The Choice Behind the Choice

About 9:00 PM MST on election night I was pursuaded that W had won it. At about 10:30 PM I was driving home and remembered that I had run out of Port and thus had nothing suitable with which to toast the victory. So I swung by the store.

The store and my home are both in the most thoroughly Republican precincts of the most thoroughly Republican districts of this, the most thoroughly Republican of the alleged "swing" states.

At the checkstand I greeted the checker with my standard, "How are you this evening?"

The checker, a girl in her late teens, replied to the effect that the election results would determine both that and her willingness to continue living in this country. I didn't press for specifics, because, well, let's face it, I'm not looking for political analysis from teenage grocery checkers. Really, I'm just not. My reply was meant more as a civics lesson, "If you need a ride to the airport, let me know. Have a good evening."

My read is that she was a W supporter and none too happy about the rigged exit-polling data. Nevertheless, there is something else at work here that needs to be addressed. The problem here is not restricted to the young, but so far I have personally run in to it only in people not over 25.

There are two choices Americans face in every election. One is Red vs. Blue; the other is Jeffersonian democracy vs. a dictatorship where you like the dictator.

I offer these options to anyone who is so despondent about the results of a single election they don't believe they can go on:

1. If it's really the end of the world, shoot yourself.
2. If it's just that you can't stand not getting your way in elections, move somewhere where they don't have elections. For leftists try North Korea, Cuba or Venezuela. [The latter is especially for those who want the illusion of elections, but don't want to miss out on the jailing of dissidents.] For more nationalistic facists, I suggest Russia. Either way, let me know, I will gladly take you to the airport.
3. If it's neither of the above, then for pity's sake, get over yourself. This is an electoral democracy. It's not all about you. Narcissists are never going to like democracy nor the free market.

This is the choice behind the choice, if you cannot love America unless it conforms to your own narrow Utopian ideal, then you are never, ever, ever going to start liking it.