What I Want from Politicians

I have been feeling this since the primaries and I have to let it out. 

*Warning! This is a vent and I’m generalizing my frustrations to a group that I really do know contains decent, hardworking people who are just as frustrated as I am.*

I hate politics.  I hate politicians.  I tend to lean Democratic and there has never been a Republican who has spoken to my issues, but I really kind of hate them all.

(Don’t worry, I still vote.)

The community post by SaraGwin on John Stewart on sexism and choice really epitomized why I hate politicians, pundits, lobbyists, and most people involved in the process of government.  I’m seeing what I hate most in the debate around Sarah Palin’s nomination as McCain’s running mate.

It seems that those in the political process don’t really care what comes out of their mouths, don’t feel guilt over lying to millions of people or displaying blatant hypocrasy, so long as their side gets/keeps power.  In the Karl Rove example in SaraGwin’s post, he elaborately explained why a particular candidate was a bad VP choice for Obama.  If you had asked him how deeply he believed his words, he no doubt would have stood his ground and linked his words to his core beliefs.  Yet, weeks later, he is saying the EXACT OPPOSITE with absolutely no shame or explanation.  It’s as though his deeply held beliefs shifted and he now deeply believes the exact opposite.

I’m experiencing 1984 ‘s doublethink outside of fiction and it’s so frustrating it brings tears to my eyes.

I don’t think that Democrats are immune from this same hypocrisy, and it kills me that I vote for people who pull the same crap as Republicans because I think I’ll get screwed less.

I’ll be voting for Obama because he doesn’t seem to play the "game" in Washington as much as the others seem to.  I may be proved wrong about this, but the fact that he is new and fresh and seemingly earnest about his beliefs gives me some hope he may be a great candidate for presidency.

But what I want is a government that actually speaks to me and my needs as a human being living in America.  I want a government who won’t try to "spin" issues of sexism, racism, homophobia, and classism.  I want a government that will FIX those issues.  I want a government who sees me as a person with problems that need solving, not as a demographic they can ply with words so that I will give them power.  I want a government that will make my country better because it needs to be better and that "almost good enough" or "better than others" is a terrible benchmark to try to maintain.  I want respect and not to be lied to and condescended to like I’m a child just because I have no power relative to them.  I want a government with lofty ideals and a plan to reach them.

I want this election to be over with already.