle table. This is what it must be like when protesters randomly sling mud for no reason. Upon this statement, the great barriers isolating me as the only democrat in the room fell with a crash of good humor. I was grateful for this, but I knew that in the future Obama would be called out again and I'd be the hopeless defender of his name.

I see no problem with Obama as president. He's educated, black (I mean that in a way that he's a good elevation from the last president we had), and he does stuff. He doesn't hide in the White house and only come out when he needs to. I always figured that was something people should love about him, but my dad is good at explaining that people don't listen, they just talk louder. Obama says one thing and people like Rush Limbah will lead a cry against it loud enough to make Martin Luther King Jr. roll over in his grave. In fact, my dad has taught me a great deal about these things. My mom would too but when Dad gets passionate you just get out of his way. I've established some rules to explain why people vote for who they do.

1. People won't listen to what they don't want to hear. Actually, it's not what, it's who.

2. More than half of the voters have determined who they'll vote for before the race begins.

3. Louder candidates will be heard. When I say louder I really just mean they get your attention with extreme statements and what not.

I have others but those will do for now. Number 2 bothers me a little because so much money is spent on campaigns that are built for the purpose of winning the hearts of some people who can't be won. In doing this, it makes those who are undecided the real determiners of the winner. Number 3 is bothersome too because it reminds me of Lincoln's statement, "It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt." Isn't it funny how the 16th president said this and now yelling is the only way to be heard. Thankfully, this statement still holds true. I've watched Romney stumble over his own words clumsily and steadily drive himself into the ground. I've seen Santorum start talking and suddenly drive at 1,000 miles an hour head-first into the ground. But, remember rule 1? Well it can also keep followers of certain people from listening to reason. They can turn whatever their choice says into white noise and then just start cheering wildly about something dumb. "He says that he wants all kids to go to college and that it'll be illegal to drop out of high school...(eyebrow raise)...what a snob!"
Yes, Santorum actually said that. It was followed by wild applause and cheering. My first thought: Is he retarded? My second thought: Is the crowd retarded? Third thought: What percentage of America is this retarded? How exactly did that not come across as the stupidest statement anybodies ever heard? Unfortunately, since Santorum's catholic I've got to vote for him (KIDDING!). Although, the sentence is why almost every vote in the state of Utah will go to Romney immediately. He's Mormon, they're Mormon, and they want a Mormon person to become important outside the state of Utah for once. That's understandable. Romney is un-relatable though, and barely understands the world around him. His money was dropped in his lap and now he feels the need to be president. The way the Republican races are going it's basically like watching a game of Jeopardy where every contestant is in negative points. The only way to win is to not answer any questions, but they still will.

One thing I think that will destroy any Republican chance of winning is probably that they attack each other so much. Obama has smartly used this to his advantage and has been sitting in the oval office laughing while Santorum and Romney rip each other to pieces. Eventually Santorum or Romney will win but they will have wasted so much energy on the other Republican that Obama will be able to take them out in one foul swoop. I'm proud to be an American. 

Here's some music: Illmerica by Wofgang Gartner

This song is cool and the name says something about my feelings on the subject.