Election 2016

I don't often make political comments on here

Partly because I think this is a tough medium in which to interpret not what is being said but how it is being said

Mostly because I am not strong enough with written words to defend myself and/or my platform on this medium

Nor, quite frankly, do I have the wherewithal to argue back and forth If we're going to do that, I'd rather sit on the back porch with you and do it over a cup of coffee

But this evening, I read an article in which my Party's nominee implied, suggested, who are we kidding, he outright said President Obama founded ISIS

It does not matter if I like President Obama or not (though I have to admit, I love how he Geek Dads out around kids), he is the President of Our United States

He is my President as much as he is yours
And he is yours as much as he is mine

He holds an office, a position I have a great deal of respect for

It does not matter if I like who is in that Office, I respect whomever is sitting there

So when a nominee pops off and says the leader of our country founded a fundamentalist group which pretty much hates us, I just find something so terribly wrong and offensive about that

This accusation concludes a week (plus) in which he has suggested we take up arms against his opponent (to stop her from appointing liberal judges to the US SC if she wins), attacked the family of a fallen soldier and continues to upset, offend and feud with members of our Party

Members of our Party
He and I are members of the same Party

I have never been more embarrassed in my life

And this is coming from someone who has woken up in the lobby of a hotel with no recollection of how I got there and to boot, my shoes were missing
And one time, I dated someone for like a month and called him by the wrong name...that was why he finally dumped me
And another time, I went to a wedding with a friend and accidentally outed him to his whole family
And at another wedding reception, I went to the bathroom, returned to my table and realized AFTER I finished my salad I had actually returned to the wrong wedding reception
I have done some pretty embarrassing things over the years

But this election cycle has rocked me to my very core and I am embarrassed by my Party on so many different levels......many of which I did not even know existed  

Because here's the thing:
I love voting

I look forward to it every year
Even my local elections
It's almost like a holiday for me

When I get the ballot in my hand and start filling it out, I am typically overwhelmed with this tremendous amount of pride and admiration for what I am doing

I am proud to be able to make a choice

I admire those who not made only made it possible but continue to make it possible for me to vote

And please, I know the electoral college basically negates my vote for the highest office there is but do you have any idea of the impact my vote, our votes, can have on the local level?

It's called grassroots and there's nothing more I love than a little engine that could and did

I think that voting is both a privilege and an obligation
It is a right and a responsibility
I think it is one of the fundamental cornerstones of being a citizen of this country

And I have always, and with no remorse or apologies, been a registered Republican

And I have always voted party line

I may not support a particular candidate, but I have always supported the Party (even when Sarah was waving to the Russians from her house, I stayed loyal)

But for the first time, in a long long time, I dread election day

And for the first time in a long long time, I don't want to vote

For the first time, I can't support my Party the way I have always been able to

I feel as empty as I did when Nomar was traded and when Varitek retired

*sigh*

I'll still go to the polls

I'm not so sure I'll be able to bring myself to actually cast my vote

And though I'll still feel a sense of pride as I clutch that ballot in my hand, that pride shall be tempered with a twinge of shame and the cringe worthy knowledge that my Party has potentially gone off the deep end

So embarrassing

Way more embarrassing than waking up in a hotel lobby with no shoes on.....and not nearly as fun.....