What I hope for November 8th

I hope for an election that was not so close that we spend the next four years with half the country grumbling, “We was robbed.”

I hope for an election that’s not so much a blow-out that the winner feels (in more than the usual rhetorical way) they have a mandate to ignore the losing side’s concerns.

Something around 55-45, or 53-47 would be about right.

Yeah, I know that some folks on the winning side will do little in-your-face victory dances and chest-thumping and so forth, no matter how close it is.

And, yeah, I know that some folks on the losing side will argue about a deep, dark, fascistic electoral conspiracy, whether they end up as close as Gore or as far as McGovern (and regardless of party).

A pox on both their houses.

There are things to do. I think folks agree on that, even if they may disagree on what those things are. I’d rather we were doing them than arguing about them, though.

I still am not decided on my vote. I remain leaning toward Bush — though if the polls open up enough in Colorado, I may vote for Kerry, just to keep the numbers that much closer.

I wouldn’t mind (as I’d hoped in 2000) to see a split in the House / Senate / White House monopoly of the GOP. In some ways, that’s probably more important than who has which. That may belie the desire to see action rather than churn, but it could also (yeah, I’m a foolish dreamer) provide an opportunity for actual political engagement and compromise. For a year or three, until the next presidential cycle.

As I said, I’m leaning toward Bush — though every time I realize I’m treating that as an assumption, it wakes me up with a start. What, are you crazy? Bush? Then I remember who’s running against him. Not that Kerry is all that abominable — I think both men are a lot closer to the center than the rhetoric of their supporters (rhetoric, to be sure, drummed up by both campaigns) makes it. The Republic will survive either of them, for all their flaws. I maintain, as before, that it’s the 2008 election that’s going to probably be even more critical. But if Kerry wins (and there remains a chance I’ll vote for him), I won’t be in sack cloth and ashes for the next four years. In some ways, it will almost be a relief, an ending of the reign of the Most Hated Dubya and a chance to prove I can be just as apologetic for (and critical of) the president regardless of party.

Like I said, almost a relief. Because I am so weary of the same fights and arguments over Bush / Cheney / Rummy / Iraq / Ashcroft / Terror that I am almost willing to vote for Kerry just to let the other guys get a crack at bat and take the heat for what happens. I can say that, because while I think Kerry’s take on some issues won’t be as good as Bush’s, I don’t consider either the epitome of (in)competence, and it may well be that I’m wrong and will be surprised by how good a job the challenger will do. I don’t think he’ll do much worse. I don’t think he’ll do much better. And both of those are in aggregate, so there will doubtless be areas where Kerry does better than Bush, and others where he does worse.

Or not. I’m rambling again, as I tend to do in these electoral posts. Which is probably as much a sign of how conflicted I am on the subject as anything else.

Anyway, back to what I hope for — I hope for an election that folks can recognize for what it is — a guarded confirmation of the candidate’s position, an indication that public opinion is not as extreme as it’s painted, and something that lets us move on to something more important than the posturing of the last year.

Just call me a cock-eyed optimist.