A Singular Moment



The unexamined life isn't worth living, Socrates

There are moments in our lives which stand out as singular. Events, seemingly insignificant cause, us to alter a belief or a course we thought we were fixed to. Studies show that intelligent and liberal people are more likely to have these satoris.

 Some months back I vowed to not choose a presidential candidate to back until 90 days before the election. If Canada and Australia can choose a leader in such short time certainly the USA can do without the two year two ringed circus we seem to think necessary. Especially if the SCOTUS (2000) or compromised voting machines (2004) is going to be the way a president gets into office. Note: I did not say elected. 

The internet is a wonderful window into the world and what the world knows and yet a few moments spent on any social media site and you know there are people who have the blinds down and the drapes closed. I said upon graduation from the University of New Mexico that my ideal profession would be researcher. And the internet and Google has made it possible at least as a hobby. A blame my father. He bought us the World Book Encyclopedia and always encouraged us to look it up.

The goal of not picking a candidate gave me the freedom to look up the records as opposed to spouting the party line, and being dedicated to defending it.

My parents were Democrats and we lived in a Republican precinct so I suffered for that. In a time when girls my age had teen idols I worshiped John Fitzgerald Kennedy. A Catholic, heaven forbid. So I attended mass at the nearest Catholic church because I wanted to know what was so horrid about that. Nothing I found. I did find out my father had been raised Catholic. The pope was going to colonize the US. Now we are willing to hand it over to Jesus. Or at least people who claim to know what he wants.

So while I was in this place of self-imposed examination of the candidates I also examined the process. And became firmly opposed to the two party system long before I voiced that. Trump and Hillary just supported my conclusion. So right after I voted for my preferred Democratic candidate in the primary I changed my registration from Democrat to un-affilated. Or totally independent of all party politics. I have been both, you know. Republican when that was something to be admired and then back to Democrat when it became evident it was not the grand ole party anymore. 

My parents were abhorred about the Republican period and no doubt they would be upset about this new independence. But my research shows it is a growing trend. Currently independents out number Republicans and Democrats put together. So why is it those to obsolete and totally dysfunctional parties get to choose who we vote for? Which brings me back to not choosing a candidate I would vote for until 90 days before the election. Right now I know it isn't Hillary or Trump.

Hillary was eliminated when she announced she had won before the last round of primaries. My singular moment. This was not working for me. I thought in 2008 I wanted a female president. But not this one. Not anyone chosen by this flawed and corrupted process.

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