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Monday, Nov 9, 2009
Politics is driving me insane! Should I leave the country?
Oct 28, 2004 | The letters started in August. Instead of asking about unfaithful husbands and drug-addicted boyfriends, people started asking, Should I commit election fraud to ensure Bush's defeat? Should I leave the country if he is reelected? Why am I so utterly out-of-my-head about politics? Am I insane?
I didn't have answers to these questions. I needed time to think. But the election is now nearly upon us. So last week I put out a call for letters.
What resulted was an avalanche of great letters from Salon readers.
I coded the request for letters with the subject line "Politics Is Freaking Me Out" so that I could sort them easily. Refrain after refrain appeared as we scrolled through our e-mail: Politics Is Freaking Me Out! Politics Is Freaking Me Out! Politics Is Freaking Me Out! At Salon, politics has been freaking us out for nearly four years. So it was heartening to hear from you.
So here are my responses to two letters that represent my thoughts on why this presidency, this war and this election are freaking us out.
Dear Cary,
This year's election is taking a toll on many people. I currently reside in a state that is definitely going to the candidate I like and my parents reside in a swing state. I am still pretty young and during the last election I was living at home so I voted in that swing state.
This year, I wonder, is it ethical to not vote in my decided state but reregister in my parents' district? I know it is fraudulent, but ethically I feel like shouldn't I do everything possible to ensure that the candidate I actually respect gets elected?
"Undecided" voter
Dear "Undecided,"
I do not think you should do everything possible to ensure that the candidate you actually respect gets elected. Rather, I think you should do everything possible to ensure that our republic remains a republic governed by laws and not by expediency. I do not think you should violate the law and your own ethics. I think instead you should hold yourself to the highest ethical and legal standards.
To this end, you could vote absentee in your state and then travel to a swing state and work on get-out-the-vote efforts. That would be legal, inspiring and fun, and it would multiply your effectiveness. Instead of discrediting your own constituency for the gain of only one vote, you could help several voters reach the polls and thus multiply your effectiveness legally.
If you cannot travel to a swing state, you can call voters in swing states on the phone. This also is a way to work for your candidate without violating election law.
If accusations of election fraud do arise in the wake of the 2004 election, you will want to have acted in exemplary fashion. Our side ought to have clean hands.
