September 01, 2012 10:26 PM UTC

Why the 2012 Election Cycle Sucks, and how to blame the party of your choice

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• by: MADCO

The Republican primary should have energized the party and thus the process.  It did not.  It could have – it should have.  

The Republicans acknowledged that the 08 Democrat (sic)  primary energized the Democratic Party.   When was the last time there were tens of thousands of protestors and witnesses at the credentialing meeting of any party at any convention?

But there’s a problem with the R attempted mimicry.  They excluded Ron Paul and all his supporters form the the show.  Contrast that with 08 when Hillary nominated Barack from the floor. No back room deal – she just did it.

The Republicans put on a lame show of wanting to energize their party, and thus the process.

But at every turn, they chose their third rail issues and not only allowed but encouraged some coat-tail riding loser to take the whole thing off the rails.  

Don’t get me wrong – I’m not complaining. The Ryan/Romney budget needed to die in committee (which is how Boehner runs the House). As did the hundreds of other for show only pieces they brought to a  vote.  Even S&P pointed the (middle)  finger right at the Republicans when they issued that downgrade on our sovereign debt.

And, lest you think I was not paying attention, the R supporters right here on CoPols have let us all down.

I wrote the redundant, boring diary about why I am voting for Obama again.  Overtly challenged the Romney supporters here to do something similar for their candidate, and challenged them to come up with something more intellectually developed than “he’s not Obama”..  < crickets  >

Complain about how gov’t functions or not  as much as you want- it works almost precisely how the founders intended.

Including the possibility that we people would want to change how it works.  But to do that, we have to want to engage and make it happen.

I’ve heard one serious proposal for a Constitutional amendment in this cycle: from President Obama regarding corporate personhood status.  

You want to have mandatory drug testing for recipients of public benefits?  Amend the 4th Amendment, or decriminalize drug use.

You want fewer abortions to be taking place?  Support  sex education and contraception.

I could go on, but what would be the point?

When I’m ready to engage and do it- I do. Or will.  Why should I or anyone give it all away in advance?

That said- our process is screwy. Exactly as intended.

The parties do not help in the sense that they are not guaranteed or even designed to get voters to engage.

In the end- I’m complaining about you weak posters here on CoPols.

Two recent quitters who tried to save face and claim it’s the heat and bitterness. In truth it was the carefully observed and reasoned calling out of their bs.

We even went out of our way to elect a front page editor, aka CoPols Overlord, from the anti-Obama, R leaning posters. Nada de Lo Squada. (not to be confused wi the parody band of the same name).

I’m not quitting CoPols.

I wish I had more time to help Miklosi in CD6  – he has the chance to be every bit as caring and helpful a representative as Perlmutter, and I wish Team Miklosi all the good luck in the world.  (Joe should do more to highlight Coffman’s ghostly presence in the District and then debate an empty chair. I’ll wear the chicken suit a couple of times if you want.)

And I will be there for GOTV.  

Anyone want to go to the inauguration?