The base is not amused

Can I just tell you how many people told me Tuesday's post ("Memo from an Orange State") was not funny? There's little that becomes uncomfortable as quickly as having to explain a joke over and over, so let me put your mind at ease by stating unequivocally:

I did not vote for George Bush.

To those of you momentarily saddened by my failure to contribute to that cause, let me assure you:

I did not vote for John Kerry.

Did I "throw my vote away"? No. I'm one who believes a vote derives its value from the inner dialog it starts -- or ought to -- between you and your conscience, not from whether it adds to the bottom line of a winning candidate. The only way you can throw your vote away is not to exercise it.

But I'm also one who believes that this year, more than ever, a choice for either of the major party candidates amounted to little more than a choice to re-arrange the furniture or leave it the way it is. Sure, you can make the room look and feel a little different but it's all just the same old shiz.

The strident tone of the campaigns was more than anything a reflection of how hard the parties had to work to highlight the differences between the candidates. Seeking some peace, I took time off to visit the library this afternoon. The catalog said the book I was looking for was checked in, but it wasn't on the shelf. (Insert presidential metaphor here.) So I picked up Complete & Utter Failure: A Celebration of Also-Rans, Runners-Up, Never-Weres and Total Flops. Seems right for the day after an election somehow.