The looming darkness this weekend has nothing to do with us reverting back to standard time. That’s a short-term problem of little importance.
The looming darkness rather comes from the upcoming midterm elections on Tuesday. A looming storm that has been plagued with factually incorrect political ads, a cavalcade of clowns as candidates, and mudslinging. As usual.
We’re told in our elections that there are only two choices to select: Democrat and Republican. In most cases, that’s wrong. In 35 states, there are candidates who neither ascribe to the Democratic Party nor the Republican Party.
But in many races in Missouri and Illinois, there’s an illusion of choice. There are many races that are uncontested, whether uncontested Democrat or uncontested Republican. That’s not democracy when you’re limited to only one choice, even if they’re absolute garbage.
We’re reminded that “this is the most important election ever.” Hogwash. I share my friend Thomas Knapp’s sentiments on that assumption. It’s a neverending argument to “vote harder” for change when change never comes.
America and its obsession with two parties is the major problem
Voting only between a Democrat and a Republican is like biting into a 30-year-old Kit Kat. You expect the sweet, chocolatey goodness, but it’s significantly less savory and increasingly bitter. There is no good choice between the two.
As the threat of violence continues to heighten between the two parties in an all-out war, the canyon that is the division point of Americans continues to widen. This is also while politicians continue to sit on their asses, doing absolutely nothing except collecting a paycheck.
The duopoly’s censorship of third-party and independent candidates
These same two parties like to censor other parties from the ballot. This censorship comes in many forms, but normally surrounds excessively high petitioning thresholds and/or ridiculously expensive filing fees. Even when petitions are turned in and fees are paid, they still attempt to kick them off the ballot.
In Illinois, Democratic Secretary of State nominee (and former state treasurer) Alexi Giannoulias enacted an objection under fraudulent pretenses. The pretenses didn’t surround the number of signatures submitted; the Libertarian Party submitted enough signatures for inclusion. The false pretenses were over the name of the candidate.
The candidate just happened to have the same name as the retiring Secretary of State — Jesse White. The objection did not pass, and White later withdrew. However, a replacement candidate was found in former 2018 gubernatorial hopeful and retired pro wrestler Jon Stewart. (Not to be confused with the comedian.)
It’s not going to get any better after this election
Regardless of what happens in the election Tuesday, it’s not going to get any better. We’re still living in a period of high inflation. We are on the brink of a national fuel crisis. The national debt is creeping closer to $32 trillion. Amidst all this, there is no relief from any of it.
Potentially winning a $1.6 billion Powerball jackpot might not even alleviate issues. At least not in the short term.
Nothing will change in Springfield, Jefferson City, or Washington. It’ll be the same old, same old status quo BS as usual. No progress, continued indebtedness instigated by both parties.
Even if you vote Tuesday, it’s not going to accomplish anything in this election. (Or any election for that matter.) Candidates will throw their temper tantrums and contest the results. The duopoly will blame third party and independent candidates for their losses. Some runoffs may be forced in some states.
Voting will not accomplish anything because you’ll still gripe about the government, no matter who’s in charge. You won’t step up and actually do anything to fix the issues.
If you’re voting Democrat or Republican on Tuesday, you lost your right to complain about the outcome. Because when it comes between two authoritarian regimes, America loses regardless.
Maybe you should be like Howard Beale from the 1976 film “Network.” As in exclaiming, “I’m as mad as hell, and I’m going to take this anymore!”
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Jake Leonard, a broadcast media and journalism veteran, is the editor-in-chief of Heartland Newsfeed. Leonard is also GM and program director of Heartland Newsfeed Radio Network, wrestling editor and contributing writer for Ambush Sports, a contributing writer for My Sports Vote and Midwest Sports Network, and a former contributor to Bleacher Report and Overtime Heroics. He resides at home in Nokomis, Ill. with his dog Buster.
