Super-extra-special-two-for-one-mega-Tuesday!
Okay, that's not for another twelve hours, when the polls open, but there is a buzz about America today. I hope that anyone who is reading this has gone out to their local polling place and cast their ballot (if able, not all of us are lucky enough to live in an open primary state). The important part is that you vote. The next most important part is that I see lots and lots of support for Senator Barack Obama, both here in Massachusetts and around the rest of the land.
I tend to wave optimist in (probably) too many things in my life, but seeing the interest today among my students in the democratic process was extremely satisfying. And this rant has suddenly become a stream-of-consciousness babble.
Nonetheless, I share in the excitement. And it's not just because I watch politics like normal people watch football. There are record numbers and interest in the primary season which has not been seen in my lifetime (I believe that NPR cited 1980 as the last time). Even people who often could not care less about these things are talking about debate performance, stance on issues, and the future decade for America and the world.
I hope that this keeps-- the natural cynic in me serves as a reminder that the hype around the primaries will die along with the anointment of the nominees (in all likelihood this week), and there will be a glut of interest until November, when we return to our <50% voter rates, etc. We seek so often for our Enlightened Republic.
Yet, I am a hopeless optimist. Let's watch tomorrow