On Record - The Greatest Moment in Politics

So here I sit at Loaded Joe's, which is this hip mountain cafe/bar with free internet. My least favorite times here are when I roll into the normally quiet and laid back scene only to find some "function" that often involves a drink special. While I am happy for the owners, Kent and Kristie, it doesn't really work for me.

Tonight's event is some promotional deal thingy for Barrack Obama and his campaign for the presidency. I seem to have missed the presentation portion. There is a big screen video that is paused with Obama looking directly into the camera. This is causing me to frequently look up at the screen to see what appears to be a large floating head of Barrack sternly looking at me like an 8th grade algebra teacher. He is not "looking" at me, but he is.

Curse you optical illusions!

So this young woman who is part of the campaign approaches me. I know her from this same bar. She talks to me a little about the political scene. I know that she is very smart. It is one of the thing that makes her really attractive. It is not often that you meet young people with heads on their shoulders in a ski resort town. Often at this age they are "hiding out" from the world they don't want to take part in. Sadly, more than a few never stop hiding and progress well past the age where this is cute.

Unfortunately I hate politicians, politics and all politic related things. <facetious>Which is odd, for I do love a good campaign slogan. Who can forget the classics like Clinton/Gore '92 and the sequel of Clinton/Gore '96. Regan/Bush '84 was a winner too. Everyone remembers Mondale/Ferraro '84 losing big largely due to bad slogan development. I like Obama '08, it has that Prince or Madonna single name lure. Very rock star!</facetious>

So how do I engage this woman and somehow spin my displeasure for all things politic?

"No thanks, I don't really want a sticker."

"Yes, I understand it will get me a free beer." (there is always a drink special)

"Even though I don't want a sticker, know that I think what you are doing and your level of involvement is awesome." (that is sincere)

"Of the leading candidates, Obama sounds the least like a politician." (I think Kucinich is unaware that he is in a political election. Someone should seriously tell that man to start lying.)

"Here's the thing. I haaaaate politicians and all things political." (gee, wonder why I am single?)

Yeah, that is pretty much how it went. I suffer from Dennis Kucinich-itis. Sadly, I too am unelectable. I did explain that as a programmer, I am good at detecting patterns of behavior and/or flawed logic. In politicians (big and small) I detect a pattern of trying to get elected with whatever tool they think will get them to their ends.

In programming, when we are faced with a problem, we have to arrive at what "is" actually going on and determine our options. We then go with the only or the best option we have. The only time this process has ever been thwarted is when management says "we cant do that, say that, or show that" with no reason. The answer for this is always, "it's political." So in my line of work, the only times we have knowingly NOT gone with the right answer, it has been political!

If you are still here we have now reached the actual point of this blog. I don't believe in the players. I know that every system/process can benefit from and honest review and changes. That said, I do love the process and how it occurs because I can see beyond the individuals that I may personally despise.

The greatest moment in recent political history is what I have only heard referred to with ridicule. The Gore Bush 2000 election. All I have ever heard are the classic small minded arguments.

"Bush stole the election."

"Gore should've resigned."

"This is so embarrassing that we can't pick a president."

Maybe one or more of those statements are true, maybe not. I don't really care. The issue that I didn't hear raised was the one I felt was the most important. That issue is what did not happen. Arguably the most powerful job in the world, aside from being a bouncer at posh L.A.nightclubs, went undetermined and heatedly contested for about a month or more.

It went without tanks.

It went without gunshots.

It went without people dying

It went without death squads, mass arrests, although it did have lying. (I'm a Dr. Seuss child. What can I say.)

That was the greatness of the very same moment that so many complained about. We continued to go to work. Stores continued to sell milk to mothers who inexplicably worried everyday on their way home if they had milk for the kids. Did people make grabs for power? Yes, but without the bloody news reels that normally would accompany such an event. That is the civics lesson for the grade schoolers:

You can be a power greedy bastard without killing people. At least during the election. That is the beauty of our system.

100, 200, 300 or more years from now, who will care about Bush or Gore. The benchmark will be that extreme power was determined without bloodshed.

So now "smart cute girl" thinks I am deep even though I rebuked her cause. (Nice save!)

Sadly, I didn't have the heart to tell her everything probably went so smoothly because our country is now driven more by consumer spending than the presidency. Dammit, I have to get over this Kucinich affliction quickly before I run into "smart cute girl" again.