It’s time for a confession: I am an addict. It’s a secret shame that at times has seen me ostracised from my family, left alone at the bar and harangued in public. The monkey on my back is not sex, drugs or booze, it’s politics. My stimulant of choice would be of the US kind, though I can indulge myself at great length with the UK national, local and regional brands, plus the Euro Parliament.
In times of withdrawal, I have been known to indulge in French, German, Italian and even Venezuelan, Mexican and Bolivian – a mark of abject disgrace to my nearest and dearest.
Catch me on a high and I will supply you with names and probably voting figures from obscure US senatorial races of the last thirty years.
You really don’t want to come anywhere near me now, do you?
I’m one of those people who happens to think politics is everything in life. If you don’t keep an eye on the bastards who decide they’re fit to run things, they’ll go out of their way to screw up your life when you’re not looking. It might be something as simple as banning your favourite film in a knee-jerk response to some tabloid outcry, or it might be about sending your loved ones off to die in some meaningless war.
There’s a rush to it, too, beyond the self-defence factor. Battles of wills, power struggles, egos crashing and burning – it’s a lovely sight. There’s also a hint of cruelty in my delight. I think there’s something in the pathology of people who wish to become leading politicians that reveals an inner life which should never be allowed the reins of power. Thankfully, they all come falling down sooner or later.
This week I have been enjoying the US midterm elections, up until the small hours on Tuesday night and then watching CNN and Fox for days after until George Allen finally realised it really was all going to hell in a handcart yesterday. (Heaven for the majority.)
I take simple but vicious pleasure in the humbling of Bush, the dismissing of Rumsfeld and hopefully the slow torture of Cheney. Finally the Democrats are back in control of both houses – now let’s hope something can be done in the Middle East. But I won’t be holding my breath.
You stopped reading three paragraphs back, didn’t you? See, nobody understands. Next time I’m doing a detailed analysis of the Venezuelan elections. That should really bring the punters in…
(This one cross-posted from LJ and MySpace)
I agree it gave me a great deal of pleasure to see what happened in the US midterm elections.
If ordinary people don’t get involved then we get what we deserve, but I don’t really blame people for not getting involved all the major parties sound pretty much the same now all style over substance. No passion or real beliefs as far as I can see.
Those of us that do care need to speak out more than ever. Especially with the recent rise of nazi thugs in Europe and the acquittal of the bnp leader on racism charges.
Here’s an interesting little snippet of graphical info from the Expansionist Party of the US, via a blog called Strange Maps.
The proposed 51st through 56th states of the USA…