Wednesday, May 19, 2010

politics as usual

So I'm reading all the news back home about how the political griddle is being shaken over the fire, incumbents are doomed, people are storming Washington, and on and on.

I vote absentee in California because it's super-easy if you're out of the country -- they even thoughtfully mail the voting materials to Australia (no wonder the state is broke). So I'm looking at my sample ballot -- the primaries aren't until early June -- and one thing is immediately obvious in all but the biggest elections.

Most everyone is running unopposed.

Yes, the big races are getting lots of attention and tons of money -- a well-funded and connected "outsider" may oust an equally funded and connected "insider." But further down the ladder -- which often is the training ground for bigger races in the future -- it's same-old same-old.

I mentioned this to my brother in an email, and he said in my Midwest home state, at the local level, it's much the same.

People, you can't upset the apple cart if only a few apples at the top of the heap are changed.

2 comments:

D said...

The same thing happened here in Pennsylvania. Candidates unopposed in the primaries and WORSE some of them have no opponents in the general election. Most incumbents will be getting a free ride to reelection.

Anonymous said...

Amen sister.