The system is broken. Most politicians would rather sacrifice their first born than tell voters the honest truth about tough issues. Big money and gerrymandering have placed government out of the reach of most Americans...I'm making telephone calls for MoveOn.org and hoping that a Democratic takeover of the House and possibly of the Senate will put some new people in charge (of at least part of the legislative branch of our federal government) who are up to the task.
...American-style democracy needs to be energized, revitalized. The people currently in charge are not up to the task. [emphasis mine] It’s time to bring the intelligence, creativity and energy of the broader population into the quest for constructive change.
I'm finding that working to get out the vote is like spanning Kierkegaard's chasm of doubt. On one side is the hope that the election will be fair (and the widespread opposition to Bush and his policies can be registered), on the other the fear that it won't be fair (and once again the popular will will be undercut by the ruthless, undemocratic people who have been bullying and stealing their way into political office under Bush, Cheenie, and Rove). Like the position of Kierkegaard's doubting believer—hanging by his fingernails between two cliffs, left hand on one side, right on the other—ours is an uncomfortable position to be in.
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