ELECTION SEASON BLUES

I have experienced many different emotions during Presidential elections – anger, bewilderment, even elation. However, I have never felt bereft – until now. Despite my strong views as to how I would like to see this come out, I cannot help feeling disconnected from the whole process. It’s as if this were happening in a different country that I cared about but was not a part of – like England. Debates about the impact of this or that statement or action by a candidate on their chance of success leave me cold.

I have no doubt that my disaffection is caused by the fact that the rules of engagement have clearly changed. I felt passionate about the outcome of prior elections but viewed them in the context of an ebb and flow of American politics. There were exaggerations and misdirection, but it was all within certain parameters of conduct. Candidates had to be careful not to overstep those parameters or risk, presumably, alienating voters. Those parameters are now gone.

I have developed defense mechanisms to limit witnessing the devolution of the American electoral system. I read only headlines, not articles. I shun conversations about the election as if they were the plague. I watch TV clutching the remote ready to instantly mute any political commercials that airs. While the old Tom Wamser would have reveled in watching a Presidential candidate nominated by a party that has declared war on the LGBTQ+ community swaying arrhythmically to a song praising unfettered gay sex, I now avert my gaze.      

When I look back on my assumptions about the American electorate, I flog myself for my naivete. I knew people were gullible and easily led, but I still harbored some belief that they at least appreciated veracity and at least a pretense of decorum. I was obviously wrong. The myth that a candidate had to “appear Presidential” has been exposed and destroyed.

I also knew that people only engaged with issues at the most visceral level. After all, there had to be some logic behind throwing all that money into ignorant, reductive, meaningless TV ads. Still, I bought into the idea that issues did matter, even if only at a surface level. Silly, silly man. What matters is lashing out at bogeymen created by inane media images and gross generalizations.

All people care about is their side winning. Everything is justifiable if you prevail. The consequences are meaningless. Who cares if we have a country that regards the system as rigged so long as you can use that lie as a hook to secure more support. Any fabrication is appropriate if it results in victory.

I really don’t know what to do with this estrangement from the process. I know how much our lives can be impacted by the outcome of the election, but can’t get by the sense that we have, as an entire country, already lost. The lies and obfuscation will not stop on November 5. I seriously doubt that once that genie is out of the bottle, and it is out, it can be shoved back in.